Optimized the manifold system for injecting air into the Mosman Bulk Solids Heat Exchanger (BSHE). The final design considerably reduced manufactoring cost, meanwhile maintaining an even air distribution

1. Gasværksvej 26, DK 9000 Aalborg www.R-R-Consult.com www.LinkedIn.com/company/R&R-consult Info@R-R-consult.com
CFD simulation and design optimization of heat exchanger purge
manifold for Mosman Stainless Steel BV

2. Gasværksvej 26, DK 9000 Aalborg www.R-R-Consult.com www.LinkedIn.com/company/R&R-consult Info@R-R-consult.com
R&R Consult helped analyse and optimize the
design of the Mosman Bulk Solids Heat
Exchanger (BSHE). The BSHE is used for
cooling or heating free-flowing bulk solids, via a
pillow plate heat exchanger. In order to reduce
the risk of caking in the pillow plate bank, dry
air is injected at several horizontal planes and
then flows upwards through the pillow banks
and bulk solids. The air is injected via air inlet
manifolds and distributed through multiple
nozzles/studs in each manifold. The nozzles
are welded on the manifolds, which is a costly
manufacturing process.
R&R Consult helped optimize the design of
these manifolds by using Computational Fluid
Dynamics (CFD). The objective was to achieve
a uniform air distribution while minimizing
pressure drop and manufacturing costs.
We significantly optimized the original design
based on empirical design equations regarding
manifold design and several state of the art
numerical simulations. This yielded considerably
reduced manufacturing costs. Furthermore we
established an optimum nozzle number/diameter
combination in order to minimize flow variation
in the nozzle row and generate the necessary
flow uniformity inside the heat exchanger. The
updated manifold design not only meets the
prerequisites for efficient de-moisturization. It
also keeps the injected air from interfering with
the product flow and considerably reduces
manufacturing cost. The case served as another
example of combining fluid mechanical
experience, knowledge and CFD for cost-efficient
design analysis and optimization.
The simulation process saw interesting meshing challenges, e.g. a full
geometric discretization of all nozzles in the inlet manifold. This
provided data concerning individual nozzle flow rates, and was used to
minimize flow variation in the longitudinal direction of the manifold,
while providing information regarding manifold pressure drop.
Mosman Bulk Solids Heat
Exchanger
Flow uniformity, variation
between ± 9% from mean
Path lines from distributor Velocity through distributor
CFD simulation and design optimization of heat exchanger purge
manifold for Mosman Stainless Steel BV