A heat exchanger is a device designed to transfer heat between two or more fluids (liquids or gases) at different temperatures. They play a crucial role in various heating and cooling applications across industries.
Function:
Heat exchangers facilitate the transfer of thermal energy from a hot fluid (heat source) to a cooler fluid (heat sink), without directly mixing the two fluids.
Design:
Heat exchangers come in various configurations, but they all share the principle of having a solid wall separating the hot and cold fluids. This wall allows heat to conduct from the hot fluid to the cold fluid, causing the hot fluid to cool down and the cold fluid to heat up.
To maximize heat transfer efficiency, heat exchangers typically have a large surface area for contact between the fluids and the wall. This can be achieved using features like fins or tubes within the exchanger.