Partial flow compensation by transverse bypass configuration in multi-channel cryogenic compact heat exchanger

Abstract

High-performance multi-channel heat exchangers are vulnerable to small defects such as ill-manufacture or contamination in flow channels. Even slight flow mal-distribution may result in drastic reduction of their thermal performance. In order to accommodate such performance reduction in multi-channel heat exchangers, transverse bypass structure among the channels of hot stream or cold stream is proposed. Since transverse bypass structure enables voluntary flow re-distribution among the channels, detrimental effect of flow defects can be partially reduced and flow mal-distribution can be locally relieved. The lower the flow resistance of transverse bypass is, the more substantial the flow re-distribution is and the larger its effect can be. Quantitative analysis and experimental verification on the effect of transverse bypass is carried out, and the results are presented in this paper. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.