Heat Exchangers and Condensers Vocabulary Flashcards

Heat Exchanger

A device designed to transfer heat from one fluid to another based on the principle that heat moves from a higher temperature substance to a lower temperature substance.

Conduction

The process of heat transfer between interacting adjacent molecules of the material through which the heat is being transferred.

Convection

The transfer of heat by the bulk motion and mixing of macroscopic portions of a fluid.

Direct contact heat exchangers

Heat exchangers where the two fluids come into physical contact with each other, such as in a cooling tower or lake mixing.

Indirect contact (surface) heat exchangers

Heat exchangers where the two fluids are separated by a solid surface, such as a tube or metal plate; examples include steam generators and main condensers.

Forced-draft tower

A cooling tower where air is blown into the structure by large fans to facilitate heat exchange.

Natural-draft tower

A cooling tower that uses convective chimney effects to move air, often characterized by a large hyperbolic shape.

Crossflow

A flow path where two fluids flow perpendicular to each other, commonly seen in condensers.

Parallel flow

A flow path where both fluids flow in parallel paths and