Numerical Investigation of Baffle Cut Influence on Shell-Side Flow Characteristics in a Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger

Shell and tube heat exchangers are widely used in industrial applications due to their robust construction and high heat transfer capability. The performance of these heat exchangers is significantly influenced by the configuration of shell-side baffles, particularly the baffle cut. In the present study, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis is carried out to investigate the influence of different baffle cut percentages on the thermal–hydraulic performance of a shell and tube heat exchanger. A three-dimensional model of the heat exchanger is developed using CATIA V5, and numerical simulations are performed using ANSYS Fluent 15.0. The shell-side flow characteristics are analyzed by varying the baffle cut from 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, and 40% of the shell diameter while maintaining other geometric and operating parameters constant. Post-processing of the CFD results is used to obtain contour distributions of pressure, temperature, and velocity within the shell region. The results show that the baffle cut significantly affects the flow pattern, pressure drop, and heat transfer characteristics of the heat exchanger. Lower baffle cuts increase flow turbulence and pressure drop, whereas higher baffle cuts reduce pressure drop but weaken cross-flow over the tubes. An optimum range of baffle cut is observed where a balance between effective heat transfer and acceptable pressure drop is achieved. The findings of this study provide useful insights for the design and optimization of shell and tube heat exchangers for improved thermal performance in industrial heat transfer applications.