Heat Transfer Enhancement in Helicoidal Heat Exchangers for Industrial Thermal Systems
Not stated
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
- Application deadline
- Year-round applications
About the project
About the Project The proposed project focuses on the investigation, design and optimization of helicoidal heat exchangers for enhanced thermal performance in industrial heat transfer applications, particularly in the oil and gas sector. Conventional shell-and-tube and tube-in-tube heat exchangers often suffer from limited heat transfer rates due to the formation of thermal boundary layers and insufficient fluid mixing. The introduction of helicoidal geometries generates secondary swirling flows, centrifugal effects and enhanced turbulence, which can significantly improve convective heat transfer while maintaining acceptable pressure losses. CFD simulations will be performed using industry-standard software to investigate the influence of key geometric parameters, including helix pitch, tube diameter, helicoidal insert configuration and flow arrangement (co-current and counter-current) on thermal and hydraulic performance. Particular attention will be given to applications involving the heating of crude oil prior to transportation through pipelines. In such systems, increasing oil temperature reduces viscosity and pumping power requirements, resulting in significant energy savings and improved operational efficiency. The project will evaluate the capability of helicoidal heat exchangers to enhance thermal effectiveness while minimizing pumping power penalties. The research will quantify heat transfer coefficients, Nusselt numbers, pressure drop characteristics, thermal effectiveness and overall performance factors across a range of operating conditions. Advanced flow visualization techniques will be employed to analyse vortex structures, temperature distributions, and secondary flow development responsible for thermal enhancement. The expected outcomes include the development of optimized helicoidal heat exchanger designs, validated numerical methodologies and design guidelines for industrial implementation. The project will contribute to improving energy efficiency, reducing operational costs and supporting the development of advanced thermal management technologies for mechanical engineering applications. The findings are expected to benefit industries involved in energy production, oil transportation, chemical processing and sustainable heat recovery systems, while also providing pathways for future commercialization and technology transfer.