Showing papers in "Applied Thermal Engineering in 2003"

Review on thermal energy storage with phase change: materials, heat transfer analysis and applications

Abstract: Thermal energy storage in general, and phase change materials (PCMs) in particular, have been a main topic in research for the last 20 years, but although the information is quantitatively enormous, it is also spread widely in the literature, and difficult to find. In this work, a review has been carried out of the history of thermal energy storage with solid–liquid phase change. Three aspects have been the focus of this review: materials, heat transfer and applications. The paper contains listed over 150 materials used in research as PCMs, and about 45 commercially available PCMs. The paper lists over 230 references.

Thermoelectrics: a review of present and potential applications

Abstract: Thermoelectric devices are solid state devices. They are reliable energy converters and have no noise or vibration as there are no mechanical moving parts. They have small size and are light in weight. As refrigerators, they are friendly to the environment as CFC gas or any other refrigerant gas is not used. Due to these advantages, the thermoelectric devices have found a large range of applications. In this paper, basic knowledge of the thermoelectric devices and an overview of these applications are given. The prospects of the applications of the thermoelectric devices are also discussed.

Closed loop pulsating heat pipes: Part A: parametric experimental investigations

Abstract: Closed loop pulsating heat pipes (CLPHPs) are complex heat transfer devices having a strong thermo-hydrodynamic coupling governing the thermal performance. In this paper, a wide range of pulsating heat pipes is experimentally studied thereby providing vital information on the parameter dependency of their thermal performance. The influence characterization has been done for the variation of internal diameter, number of turns, working fluid and inclination angle (from vertical bottom heat mode to horizontal orientation mode) of the device. CLPHPs are made of copper tubes of internal diameters 2.0 and 1.0 mm, heated by constant temperature water bath and cooled by constant temperature water–ethylene glycol mixture (50% each by volume). The number of turns in the evaporator is varied from 5 to 23. The working fluids employed are water, ethanol and R-123. The results indicate a strong influence of gravity and number of turns on the performance. The thermophysical properties of working fluids affect the performance which also strongly depends on the boundary conditions of PHP operation. Part B of this paper, which deals with development of semi-empirical correlations to fit the data reported here coupled with some critical visualization results, will appear separately.

Experimental investigation concerning the effect of natural gas percentage on performance and emissions of a DI dual fuel diesel engine

Abstract: During the last years a great effort has been made to reduce pollutant emissions from direct injection (DI) diesel engines. Towards this, engineers have proposed various solutions, one of which is the use of gaseous fuels as a supplement for liquid diesel fuel. These engines, which use conventional diesel fuel and gaseous fuel, are referred to as dual fuel engines. The main aspiration from the usage of dual fuel (liquid and gaseous one) combustion systems is mainly to reduce particulate emissions and nitrogen oxides. One of the gaseous fuels used is natural gas, which has a relatively high auto ignition temperature and moreover is an economical and clean burning fuel. The high auto ignition temperature of natural gas is a serious advantage against other gaseous fuels since the compression ratio of most conventional DI diesel engines can be maintained. Moreover the combustion of natural gas produces practically no particulates since natural gas contains less dissolved impurities (e.g. sulfur compounds). The present contribution is mainly concerned, with an experimental investigation of the characteristics of dual fuel operation when liquid diesel is partially replaced with natural gas under ambient intake temperature in a DI diesel engine. Results are given revealing the effect of liquid fuel percentage replacement by natural gas on engine performance and emissions.

Understanding operational regimes of closed loop pulsating heat pipes: an experimental study

Abstract: Increasing performance of electronic components is resulting in higher heat flux dissipation. Two-phase passive devices are proven solutions for modern microelectronics thermal management. In this context, heat pipe research is being continuously pursued evolving newer solutions to suit present requirements. Pulsating heat pipes (PHPs), a relatively new and emerging technology is one such field of investigation. The operating mechanism of PHP is not well understood and the present state of the art cannot predict required design parameters for a given task. The aim of research work presented in this paper is to better understand these mechanisms through experimental investigations. Experiments were conducted on a PHP made of copper capillary tube of 2-mm inner diameter. Three different working fluids viz. water, ethanol and R-123 were employed. The PHP was tested in vertical (bottom heat mode) and horizontal orientation. The results strongly demonstrate the effect of input heat flux and volumetric filling ratio of the working fluid on the thermal performance of the device. Important insight into the operational regimes of the device has been gained.

Closed loop pulsating heat pipes Part B: visualization and semi-empirical modeling

Abstract: Pulsating heat pipes have received growing attention from experimental and theoretical researchers in recent times. Behind its constructional simplicity lie the intriguingly complex thermo-hydrodynamic operational characteristics. Part A of this paper has presented the thermal performance results of a fairly large matrix of closed loop pulsating heat pipes. This paper, which is an extension of the previous work, first presents some more visualization results to highlight the complexities involved in mathematical formulation of the modeling problem. The phenomenological trends recorded in the visualization set-up are fully inline with the previous quantitative data of Part A. Critical review of the existing modeling approaches to CLPHPs is presented in the wake of these results. A detailed discussion follows on the important issues involved in the mathematical modeling of these devices. Then, semi-empirical correlations based on non-dimensional numbers of interest for predicting the thermal performance of CLPHPs are presented. Although there are limitations of the models presented herein, modeling by non-dimensional numbers seems to be most promising as compared to other existing techniques.

Optimum insulation thickness of external walls for energy saving

Abstract: Most of energy is used up to space heating in the cold regions of Turkey. Insulation in external walls of buildings has been gaining much more interest in recent years not only for the environmental effect of the consumed energy but also the high cost of the energy. Therefore, the optimum insulation thickness was investigated in this study for the coldest cities of Turkey like Erzurum, Kars and Erzincan. The optimization is based on the life cycle cost analysis. As a result considerable energy saving is obtained when the optimum insulation thickness is applied. Savings up to 12.113 $/m2 of wall area can be maintained for Erzurum.

Cost estimation and energy price forecasts for economic evaluation of retrofit projects

Abstract: A cost estimate can have a major impact both on project profitability and influences the technical solution. This leads to a commitment of substantial amounts of money and manpower over an extended time. Various methods often provide different results. These differences can be rather significant towards the real cost of a project and selection of the right arrangements. It is therefore important to use a proper estimate that generates enough confidence to choose the right alternative. Another source of uncertainty during the economic analysis of design and retrofit projects is the future energy price value as part of operating costs. This value can significantly affect the project viability and profitability. This paper gives a summary of the most common methods used for cost estimation of heat exchange equipment in the process industry and the sources of energy price projections. It shows the relevance of the choice of the right method and the most reliable source of energy price forecast used when choosing between alternative retrofit projects or when trying to determine the viability of a retrofit project. Ten methods for heat exchanger costing procedure are considered. Oil, natural gas and electricity price projection figures published in reports of nine established analytical centres are discussed. Web sites of institutions and companies are also included.

NASA thermal control technologies for robotic spacecraft

Abstract: Technology development is inevitably a dynamic process in search of an elusive goal. It is never truly clear whether the need for a particular technology drives its development, or the existence of a new capability initiates new applications. Technology development for the thermal control of spacecraft presents an excellent example of this situation. Nevertheless, it is imperative to have a basic plan to help guide and focus such an effort. Although this plan will be a living document that changes with time to reflect technological developments, perceived needs, perceived opportunities, and the ever-changing funding environment, it is still a very useful tool. This presentation summarizes the current efforts at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Goddard and NASA/JPL to develop new thermal control technology for future robotic NASA missions.

Exergoeconomic analysis of power plants operating on various fuels

Abstract: The relation is investigated between capital costs and thermodynamic losses for devices in modern coal-fired, oil-fired and nuclear electrical generating stations. Thermodynamic loss rate-to-capital cost ratios are used to show that, for station devices and the overall station, a systematic correlation appears to exist between capital cost and exergy loss (total or internal), but not between capital cost and energy loss or external exergy loss. The possible existence is indicated of a correlation between the mean thermodynamic loss rate-to-capital cost ratios for all of the devices in a station and the ratios for the overall station, when the ratio is based on total or internal exergy losses. This correlation may imply that devices in successful electrical generating stations are configured so as to achieve an overall optimal design, by appropriately balancing the thermodynamic (exergy-based) and economic characteristics of the overall station and its devices. The results may (i) provide useful insights into the relations between thermodynamics and economics, both in general and for electrical generating stations, (ii) help demonstrate the merits of second-law analysis, and (iii) extend throughout the electrical utility sector.

A methodology for sizing a trigeneration plant in mediterranean areas

Abstract: Combined heat and power production is an old and well-known technique for the rational use of energy and, thanks to more than fifty years of experience, the state of art can be considered very advanced from a technological point of view. Trigeneration, that is combined electric, heat and cooling energy production, is however a quite recent technology and is becoming economically viable thanks to the commercial spread of absorption chillers. In fact, a well-projected trigeneration plant can achieve better results than a cogenerative one. The CHCP plant benefits over CHP will be underlined, showing the effects of regularisation of annual thermal load curves generated by consumption for feeding the absorption chiller, that leads to a more effective choice of the prime mover. Traditional evaluations of CHP or CHCP plants are finalized to calculate thermodynamic efficiency, and not to examine the primary energy savings that is possible to obtain. However, lack of considerations on the methodology used for plant management can deeply influence the obtained results. It is furthermore recognised that a cogeneration or trigenerative plant must be managed in order to strictly follow thermal demand, since it is possible to sell to the public grid the excess electric energy. This study starts from the results on a energetic consumption research in the hotel sector, and in particular from the complete data on thermal and cooling consumption in several European hotels. The authors propose a general and innovative criterion on plant management and determine, on the base of the examined case-studies, some correlations which allow to size the main components of the plant, using only few data which are easy to obtain.

Miniature loop heat pipes for electronics cooling

Abstract: The paper is devoted to the development of miniature loop heat pipes (mLHPs) with a nominal capacity of 25–30 W and a heat-transfer distance up to 250 mm intended for cooling electronics components and CPU of mobile PC. It gives the results of investigating several prototypes of mLHPs incorporated into remote heat exchanger (RHE) systems in different conditions. It has been established that in the nominal range of heat loads orientation does not practically affect the mLHPs operating characteristics. Under air cooling the total thermal resistance of such a system is 1.7–4.0 °C/W and depends strongly on the cooling conditions and the radiator efficiency. In this case the mLHP’s own thermal resistance is in the limits from 0.3 to 1.2 °C/W, and the maximum capacity reaches 80–120 B t . The obtained results make it possible to regard mLHPs as quite promising devices for RHE systems providing thermal regimes for electronics components and personal computers.

Disposal of by-products in olive oil industry: waste-to-energy solutions

Abstract: Olive oil production industry is characterized by relevant amounts of liquid and solid by-products [olive mill wastewater (OMW) and olive husk (OH)], and by economical, technical and organizational constraints that make difficult the adoption of environmentally sustainable waste disposal approaches. In this context, waste treatment technologies aimed at energy recovery represent an interesting alternative. In the paper, a technical and economical analysis of thermal disposal plant solutions with energy recovery has been carried out. The considered plants enable the combined treatment of OMW and OH which, although penalizes the energy recovery, proves to be feasible and profitable in a future legislative scenario when stricter limitation on OMW disposal will force oil producers to bear high disposal costs. Results are compared by using economic performance measures, including revenues from produced energy and avoided disposal costs. A sensitivity and risk analysis is also performed in order to assess the economic profitability of the proposed solutions.

A simulation study of heat and mass transfer in a honeycombed rotary desiccant dehumidifier

Abstract: A one-dimensional coupled heat and mass transfer model, which is expected for use in designing and manufacturing of a honeycombed rotary desiccant wheel, is presented in this paper. The mathematical model has been validated using a real desiccant wheel, and the calculation results are in reasonable agreement with the experimental data. Based on this model, the temperature and humidity profiles in the wheel during both the dehumidification and the regeneration processes are analyzed and verified by experimental data. The numerical results indicate that in the regeneration process a hump curve of air humidity ratio along the channel exists all the time. In the regeneration process the hump of air humidity ratio moves from the duct entrance to the duct exit and increases gradually until the hump reaches the duct exit, where the hump will drop subsequently. The effects of velocity of regeneration air Vreg inlet temperature of regeneration air Treg and velocity of process air Vad on the hump moving speed are investigated. To improve the performance of desiccant wheel, it is essential to accelerate the hump moving from the duct entrance to the duct exit as soon as possible.

Experiments on the characteristics of evaporation of R410A in brazed plate heat exchangers with different geometric configurations

Abstract: Experiments on the evaporative heat transfer and pressure drop in the brazed plate heat exchangers were performed with refrigerants R410A and R22. The plate heat exchangers with different 45°, 35°, and 20° chevron angles are used. Varying the mass flux of refrigerant (13–34 kg/m2 s), the evaporating temperature (5, 10 and 15 °C), the vapor quality (0.9–0.15) and heat flux (2.5, 5.5 and 8.5 kW/m2), the evaporation heat transfer coefficients and pressure drops were measured. The heat transfer coefficient increases with increasing vapor quality and decreasing evaporating temperature at a given mass flux in all plate heat exchangers. The pressure drop increases with increasing mass flux and quality and with decreasing evaporating temperature and chevron angle. It is found that the heat transfer coefficients of R410A are larger than those of R22 and the pressure drops of R410A are less than those of R22. The empirical correlations of Nusselt number and friction factor are suggested for the tested PHEs. The deviations between correlations and experimental data are within ±25% for Nusselt number and ±15% for friction factor.

Energy consumption and economic evaluation of water desalination by hydrate phenomenon

Abstract: The required energy for seawater desalination based on a proposed hydrate formation process has been estimated In addition, economic evaluation and cost estimation of produced potable water have been presented A computer program has been prepared for simulation of the proposed process and was used to estimate the total capital investment, operation and maintenance costs and total product cost A comparison study of desalination cost by different methods has been performed and the results are presented The effect of the hydrate formation promoters on energy consumption and economic parameters has also been presented

Recuperator considerations for future higher efficiency microturbines

Abstract: First-generation microturbines are based on the use of existing materials and proven technology, and with low levels of compressor pressure ratio and modest turbine inlet temperatures, have thermal efficiencies approaching 30% for turbogenerators rated up to 100 kW. For such small machines the goal of advancing beyond this level of performance is unlikely to include more complex thermodynamic cycles, but rather will be realised with higher turbine inlet temperatures. Advancing engine performance in this manner has a significant impact on recuperator technology and cost. In the compact heat exchanger field very efficient heat transfer surface geometries have been developed over the last few decades but further improvements perhaps using CFD methods will likely be only incremental. Automated fabrication processes for the manufacture of microturbine recuperators are in place, and on-going developments to facilitate efficient higher temperature operation are primarily focused in the materials area. Based on the assumptions made in this paper it is postulated that in the 100 kW size the maximum thermal efficiency attainable for an all-metallic engine is 35%. To achieve this the recuperator cannot be designed in an isolated manner, and must be addressed in an integrated approach as part of the overall power conversion system. In this regard, temperature limitations as they impact the recuperator and turbine are put into perspective. In this paper there is strong focus on recuperator material selection and cost, including a proposed bi-metallic approach to establish a cost-effective counterflow primary surface recuperator for higher temperature service. If indeed there is a long-term goal to achieve an efficiency of 40% for small microturbines, it can only be projected based on the utilisation of ceramic hot end components. Alas, the high temperature component that has had the minimum development in recent years to realise this goal is the ceramic recuperator, and efforts to remedy this situation need to be undertaken in the near future.

Micro-combined heat and power in residential and light commercial applications

Abstract: The cogeneration is worldwide considered as the major option to achieve considerable energy saving with respect to traditional systems. This paper deals with the application of micro-cogeneration (electrical power

Building-integrated photovoltaic and thermal applications in a subtropical hotel building

Abstract: Effective cooling of a PV panel is able to increase the electricity output of the solar cells. This paper describes a comparative study of three different options in applying large-scale building-integrated PV technology in a coastal city at the South China Sea. The computational model was based on a 260 m2 mono-crystalline silicon PV wall on a 30-storey hotel building. The numerical analysis was via the ESP-r building energy simulation software. The results showed that the different design options exhibit short-term electrical performance differences, but have similar long-term electricity yields. However, some design options perform much better in reducing the air-conditioning loads of the building.

Experimental modeling of vortex tube refrigerator

Abstract: An experimental investigation has been performed to realize thorough behavior of a vortex tube system. In this work attention has been focussed on the classification of the parameters affecting vortex tube operation. The effective parameters are divided into two different types, namely geometrical and thermo-physical ones. A reliable test rig has been designed and constructed to investigate the effect of geometrical parameters i.e. diameter and length of main tube, diameter of outlet orifice, shape of entrance nozzle. Thermo-physical parameters which have been designated and studied are inlet gas pressure, type of gas, cold gas mass ratio and moisture of inlet gas. The effects of these parameters on the cold temperature difference and efficiency are discussed and presented.

An experimental investigation of the effect of the injection pressure on engine performance and exhaust emission in indirect injection diesel engines

Abstract: Injection spray pressures in diesel engines play an important role for engine performance and emissions obtaining treatment of combustion. In present diesel engines such as common rail engine injection, the pressures can be increased about 1500–2000 bar. In this experimental study, effects of injection pressure on engine performance and exhaust emissions have been investigated. Experiments have been performed on a turbocharger diesel engine with 4-cylinder, 4-stroke, indirect injection. Emissions and engine performance values such as torque, power, break main effective pressure, specific fuel consumption, and fuel flow have been measured both full and part loads by changing injection pressure from 100 to 250 bar and for different throttle positions. According to results, maximum performance has been obtained at 150 bar. In addition, high injection pressure for O2, SO2, and CO2, low injection pressure for NOx, and smoke level must be preferred for decreasing emissions. Results have been given as graphics.

Model development and numerical procedure for detailed ejector analysis and design

Abstract: The main purpose of this work was to develop a mathematical model and computer programs for ejector studies in refrigeration cycles. Version A of the program was written for optimal ejector design while Version B, with more built-in flexibility, was intended for simulation. The study is a one-dimensional analysis of compressible refrigerant flow, based on a forward marching technique of solution for the conservation equations. Refrigerant properties were evaluated using NIST [NIST Standard Reference Database 23, NIST Thermodynamics and Transport Properties of Refrigerants and Refrigerant Mixtures, 1998, REFPROP, Version 6.01] subroutines for equations of state solutions. The approach assesses the flow locally and provides the flexibility of returning upstream for correcting adjustments. Model validation against the R141b data of Huang et al. [Int. J. Refrig. 22 (1999) 354] has shown very good agreement under all conditions. Analysis with refrigerant R142b was performed for typical refrigeration conditions. The entrainment ratio ω, the compression ratio P6/P2 and geometric parameters such as diameters and axial dimensions were used to assess performance. Local distributions of pressure, temperature and Mach number were obtained for typical conditions and the mixing chamber was found to greatly impact operation and performance, by controlling the shock wave occurrence and intensity.

Thermal performance of sodium acetate trihydrate thickened with different materials as phase change energy storage material

Abstract: The use of phase change materials (PCMs) in energy storage has the advantage of high energy density and isothermal operation. Although the use of only non-segregating PCMs is a good commercial approach, some desirable PCM melting points do not seem attainable with non-segregating salt hydrates at a reasonable price. The addition of gellants and thickeners can avoid segregation of these materials. In this paper, sodium acetate trihydrate is successfully thickened with bentonite and starch. Cellulose gives an even better thickened PCM, but temperatures higher than 65 °C give phase separation. The mixtures would show a similar thermal behavior as the salt hydrate, with the same melting point and an enthalpy decrease between 20% and 35%, depending on the type and amount of thickening material used.

Heat pipe cooling technology for desktop PC CPU

Abstract: As Pentium-IV, a high-performance PC CPU, emerges, CPU’s thermal design power shows sharp increase. Since conventional cooling method, aluminum extruded heat sink has disadvantages like poor cooling performance, acoustic noise increase and weight rise, cooling module in the form of remote heat exchanger using heat pipe is developed. Especially, using system fan exhausting heat inside to cool CPU reduces acoustic noise with lowered quantities of fan and makes it possible to reduce manufacturing unit price. This paper proposes cooling using heat pipe, recommends Pentium-IV CPU cooling module on change of fan revolution speed, and looks for possibility of reducing acoustic noise.

Thermoeconomic optimization of combined cycle gas turbine power plants using genetic algorithms

Abstract: This paper shows a possible way to achieve a thermoeconomic optimization of combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plants. The optimization has been done using a genetic algorithm, which has been tuned applying it to a single pressure CCGT power plant. Once tuned, the optimization algorithm has been used to evaluate more complex plants, with two and three pressure levels in the heat recovery steam generator (HRSG). The variables considered for the optimization were the thermodynamic parameters that establish the configuration of the HRSG. Two different objective functions are proposed: one minimizes the cost of production per unit of output and the other maximizes the annual cash flow. The results obtained with both functions are compared in order to find the better optimization strategy. The results show that it is possible to find an optimum for every design parameter. This optimum depends on the selected optimization strategy.

The effect of channel height on the enhanced heat transfer characteristics in a corrugated heat exchanger channel

Abstract: Experiments were performed to determine forced convection heat transfer coefficients and friction factor for air flowing in corrugated channel employed in plate heat exchangers. Measurements were performed for two different values of channel height 5 and 10 mm for a single corrugation angle of 20°. The flow rate was varied over the range 1200⩽ Re ⩽4000. The increase of channel height gave rise to a substantial increase both in the fully developed Nusselt number and the friction factor but performance considering flow area goodness factor slightly decreased.

Combustion performance and emissions of ethyl ester of a waste vegetable oil in a water-cooled furnace

Abstract: Food consumption around the world produces large amounts of waste vegetable oils and fats that, in many world regions, are disposed of in harmful ways. Consequently, this study intended to investigate the feasibility of utilizing this renewable and low cost fuel raw material as a diesel fuel replacement in small-scale applications such as in residential heating boilers. Specifically, the study examined the aspects of combustion performance and emissions of the ethyl ester of used palm oil (biodiesel) relative to the baseline diesel fuel in a water-cooled furnace. The combustion efficiency, ηc, and exhaust temperature, Texh, as well as the common pollutants and emissions were tested over a wide range of air/fuel ratio ranging from very lean to very rich (10:1–20:1). All tests were conducted at two different energy inputs for both fuels. The findings showed that, at the lower energy rate used, biodiesel burned more efficiently with higher combustion efficiency and exhaust temperature of, respectively, 66% and 600 °C compared to 56% and 560 °C for the diesel fuel. At the higher energy input, biodiesel combustion performance deteriorated and was inferior to diesel fuel due to its high viscosity, density and low volatility. As for emissions, biodiesel emitted less pollutants at both energy levels over the whole range of A/F ratio considered.

Industrial trigeneration using ammonia–water absorption refrigeration systems (AAR)

Abstract: In many industrial processes there is a simultaneous need for electric power and refrigeration at low temperatures. Examples are in the food and chemical industries. Nowadays the increase in fuel prices and the ecological implications are giving an impulse to energy technologies that better exploit the primary energy source and integrated production of utilities should be considered when designing a new production plant. The number of so-called trigeneration systems installations (electric generator and absorption refrigeration plant) is increasing. If low temperature refrigeration is needed (from 0 to −40 °C), ammonia–water absorption refrigeration plants can be coupled to internal combustion engines or turbogenerators. A thermodynamic system study of trigeneration configurations using a commercial software integrated with specifically designed modules is presented. The study analyzes and compares heat recovery from the primary mover at different temperature levels. In the last section a simplified economic assessment that takes into account disparate prices in European countries compares conventional electric energy supply from the grid and optimized trigeneration plants in one test case (10 MW electric power, 7000 h/year).

Field experiments and analyses on a hybrid solar collector

Abstract: This paper describes the effectiveness of a hybrid solar collector that generates both electric power and heat. Experiments and analyses were conducted on power and heat generation characteristics of the hybrid solar collector. First, experiments under constant supply temperature of brine were made and it was found that conversion efficiency ranged from 10% to 13%, and that collector efficiencies at 20 and 40 °C brine temperature were from 40% to 50% and approximately 20%, respectively. Second, the efficiency of the hybrid solar collector was compared to those of a photovoltaic and a solar collector and it was clarified that the hybrid collector had an advantage in terms of exergy efficiency, though there is some lowering of collector efficiency. Evaluation of annual energy balance of hybrid solar collectors installed on a low energy house at Hokkaido University proved the hybrid solar collectors to have a high degree of feasibility.

A new approach for the prediction of the heat transfer rate of the wire-on-tube type heat exchanger––use of an artificial neural network model

Abstract: This study presents an application of artificial neural networks (ANNs) to predict the heat transfer rate of the wire-on-tube type heat exchanger. A back propagation algorithm, the most common learning method for ANNs, is used in the training and testing of the network. To solve this algorithm, a computer program was developed by using C++ programming language. The consistence between experimental and ANNs approach results was achieved by a mean absolute relative error <3%. It is suggested that the ANNs model is an easy modeling tool for heat engineers to obtain a quick preliminary assessment of heat transfer rate in response to the engineering modifications to the exchanger.