Specific Dissipation Heat Exchanger (G-TL)

Heat exchanger parameterized by specific dissipation data for systems with gas and thermal liquid flows

Since R2024a

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Libraries:
Simscape / Fluids / Heat Exchangers / Thermal Liquid - Gas

Description

The Specific Dissipation Heat Exchanger (G-TL) block models the complementary cooling and heating of fluids held briefly in thermal contact across a thin conductive wall. The fluids are single phase with pure gas on one side, pure liquid on the other. Neither fluid can switch phase and so, as latent heat is never released, the exchange is strictly one of sensible heat.

Sensible heat exchangers abound in machinery. The fuel heaters that in some jets keep ice from precipitating in fuel lines and from choking fuel strainers work by blasting bleed air still hot from the compressor over the fuel lines. The oil coolers that in some motorcycles keep lubricating oil from overheating work likewise by rushing ram air at ambient temperature over the oil lines. The bleed and ram air are gas flows and the fuel and oil are thermal liquid flows.

Heat Transfer Model

The block heat transfer model depends specific dissipation, which is a measure of the heat transfer rate observed when gas and thermal liquid inlet temperatures differ by one degree. Its product with the inlet temperature difference gives the expected heat transfer rate

$$Q=\xi (T_{\text{In,G}}-T_{\text{In,TL}}),$$

where ξ is specific dissipation and T_In is inlet temperature for gas (subscript G) or thermal liquid (subscript TL). The specific dissipation is a tabulated function of the mass flow rates into the exchanger through the gas and thermal liquid inlets:

$$\xi =f({\dot{m}}_{\text{In,G}},{\dot{m}}_{\text{In,TL}}),$$

To accommodate reverse flows, the tabulated data can extend over positive and negative flow rates, in which case the inlets can also be thought of as outlets.

The specific dissipation is the heat exchanger heat transfer rate divided by the difference in inlet temperatures

$$\xi =\frac{Q}{T_{\text{In,1}}-T_{\text{In,2}}}$$

The specific dissipation is also equal to the overall heat transfer coefficient defined based on inlet temperature multiplied by the heat transfer surface area or the heat capacity rate multiplied by the effectiveness factor, for whichever fluid has a smaller value.

The heat transfer model, as it relies almost entirely on tabulated data, and as that data normally derives from experiment, requires little detail about the exchanger. Flow arrangement, mixing condition, and number of shell or tube passes, if relevant to the heat exchanger modeled, are assumed to manifest entirely in the tabulated data.

See the Specific Dissipation Heat Transfer block for more detail on the heat transfer calculations.

Composite Structure

The block is a composite component. A Specific Dissipation Heat Exchanger Interface (G) block models the gas flow and a Specific Dissipation Heat Exchanger Interface (TL) block models the thermal liquid flow. Mass, momentum, and energy conservation in the flow channels derive from the corresponding interface blocks. A Specific Dissipation Heat Transfer block captures the heat exchanged across the wall between the flows.

Examples

EV Battery Cooling System

This demo shows an Electric Vehicle (EV) battery cooling system. The battery packs are located on top of a cold plate which consists of cooling channels to direct the cooling liquid flow below the battery packs. The heat absorbed by the cooling liquid is transported to the Heating-Cooling Unit. The Heating-Cooling Unit consists of three branches to switch operating modes to cool and heat the battery. The Heater represents an electrical heater for fast heating of the batteries under low temperature conditions. The Radiator uses air-cooling and/or heating when the batteries are operated stably. The Refrigerant system is used for cooling the overheated batteries. The refrigeration cycle is represented by the amount of heat flow extracted from the cooling liquid. The system is simulated under either FTP-75 drive cycle or fast charge scenarios with different environment temperatures.

• Open Model

Ports

Conserving

A1 — Gas port

gas

Opening for gas to enter and exit its side of the heat exchanger.

B1 — Gas port

gas

Opening for gas to enter and exit its side of the heat exchanger.

A2 — Thermal liquid port

thermal liquid

Opening for thermal liquid to enter and exit its side of the heat exchanger.

B2 — Thermal liquid port

thermal liquid

Opening for thermal liquid to enter and exit its side of the heat exchanger.

Parameters

Heat Transfer

Gas 1 mass flow rate vector, mdot1 — Mass flow rate of gas at each breakpoint in lookup table for specific heat dissipation table

numerical array with units of mass over time

Mass flow rate of gas at each breakpoint in the lookup table for the specific heat dissipation table. The block inter- and extrapolates the breakpoints to obtain the specific heat dissipation at any mass flow rate. Interpolation is the MATLAB linear type and extrapolation is nearest.

The mass flow rates can be positive, zero, or negative, but they must increase monotonically from left to right. Their number must equal the number of rows in the Specific heat dissipation table parameter. If the table has m rows and n columns, the mass flow rate vector must be m elements long.

Thermal Liquid 2 mass flow rate vector, mdot2 — Mass flow rate of thermal liquid at each breakpoint in lookup table for specific heat dissipation table

numerical array with units of mass over time

Mass flow rate of thermal liquid at each breakpoint in the lookup table for the specific heat dissipation table. The block inter- and extrapolates the breakpoints to obtain the specific heat dissipation of the heat exchanger at any mass flow rate. Interpolation is the MATLAB linear type and extrapolation is nearest.

The mass flow rates can be positive, zero, or negative, but they must increase monotonically from left to right. Their number must equal the number of columns in the Specific heat dissipation table parameter. If the table has m rows and n columns, the mass flow rate vector must be n elements long.

Specific heat dissipation table, SD(mdot1, mdot2) — Specific heat dissipation at each breakpoint in lookup table over mass flow rates of gas and thermal liquid

numerical array with units of power over temperature

Specific heat dissipation at each breakpoint in its lookup table over the mass flow rates of gas and thermal liquid. The block inter- and extrapolates the breakpoints to obtain the effectiveness at any pair of gas and thermal liquid mass flow rates. Interpolation is the MATLAB linear type and extrapolation is nearest.

The specific heat dissipation values must be not be negative. They must align from top to bottom in order of increasing mass flow rate in the gas channel, and from left to right in order of increasing mass flow rate in the thermal liquid channel. The number of rows must equal the size of the Gas 1 mass flow rate vector parameter, and the number of columns must equal the size of the Thermal liquid 2 mass flow rate vector parameter.

If your heat exchanger data sheet supplies the heat transfer coefficients, multiply the provided heat transfer coefficients by the surface area to calculate the specific dissipation.

Check if violating maximum specific dissipation — Warning condition for specific heat dissipation in excess of minimum heat capacity rate

Warning (default) | None | Error

Warning condition for specific heat dissipation in excess of minimum heat capacity rate. Heat capacity rate is the product of mass flow rate and specific heat, and its minimum value is the lowest between the flows. This minimum gives the specific dissipation for a heat exchanger with maximum effectiveness and cannot be exceeded. See the Specific Dissipation Heat Transfer block for more detail.

Gas 1

Mass flow rate vector — Mass flow rate at each breakpoint in lookup table for pressure drop

numerical array with units of mass per unit time

Mass flow rate at each breakpoint in the lookup table for the pressure drop. The block uses linear interpolation and nearest extrapolation to obtain the pressure drop at any mass flow rate.

The mass flow rates can be positive, zero, or negative and they can span across laminar, transient, and turbulent zones. The vector must have the same number of elements as the Pressure drop vector parameter and these elements must increase monotonically from left to right.

Pressure drop vector — Pressure drop at each breakpoint in lookup table over mass flow rate

numerical array with units of pressure

Pressure drop at each breakpoint in its lookup table over the mass flow rate. The block uses linear interpolation and nearest extrapolation to obtain the pressure drop at any mass flow rate.

The pressure drops can be positive, zero, or negative, and they can span across laminar, transient, and turbulent zones. The vector must have the same number of elements as the Mass flow rate vector parameter and these elements must increase monotonically from left to right.

Reference inflow temperature — Absolute inlet temperature assumed in tabulated data

293.15 K (default) | scalar with units of temperature

Absolute temperature established at the inlet in the gathering of the tabulated pressure drops. The reference inflow temperature and pressure determine the fluid density assumed in the tabulated data. During simulation, the ratio of reference to actual fluid densities multiplies the tabulated pressure drop to obtain the actual pressure drop.

Reference inflow pressure — Absolute inlet pressure assumed in tabulated data

0.101325 MPa (default) | scalar with units of pressure

Absolute pressure established at the inlet in the gathering of the tabulated pressure drops. The reference inflow temperature and pressure determine the fluid density assumed in the tabulated data. During simulation, the ratio of reference to actual fluid densities multiplies the tabulated pressure drop to obtain the actual pressure drop.

Mass flow rate threshold for flow reversal — Upper bound of numerically smooth region for mass flow rate

1e-3 kg/s (default) | scalar with units of mass/time

Mass flow rate below which its value is numerically smoothed to avoid discontinuities. See the Simple Heat Exchanger Interface block for detail on the calculations.

Gas 1 volume — Volume of fluid in the gas flow channel

0.01 m^3 (default) | scalar with units of length cubed

Volume of fluid in the gas flow channel.

Cross-sectional area at ports A1 and B1 — Flow area at the inlet and outlet of the flow channel

0.01 m^2 (default) | scalar with units of length squared

Flow area at the inlet and outlet of the gas flow channel. Ports in the same flow channel are of the same size.

Thermal Liquid 2

Mass flow rate vector — Mass flow rate at each breakpoint in lookup table for pressure drop

numerical array with units of mass per unit time

Mass flow rate at each breakpoint in the lookup table for the pressure drop. The block uses linear interpolation and nearest extrapolation to obtain the pressure drop at any mass flow rate.

The mass flow rates can be positive, zero, or negative and they can span across laminar, transient, and turbulent zones. The vector must have the same number of elements as the Pressure drop vector parameter and these elements must increase monotonically from left to right.

Pressure drop vector — Pressure drop at each breakpoint in lookup table over mass flow rate

numerical array with units of pressure

Pressure drop at each breakpoint in its lookup table over the mass flow rate. The block uses linear interpolation and nearest extrapolation to obtain the pressure drop at any mass flow rate.

The pressure drops can be positive, zero, or negative, and they can span across laminar, transient, and turbulent zones. The vector must have the same number of elements as the Mass flow rate vector parameter and these elements must increase monotonically from left to right.

Reference inflow temperature — Absolute inlet temperature assumed in tabulated data

293.15 K (default) | scalar with units of temperature

Absolute temperature established at the inlet in the gathering of the tabulated pressure drops. The reference inflow temperature and pressure determine the fluid density assumed in the tabulated data. During simulation, the ratio of reference to actual fluid densities multiplies the tabulated pressure drop to obtain the actual pressure drop.

Reference inflow pressure — Absolute inlet pressure assumed in tabulated data

0.101325 MPa (default) | scalar with units of pressure

Absolute pressure established at the inlet in the gathering of the tabulated pressure drops. The reference inflow temperature and pressure determine the fluid density assumed in the tabulated data. During simulation, the ratio of reference to actual fluid densities multiplies the tabulated pressure drop to obtain the actual pressure drop.

Mass flow rate threshold for flow reversal — Upper bound of numerically smooth region for mass flow rate

1e-3 kg/s (default) | scalar with units of mass/time

Mass flow rate below which its value is numerically smoothed to avoid discontinuities. See the Simple Heat Exchanger Interface block for detail on the calculations.

Thermal Liquid 2 volume — Volume of fluid in the thermal liquid flow channel

0.01 m^3 (default) | scalar with units of length cubed

Volume of fluid in the thermal liquid flow channel.

Cross-sectional area at ports A2 and B2 — Flow area at the inlet and outlet of the flow channel

0.01 m^2 (default) | scalar with units of length squared

Flow area at the inlet and outlet of the thermal liquid flow channel. Ports in the same flow channel are of the same size.

Effects and Initial Conditions

Gas 1 initial temperature — Temperature in the gas channel at the start of simulation

293.15 K (default) | scalar with units of temperature

Temperature in the gas channel at the start of simulation

Gas 1 initial pressure — Pressure in the gas channel at the start of simulation

0.101325 MPa (default) | scalar with units of pressure

Pressure in the gas channel at the start of simulation.

Thermal Liquid 2 dynamic compressibility — Option to model pressure dynamics in the thermal liquid channel

On (default) | Off

Option to model the pressure dynamics in the thermal liquid channel. If you clear this checkbox, the block removes the pressure derivative terms from the component energy and mass conservation equations. The pressure inside the heat exchanger is then reduced to the weighted average of the two port pressures.

Thermal Liquid 2 initial temperature — Temperature in the thermal liquid channel at the start of simulation

293.15 K (default) | scalar with units of temperature

Temperature in the thermal liquid channel at the start of simulation

Thermal Liquid 2 initial pressure — Pressure in the thermal liquid channel at the start of simulation

0.101325 MPa (default) | scalar with units of pressure

Pressure in the thermal liquid channel at the start of simulation.

Extended Capabilities

C/C++ Code Generation
Generate C and C++ code using Simulink® Coder™.

Version History

Introduced in R2024a

R2024a: Models simple heat exchanger modeling option from Heat Exchanger (G-TL) block

Previously, the Heat Exchanger (G-TL) block used the Modeling option parameter to model two block variants. This parameter has been removed and the two block variants are now two separate blocks. The Specific Dissipation Heat Exchanger (G-TL) block uses the heat transfer model that was previously used when Modeling option was Simple model. To use the block model used when Modeling option was E-NTU Model, see the Heat Exchanger (G-TL) block.