Thermo–economic analysis of heat pipe heat exchanger for waste heat recovery in thermal systems

Thermo–economic analysis of Heat Pipe Heat Exchanger (HPHE) for waste heat recovery in thermal systems using the P1–P2 and NTU methods is presented. The optimum effectiveness of a HPHE is given as a polynomial equation, whereas the net savings and payback period are given in closed form to enable the HPHE designer to determine the optimised values directly. In addition to this, exergy analysis of HPHE for waste heat recovery in thermal systems is formulated. The variation of exergy efficiency with respect to change in inlet temperature is also presented.

Keywords: HPHE, heat pipe heat exchangers, thermoeconomics, P1–P2 method, optimisation, waste heat recovery, effectiveness, exergy analysis, thermal systems, exergy efficiency, inlet temperature