Question

Does steam flow from top to bottom or from bottom to top inside a heat exchanger? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

Steam flows from bottom to top in heat exhangers. The reason behind this is that gases or vapor have natural tendency to flow upwards due to low denisty and hence have natural draft in upward direction. Using this natural draft we can reduce cost of compressor to make it flow through heat exchanger. Moreover when in case steam condenses the condensate liquid flows downwards and is collected at bottom directly. Thus in heat exhangers steam flows from bottom to top due to natural draft and pumping costs are saved. For example in thermosyphin reboilers.

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