Design optimization, construction and testing of 2 K Joule-Thomson heat exchanger for a superfluid helium cryogenic system

• Published in: Applied thermal engineering Vol. 180; p. 115774
• Main Authors: Han, Ruixiong, Zou, Zhengping, Ge, Rui, Chang, Zhengze, Zhang, Jianqin, Xu, Miaofu, Ye, Rui, Zhu, Keyu, Zhang, Lei, Zhao, Tongxian, Sun, Liangrui, Zhang, Xiangzhen, Sang, Minjing, Li, Shaopeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 05.11.2020; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: 2 K superfluid helium cryogenic system; Cryogenic equipment; Design optimization; Finite difference method; Fluids; Friction factor; Heat exchangers; Heat transfer; Helically finned-tube heat exchanger; J-T heat exchanger; Liquid helium; Low temperature physics; Optimization; Pressure drop; Studies; Superfluidity; Tube heat exchangers; Variance analysis; 2 K superfluid helium cryogenic system; J-T heat exchanger; Helically finned-tube heat exchanger; Design optimization
• ISSN: 1359-4311; 1873-5606
• DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2020.115774

•Heat transfer performances of the HFHE are investigated by a finite difference analysis method.•The influences of the geometrical parameters on the performances are investigated.•The theoretical calculation of the HFHE is verified by the experiments in the SHCS. The performances of 2 K Joule–Thomson (J-T) heat exchanger are related to the operation efficiency and economy of the superfluid helium cryogenic system, and the helically finned-tube heat exchanger (HFHE) is designed and tested. Heat transfer characteristics of the HFHE are investigated by a finite difference analysis method, and the design optimization of the HFHE is performed by the orthogonal test and variance analysis method. Meanwhile, the influences of the geometrical parameters on the performances are discussed. The experimental investigation of the HFHE is carried out in the superfluid helium cryogenic system, and the performances of the HFHE are verified experimentally. The results are shown that the calculated performances of the HFHE cause by heat transfer are in reasonable agreement with the experimental results, which indicates that the thermal calculation model of the HFHE is more accurate. Moreover, the deviations of pressure drop of cold fluid between the calculation and measurement are analyzed and the friction factor is modified in this paper.