Aplicación de modelos cfd en un intercambiador de calor de tubos y coraza como complemento didáctico de la cátedra de transferencia de calor de iq-espoch

Abstract

Heat transfer is one of the main areas of study in the professional training of a chemical engineer, and heat exchangers are the subject of this branch of science. Given the limited accessibility of these devices in the environment, computational fluid dynamics is an alternative to be considered. For this reason, this project deals with the application of a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model in a shell and tube heat exchanger in order to serve as a didactic complement for the students of the heat transfer course. Based on literature research and using ANSYS® 2023 R2 software, the heat transfer phenomena that occur inside a shell and tube heat exchanger were accurately modeled and simulated, providing a realistic approximation of the operation of this device in a virtual way. For a detailed representation of the flow regime, the k-ε realizable turbulence model was chosen, since it was the one that presented the best results and was better adjusted to the available computational resources. The results of the numerical simulation, not only help to deepen the understanding of heat transfer but also support the development of practice guides that serve as an additional learning resource for students to put theoretical knowledge into practice. This study reaffirms the importance of numerical simulation as a very useful teaching tool that helps to overcome the barriers of the study of fundamental subjects in the academic growth of students of chemical engineering, allowing them to have a comprehensive preparation for a future application of theoretical knowledge in a practical environment.