Home Technology Advances in triple tube heat exchangers regarding heat transfer characteristics of single and two-phase flows in comparison to double tube heat exchangers part 1
Article
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Advances in triple tube heat exchangers regarding heat transfer characteristics of single and two-phase flows in comparison to double tube heat exchangers part 1

  • Dogan Akgul ORCID logo , Hatice Mercan ORCID logo , Ozgen Acikgoz ORCID logo and Ahmet Selim Dalkilic ORCID logo EMAIL logo
Published/Copyright: October 30, 2023
Become an author with De Gruyter Brill
Submit Manuscript Author Information
Kerntechnik
From the journal Kerntechnik Volume 88 Issue 6

Abstract

Triple concentric-tube heat exchangers are used widely in refrigeration, drying, energy storage, chemical systems, and the food industry. To handle excessive temperature differences, the heat transfer area, as an option, the heat exchanger’s length, is necessary to be increased. Triple tubes have a significant advantage in this regard in comparison to double ones. The target of this review is to discuss the most recent publications, including the single-phase flows in these heat exchangers, focusing on the heat transfer and hydrodynamic characteristics, and to classify them with various contemporary aspects. The operating conditions, enhanced surfaces, and sizes, as well as the geometrical parameters, are categorized as being part of experimental, numerical, and analytical research. The studies indicate that the heat transfer characteristics of triple concentric-tube heat exchangers are better than those of double tube heat exchangers. In single-phase studies, the convective and overall heat transfer coefficients, Nusselt number, heat transfer rate, and effectiveness are greater in triple heat exchangers than in double heat exchangers, and the heat exchanger length required to achieve the same heat transfer performance is shorter in triple heat exchangers than in double heat exchangers. Heat transfer surface area increases by adding a concentric third tube. Advanced surfaces enhance heat transfer compared to smooth surfaces and flow turbulence in comparison to smooth surfaces. Heat transfer from triple-one enhanced surfaces is not well-analyzed. Design and use of triple ones as a double one’s alternative should advance shortly.

Keywords: heat transfer; single-phase flow; heat transfer enhancement; heat exchanger; double tube; triple tube
Corresponding author: Ahmet Selim Dalkilic, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Yildiz Technical University (YTU), Istanbul 34349, Türkiye, E-mail:

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to acknowledge that this paper is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for PhD degree at Yildiz Technical University.

  1. Research ethics: Not applicable.

  2. Author contributions: The authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.

  3. Competing interests: The authors state no conflict of interest.

  4. Research funding: This work was supported by a grant of the Yildiz Technical University Scientific Research Project Coordination Unit, YTU-BAPK, Project no: FCD-2021-4267.

  5. Data availability: Not applicable.

Nomenclature

f

friction factor

h

heat transfer coefficient, W/m2 °C

Nu

Nusselt number

Re

Reynolds number

Q ˙

heat transfer rate, W

U

overall heat transfer coefficient, W/m2 °C

Greek letters

ΔP

pressure drop

ε

effectiveness

Acronyms

CFD

computational fluid dynamics

DTHEX

double tube heat exchanger

HEX

heat exchanger

HT

heat transfer

LMTD

logarithmic mean temperature difference

TTHEX

triple tube heat exchanger

References

Amanuel, T. and Mishra, M. (2018). Thermohydraulic optimization of triple concentric-tube heat exchanger: a multi-objective approach. J. Process Mech. Eng. 233: 1–12, https://doi.org/10.1177/0954408918779232.Search in Google Scholar

Azeez, K., Obaid, Z.A.H., and Their, K.M. (2023). Investigating the experimental parameters of a rib triple pipe heat exchanger. Case Stud. Therm. Eng. 44: 1–11, https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899x/1130/1/012048.Search in Google Scholar

Babu, S.S., Chandra, K.H., and Mahesh, G.C. (2020). Numerical analysis in triple tube heat exchanger with fins. Int. J. Mech. Prod. Eng. Res. Dev. 10: 1473–1480, https://doi.org/10.5958/2249-7315.2016.00732.2.Search in Google Scholar

Batmaz, E. and Sandeep, K.P. (2005). Calculation of overall heat transfer coefficients in a triple tube heat exchanger. Heat Mass Transfer 41: 271–279, https://doi.org/10.1007/S00231-004-0546-0.Search in Google Scholar

Batmaz, E. and Sandeep, K.P. (2008). Overall heat transfer coefficients and axial temperature distribution in a triple tube heat exchanger. J. Food Process Eng. 31: 260–279, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-4530.2007.00154.x.Search in Google Scholar

Behera, V.M., Das, D.H., and Nayak, A. (2014). Numerical analysis of triple tube heat exchanger using Ansys. Int. J. Sci. Eng. Res. 5: 1226–1231, https://doi.org/10.21817/ijet/2016/v8i5/160805436.Search in Google Scholar

Bergles, A.E. (1998). Techniques to enhance heat transfer. In: Rohsenow, W.M., Hartnett, J.P. and Cho, Y.I. (Eds.), Handbook of heat transfer. McGraw-Hill, New York.Search in Google Scholar

Bielski, S. and Malinowski, L. (2003). A Semi-analytical method for determining unsteady temperature field in a parallel-flow three-fluid heat exchanger. Int. Commun. Heat Mass Transfer 30: 1071–1080, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0735-1933(03)00173-8.Search in Google Scholar

Boultif, N. and Bougriou, C. (2016). Steady and unsteady state thermal behavior of triple concentric-tube heat exchanger. Heat Mass Transfer 53: 849–863, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-016-1859-5.Search in Google Scholar

Dewan, A., Mahanta, P., Raju, K.S., and Kumar, P.S. (2004). Review of passive heat transfer augmentation techniques. Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng., Part A 218: 509–527, https://doi.org/10.1243/0957650042456953.Search in Google Scholar

García-Valladares, O. (2004). Numerical simulation of triple concentric-tube heat exchangers. Int. J. Therm. Sci. 43: 979–991, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2004.02.006.Search in Google Scholar

Ghiwala, T.M. and Matawala, V.K. (2014). Sizing of triple concentric pipe heat exchanger. Int. J. Eng. Dev. Res. 2: 1683–1692, https://www.ijedr.org/papers/IJEDR1402067.pdf.Search in Google Scholar

Giovannoni, V., Sharma, R.N., and Raine, R.R. (2017). Numerical prediction of thermal performances in a concentric triple tube heat exchanger. Int. J. Therm. Sci. 120: 86–105, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2017.06.003.Search in Google Scholar

Gomaa, A., Halim, M.A., and Elsaid, A.M. (2016). Experimental and numerical investigations of a triple concentric-tube heat exchanger. Appl. Therm. Eng. 99: 1303–1315, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2015.12.053.Search in Google Scholar

Gomaa, A., Halim, M.A., and Elsaid, A.M. (2017). Enhancement of cooling characteristics and optimization of a triple concentric-tube heat exchanger with inserted ribs. Int. J. Therm. Sci. 120: 106–120, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2017.06.002.Search in Google Scholar

Hossain, A., Uddin, M.A., Hossen, R., and Afroz, H.M.M. (2017). Experimental analysis of a triple concentric tube heat exchanger. Int. J. Mod. Stud. Mech. Eng. 3: 1–10, https://doi.org/10.20431/2454-9711.0303001.Search in Google Scholar

Hosseinizadeh, S.E., Majidi, S., Goharkhah, M., and Jahangiri, A. (2021). Energy and exergy analysis of ferrofluid flow in a triple tube heat exchanger under the influence of an external magnetic field. Therm. Sci. Eng. Prog. 25: 1–17, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsep.2021.101019.Search in Google Scholar

Hussain, S., Rajput, U.A., Bukhsh, Q., Kazi, Q.A., and Mastoi, S. (2021). Numerical investigation of thermohydraulic performance of triple concentric-tube heat exchanger with longitudinal fins. J. Mech. Continua Math. Sci. 16: 61–73, https://doi.org/10.26782/jmcms.2021.08.0006.Search in Google Scholar

Kumar, R. and Chandra, P. (2021). Experimental investigation of heat transfer in a triple tube heat exchanger with coiled spring inserts. Heat Transfer 50: 4552–4574, https://doi.org/10.1002/htj.22088.Search in Google Scholar

Kumar, P.R., Satheesh, R., and Manikantachari, N. (2019). Analysis of triple pipe heat exchanger with turbulators. Int. J. Adv. Sci. Technol. 28: 216–221.Search in Google Scholar

Linge, P.V., Korane, A.B., and Kapatkar, V.N. (2016). Performance study of triple concentric pipe heat exchanger. Int. Eng. Res. J. MITCOE Spec. Issue 629–634, https://www.ierjournal.org/pupload/mit/HP2-13.pdf.Search in Google Scholar

Moya-Rico, J.D., Molina, A.E., Belmonte, J.F., Tendero, J.I.C., and Almendros-Ibañez, J.A. (2019). Characterization of a triple concentric-tube heat exchanger with corrugated tubes using artificial neural networks (ANN). Appl. Therm. Eng. 147: 1036–1046, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2018.10.136.Search in Google Scholar

Pancholi, M. and Virani, B. (2017). Experimental analysis of triple tube heat exchanger. J. Res. 3: 17–19.Search in Google Scholar

Patrascioiu, C. and Radulescu, S. (2015). Prediction of the outlet temperatures in triple concentric-tube heat exchangers in laminar flow regime: case study. Heat Mass Transfer 51: 59–66, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-014-1385-2.Search in Google Scholar

Prajapati, R.S. (2019). Computational fluid analysis of triple concentric copper tube heat exchanger 3401160: 1–12, https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3401160.Search in Google Scholar

Quadir, G.A., Jarallah, S.S., Ahmed, N.J.S., and Badruddin, I.A. (2013). Experimental investigation of the performance of a triple concentric pipe heat exchanger. Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer 62: 562–566, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2013.03.033.Search in Google Scholar

Radulescu, S., Negoita, I.L., and Onutu, I. (2012). Heat transfer coefficient solver for a triple concentric-tube heat exchanger in transition regime. Rev. Chim. 63: 820–824.Search in Google Scholar

Radulescu, S., Negoita, I.L., and Onutu, I. (2016). Analysis of the heat transfer in double and triple concentric tube heat exchangers. IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng. 147: 012148, https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/147/1/012148.Search in Google Scholar

Roshan, M. and Kiran, C. (2015). CFD analysis of metallic foam-filled triple tube concentric heat exchanger. Int. J. Recent Innovation Trends Comput. Commun. 3: 2541–2547, https://doi.org/10.17762/ijritcc.v3i5.4281.Search in Google Scholar

Sahin, F. and Namli, L. (2018). Importance of stability of nanofluid in terms of improving heat transfer. Omer Halisdemir Univ. J. Eng. Sci. 7: 880–898, https://doi.org/10.28948/ngumuh.445339.Search in Google Scholar

Saied, N.H. and Seetharamu, K.N. (2006). Finite element analysis for co-current and counter-current parallel flow three-fluid heat exchanger. Int. J. Numer. Methods Heat Fluid Flow 16: 324–337, https://doi.org/10.1108/09615530610649744.Search in Google Scholar

Saraireh, M.A. (2018). Experimental and numerical thermal study of triple pipe heat exchanger. Int. J. Simul.: Syst., Sci. Technol. 19: 13.1–13.4, https://doi.org/10.5013/IJSSST.a.19.04.13.Search in Google Scholar

Saravanan, P. and Raman, M. (2020). Experimental and numerical analysis of diesel engine exhaust heat recovery using triple tube heat exchanger. Therm. Sci. 24: 525–531, https://doi.org/10.2298/TSCI190411431S.Search in Google Scholar

Saurabh, D., Khond, H., and Lele, M.M. (2016). CFD Analysis of a triple concentric tube heat exchanger having water flowing at three different temperatures. Int. J. Curr. Eng. Technol., Spec. Issue 4: 49–52, https://doi.org/10.14741/Ijcet/22774106/Spl.4.2016.8.Search in Google Scholar

Sekulic, D.P. (1994). A compact solution of the parallel flow three-fluid heat exchanger problem. Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer 37: 2183–2187, https://doi.org/10.1016/0017-9310(94)90320-4.Search in Google Scholar

Shakouchi, T., Yamamura, K., Tsujimoto, K. and Ando, T. (2020). Heat transfer enhancement of circular- and petal-shaped double-tube-type heat exchangers by triple ones. Energies 2020 13: 1-18, https://doi.org/10.3390/en13246590.Search in Google Scholar

Sharma, D.K., Das, N., Singh, S.K., and Pandey, K.M. (2022). Experimental investigation on triple concentric tube heat exchanger. Mater. Today: Proc. 49: 1684–1688, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2021.07.454.Search in Google Scholar

Shinde, P.V., Yeole, G.S., Mohite, A.B., Mahajan, B.H., Sharma, D.K., and Pathak, A.K. (2018). Experimental and theoretical analysis of triple concentric tube heat exchanger. Int. J. Adv. Res. Innovative Ideas Educ. 4: 1313–1321.Search in Google Scholar

Singh, M.K. and Jain, P.K. (2018). Performance analysis of triple concentric tube heat exchanger with ribs. Int. J. Res. Sci. Innovation 5: 106–109.Search in Google Scholar

Singh, S.K., Mishra, M., and Jha, P.K. (2015). Experimental investigations on thermo-hydraulic behaviour of triple concentric-tube heat exchanger. Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng., Part E 229(4): 299–308, https://doi.org/10.1177/0954408914531118.Search in Google Scholar

Tamkhade, P.K. and Lele, M.M. (2022). Estimation of heat transfer coefficient for intermediate fluid stream in triple concentric tube heat exchanger. Int. J. Ambient Energy 43: 1–17, https://doi.org/10.1080/01430750.2021.1888797.Search in Google Scholar

Tamkhade, P.K., Purandare, P.S., and Lele, M.M. (2019). Thermal analysis and performance evaluation of triple concentric tube heat exchanger. Int. J. Eng. Adv. Technol. 8: 3898–3905, http://www.doi.org/10.35940/ijeat.F7939.088619.10.35940/ijeat.F7939.088619Search in Google Scholar

Tanish, P., Ramanathan, N.R., Balasekhar, C.S.K., and Manikandaraja, G. (2021). Experimental study of heat transfer in concentric triple pipe heat exchanger. IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng. 1130: 1–16, https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/1130/1/012048.Search in Google Scholar

Touatit, A. and Bougriou, C. (2018). Comparative study on concentric triple tube heat exchangers using (GA). In: 2nd National Conference on Computational Fluid Dynamics & Technology 2018 (CFD & Tech 2018), pp. 1–12.10.2139/ssrn.3374263Search in Google Scholar

Unal, A. (1998). Theoretical analysis of triple concentric-tube heat exchangers. Part 1: mathematical modelling. Int. Commun. Heat Mass Transfer 25: 949–958, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0735-1933(98)00086-4.Search in Google Scholar

Wafelkar, G.V. and Kamble, L.V. (2017). Experimental performance analysis of triple tube heat exchanger with dimple tubing. Int. J. Adv. Res. Sci. Eng. 6: 810–816.Search in Google Scholar

Yadav, D., Kushwaha, A., Trivedee, D., and Upadhyay, Z. (2022). A comprehensive experimental analysis for optimal flow configurations in a triple tube heat exchanger (TTHXr). Int. Commun. Heat Mass Transfer 138: 1–12, https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4067104.Search in Google Scholar

Zhao, M. and Li, Y. (2012). New integral-mean temperature difference model for thermal design and simulation of parallel three-fluid heat exchanger. Int. J. Therm. Sci. 59: 203–213, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2012.04.019.Search in Google Scholar

Zuritz, C.A. (1990). On the design of triple concentric-tube heat exchangers. J. Food Process Eng. 12: 113–119, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-4530.1990.tb00045.x.Search in Google Scholar
Received: 2023-03-31
Published Online: 2023-10-30
Published in Print: 2023-12-15

© 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. CFD modeling of natural convection in pebble bed geometry with finite volume method
  3. Experimental investigation of heat transfer characteristics of inclined aluminium two phase closed thermosyphon
  4. Advances in triple tube heat exchangers regarding heat transfer characteristics of single and two-phase flows in comparison to double tube heat exchangers part 1
  5. Advances in triple tube heat exchangers regarding heat transfer characteristics of single and two-phase flows in comparison to double tube heat exchangers part 2
  6. Neutronic and thermal-hydraulic assessment of the TRR with new core designed based on tubular fuels
  7. A non-dominated discrete differential evolution for fuel loading pattern optimization of a nuclear research reactor
  8. CFD and machine learning based hybrid model for passive dilution of helium in a top ventilated compartment
  9. Optimization strategy for SAM in nuclear power plants based on NSGA-II
  10. Probing 6He induced reactions with nuclear level density
  11. An application for nonlinear heterogeneity-based isotherm models in characterization of niobium sorption on clay rocks and granite
  12. Calendar of events
https://doi.org/10.1515/kern-2023-0023
Keywords for this article
heat transfer; single-phase flow; heat transfer enhancement; heat exchanger; double tube; triple tube

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. CFD modeling of natural convection in pebble bed geometry with finite volume method
  3. Experimental investigation of heat transfer characteristics of inclined aluminium two phase closed thermosyphon
  4. Advances in triple tube heat exchangers regarding heat transfer characteristics of single and two-phase flows in comparison to double tube heat exchangers part 1
  5. Advances in triple tube heat exchangers regarding heat transfer characteristics of single and two-phase flows in comparison to double tube heat exchangers part 2
  6. Neutronic and thermal-hydraulic assessment of the TRR with new core designed based on tubular fuels
  7. A non-dominated discrete differential evolution for fuel loading pattern optimization of a nuclear research reactor
  8. CFD and machine learning based hybrid model for passive dilution of helium in a top ventilated compartment
  9. Optimization strategy for SAM in nuclear power plants based on NSGA-II
  10. Probing 6He induced reactions with nuclear level density
  11. An application for nonlinear heterogeneity-based isotherm models in characterization of niobium sorption on clay rocks and granite
  12. Calendar of events
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 11.12.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/kern-2023-0023/pdf
Scroll to top button