S-SS-1-4 Analysis and Evaluation of Tinker's Method
The "Tinker Method" is based on schematic stream analysis of the shellside flow, eventually separating as "effective" a fraction of the total stream and basing all calculations on this partial stream. Tinker's original presentation spelled out the overall philosophy but omitted so much of the intermediate reasoning that his method became extremely difficult to follow. In the original form, the method required convergence loops beyond the computational capabilities of the pre-computer era. A later paper concentrated on the mechanics of the geometry parameter substitution and neglected the reasonings and justifications for converting the method into a nonreiterative version.
This report represents an attempt to clarify the principles of the Stream Analysis Method and all the underlying assumptions. The nonreiterative version of Tinker's method by Devore is evaluated with HTRI data. In this form, the method failed badly on pressure drop, producing errors of +1000 to -300 percent, and is only somewhat more successful on heat transfer. It is to be rejected for practical use in favor of the Bell-Delaware method.
Further evolution of the method, including a rigorous interpretation of all the flow parameters, becomes solvable only by a trial-and-error calculation. However, in this formulation, the method produced better results. It is felt that, in view of the unique advantages of the Stream Analysis Method which is capable of representing the mutual effects of the geometry factors, further developmental efforts are highly justified and can eventually lead to a formulation of an ultimate shellside performance correlation.
Although the application of such a rigorous trial-and-error computational approach remains practical only with a digital computer, this condition does not seem to pose any problem.