Numerical investigation of polymer melt heat transfer using Shell and tube heat exchanger in continuous polymer foaming process

In this work, Heat transfer performance of shell and tube heat exchanger numerical investigated and validated experimentally in continuous polymer foaming process. The three-dimensional conjugate heat transfer method has been used for numerical investigation. Temperature distribution of the polymer melt is quite essential for polymer processing. However, in this study mainly focused on temperature distribution, heat transfer rate, heat transfer coefficient and overall heat transfer coefficient was investigated. These parameters are numerically investigated on 10–50Kg.h−1 of mass flow rate, whereas inlet temperature of the melt was 200°C and oil temperature was 160, 170 and 180°C. The results validated experimentally on 1030 and 50Kg.h−1 of mass flow rate respectively. It has been investigated that, between 10–20Kg.h−1 of mass flow rate gives approximately homogeneous temperature distribution. However, the outer streams near the wall is temperature drop deteriorated as increasing mass flow rate. The heterogeneous temperature of the melt effected on heat transfer coefficient numerically investigated at outlet. The overall heat transfer coefficient increases as increasing mass flow rate, nonetheless, 170°C of oil temperature gives higher results than others.