Question

What is the heat capacity rate? What does a heat capacity of infinity for a fluid in a heat exchanger means?

Answer 1

Heat capacity:

The product of specific heat and mass flow rate is known as heat capacity.

`Mass\ flow\ rate =\dot{m}`

Specific heat = Cp

So Heat capacity C

`C=\dot{m}C_p`

Heat transfer Q

Q= C ΔT

C is the heat capacity

ΔT is the temperature difference.

When fluid changes phase in heat exchanger then heat capacity of fluid become infinity .It means that temperature difference tends to zero.

`C\rightarrow \infty\ then\ \Delta\ T\rightarrow 0`