Ceramic high temperature plate‐fin heat exchanger: A novel methodology for thermomechanical design investigation

Abstract

The basic methodology of a novel, time-saving approach for critical thermomechanical design studies of ceramic high temperature plate fin heat exchanger is presented. This approach allows the determination of local displacements, by applying the outer heat exchanger boundary conditions on a substitute model. These displacements are then used for detailed calculation of local stresses. The methodology is based on the effective Young’s modulus, effective shear modulus and effective Poisson ratio. Simulation models have been developed to determine these effective substitute properties. A model verification has been performed with a compression test rig. The simulation predicts the experimental results with deviations below 3%, which proves the feasibility and reliability of the effective material models. In order to reduce the parametric effort of the substitute simulation model, information about the material behavior is important. Here, the results indicate an orthotropic material behavior of the fin structure. This reduces the independent substitute material properties required for the characterization of the substitute model, which also reduces the overall simulation time.