HEAT TRANSFER How to debottleneck exchangers There are a variety of ways to improve heat exchangers and air coolers—without considerable expense R. Mukherjee, Engineers India Lid., New Delhi, India SINCE RESOURCES are limited for building new grassroot, plants, existing plants are being debottlenecked co meet the -growing need for products. During such debottlenecking, in- ‘estment in new equipment should be kept to a minimum by utilizing existing equipment to the fullest extent. Further, since these plants were designed and built during days when ‘energy was considerably cheaper, it is imperative to carry ‘out energy conservation measures, Existing heat exchangers can be salvaged during plant debottlenecking and can be made to operate more efficiently. DEBOTTLENECKING EXISTING HEAT EXCHANGERS. During capacity augmentation of plants in the Hydrocar: bbon Processing Industries (HPI), existing heat exchangers ‘often become limiting as they are unable to handle increased thruputs and heat duties. Instead of replacing these heat ex- changers with newer and bigger ones at considerable ex- pense, itis often possible to salvage them totally or partially by incorporating suitable modifications. Some o! the more important modifications are described as follows Changing from series to parallel operation. Heat cx. changers connected in series may be salvaged to handle in- ‘creased thruputs by modifying the piping to operate in par- allel. For example, in a revamp job of an aromatics complex, the feed-elfluent exchanger in the isomerization unit has four shells in series (two stacks of two shells each). The exist- ing configuration would give not only excessive pressure drop on both shell and tube sides, but also would be unsafe against failure due to flow-induced vibration, ‘On altering the configuration to two shells in series and ‘ovo shells in parallel, the pressure drops were reduced dra: ‘matically and vibration analysis indicated a safe design. The unit is now adequately surfaced for the increased duty be cause the mean temperature difference (MTD) is higher for the revamped condition due to changes in the temperature profiles of feed and effluent. Increased alr flow in alr coolers. In a reactor effluent air-cooled condenser in a linear alkyl benzene (LAB) plant being engineered for revamp for a higher thruput, the efflu- tent flow rate increased from 39.2 tons/h to 47.91 tons/h and its inlevoutlet temperature ratio changed from 196°/66°C. 10 175°/66°C. The heat duty was essentially the same, but the MTD reduced from #8.2°C to 38.3°C so that the air cooler became 19% undersurfaced. In an attempt to salvage the ex- isting condenser, the effect of increasing the air flow by re placing the existing motors with heavier motors was studied, ‘The two existing motors are 25 hp each. By replacing these with 40-hp motors and altering the blade angle of the fans appropriately, the increase in air flow (as confirmed by the fan supplier) was sufficient to result in the existing condens- er's becoming adequately surfaced, This was due to: Increased MTD © Increased overall heat transfer coelficient as both the airside and tubeside heat transfer coefficients increased ap- preciably. The cubeside pressure drop was within the allowable limit as the original pressure drop was rather low in a single tube-pass design. Thus, an air cooler could be salvaged sim- ply by replacing its motors and drive arrangements. It is true that the operating cost increased, but this is insignificant compared to the cost of a bigger air cooler that would have been required for the increased duty. ‘Supplementing air coolers by trim coolers. Ina situa- tion where increased air flow cannot make up the shortfall in the required surface, an air cooler can be salvaged by supple- menting it with a trim cooler. I'a trim cooler already exists, it can be replaced by a bigger trim cooler. Should the tube- side pressure drop become excessive due to the increased flowrate, the number of tube passes can be reduced suitably by modification of the channels—except where there is only one cube pass, Consider the case of a light cycle oil cooler in an FCC plant. The light evele oil flowrate and duty increased about 1.5 times. The existing air cooler did not have adequate sur- face even after increasing the motor hp from 30 to 40, Be- sides, the tubeside pressure drop was excessive ‘The number of tube passes was decreased from four to two, thus reducing the tubeside velocity to 0.75 times its original value “The tubeside heat transfer coefficient therefore reduced to (0.75)'* or 0.79 times the original value. However, the light cycle oil pressure drop was reduced considerably (approx. (0.75y x % or 0.28 times), leaving enough margin for a tcim cooler. The existing air cooler could handle 75% of the revised duty and only a small shelland-tube trim cooler had to be installed for the balance of 25%. Interchange of fluld sides. Allocating a viscous fluid to the shellside gives a much higher heat transfer coefficient than when on the tubeside due to the much higher turbu lence. Hence, there is often scope for improvement in the overall heat transfer coefficient of a shell-and-tube heat ex- ‘changer by interchanging fluid sides when the more viscous fluid is routed through the tubeside. For example, in a refinery crude/kerosine heat exchanger, 2 significant increase in the overall heat transfer coefficient ‘was obtained by switching crude (which is more viscous) to the shellside, and kerosine to the tubeside. True, the kero- sine heat transfer coefficient reduced appreciably as the ‘number of tube passes could not be increased. However, the crude heat transfer coefficient, which was controllibg, creased so much that the overall heat transfer coefficient in- Hydrocarbon Processing, July 1988 47creased substantially and the exchanger was thereby able to handle a much higher duty. Needless to say, the switching of sides was possible as both the shell and tube sides had been designed for the higher (crude) pressure, and the baffle spac- ing and cut were large enough to handle the much higher crude flow. Replacing tube bundle. Instead of replacing an entire heat exchanger by a new one, consider replacing only the tube bundle with a new design, i.e.. with altered baffling, number af tube passes and even tube diameter. This is not only cheaper than replacing the whole exchanger but is also a Jot more convenient as piping and suppor\/foundation is not affected. Fluid sides also can be interchanged at the samme Bundle replacement is possible in U-tube and floating head exchangers. For fixed-tubesheet exchangers, the entire shell-tubesheets-tubes-baffles composite will have 10 be re- placed. Longer cubes can be used for the replacement bun- les along with other necessary modifications in shell, piping and supports/foundation, provided extra space is available. For reboilers or chillers where the boiling heat transfer coefficient is controlling, itis possible to handle increased heat duties by replacing the existing bare: tube bundle with a high-[lux tube bundle, With high-tlux tubes, boiling coefficients increase 2 to 8 times at the same AT. Should the condensing coeificient also be controlling. Fluted high-flux cubes are available that promote the con: densing coelficient Daring an ethylene plant revamp, the duty in an ethylene reetilier secondary condenser had inereased from 2.808 10” Keal/h to 3.43 x 10” Keal/h, at whieh time the existing exchanger became inadequate, The service involved ethyl: tene condensing inside tubes and propylene relrigerant boil ing outside tubes and had «wo kettles operating in parallel The propviene bailing jing, ‘The plant area was so cramped that it was not possible hind Kettle in parallel or even accommodate 060 bigger kettles. The problem was solved by replacing the tube unde a one of the kettles with a high-flus: tube bundle The high-tlux tube bundle could handle 60% of the i creased duty. and the bare tube bundle handled the balance UL40°:. The high-flux tube bundle was so designed that at ‘HOS: dhewpar. it gave the same condensing ethylene tubeside pressure drap as the are tube bundle gave at 40% theuput hus ciiminacinig the need dor a control scheme "at transter coctficient wis control: Use of low-fin tubes. Winter-covled shell-and-tube eon densers usally have the condensing heat eanster reetfieient controlling. [1 a revamp situation where an existing ey denser is unable to handle the increased heat duty. anew tube bundle with lows-fin tubes may well be able to-do sw With luvsetin tubes, the outside heat trinster surtace js ane: mented considerably (1.8 0 2.3 times the bre OD) and hence is able to handle the increased heat duty. An exception is where the cooling water fouling resistance is largely eon trolling ENERGY SAVING AND EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT The rising costs of energy and equipment have increased interest in energy conservation, However, the cost of eneruy hhas been increasing at a far faster rate than that of equip: ment. This shift in the economic balance between energy and equipment costs has inercased the incentive to find new ‘ways oF improved energy recovery in process plants. In addi 48 Hydrocarbon Processing, July 1988 tion to the potential for energy conservation in furnaces and boilers, there is a significant potential for energy conserva- tion in the exchange of heat between fluids. Some of the more important methods for achieving the latter are de- scribed in the following sections, Heat recovery in process units. Energy conservation by means of trains or networks of heat exchangers isa com ton feature of most oll, petrochemical and chemical pro- cessing plans, The most common example is the crude pre- heat an in a refinery in which the erude from storage i heated successively By the products and creating relia streams of the atmospheric and vacuum columns. ‘The final heating is done in a fired heater ot furnace and the crude then Flashed in the atmospheric column Tn many fndian refineries built in the early 1970s, with the prevailing cos of energy then, i was eficient enough to preteat the crude to 200°C inthe preheat train. As the cost Grenergy increased, the desirable preheat temperature also increased. In the refineries built receny, che erude i heated eo almost 300°C in the preheat train During revamp of older refineries for higher thruput, we have inceased the crude outlet cemperavre from the pe- heat rain Trom 200°C: ro p10 250°: by © Replacing the existing preheat cain with a new preheat © Modifying the existing preheat train by: interchanging fluid sides, switching services, changing series operation of tulle shells o parallel operation, replacing existing tube bundles by new ones and adding new heat exchanger The increased energy cost was so considerable that even a toall: new preheat train had a favorable payout period Interchange of energy between different process units. The eneriy given up by a process stream in one unit may be recovered in another unit to preheut a feedstock oF reboil a column bottoms stream, For example. in a large sylenes complex expansion project, the overhead vapor [rom the ortho-meta splitter column is being used to reboil the bottoms of the extract column, ralfinate column and desor bent rerun column in the Pares unit. The overhead temper- ature and thus the column pressure ofthe ortho-meta splitter is selected alter the reboiler operating temperatures are es ablished Recovery of energy to generate LP stream o1 heat boiler feedwater. (nan vsisting ortho-meta splitter column, an air cooler was being used 1 condense the over hhead vapor and thus eject the energy’ t@ the atmosphere The ocerhead condensing temperature range was 167°C: t0 163°C. As there was a requirement for LP steam, a new steam wenerator with high-f lus rubes wis installed t0 permit ‘very lowe MTD. About 20 tonsih of saturated steam could be yenerated at 3.5 Kye, shich would result in a favor sible payout period for the steam generator Condensers and coolers operating at fairly high tempera: tures such as 100°C: and above can preheat boiler feedwater fof icing carted by esoling water, therehy saving en- ‘ergy. Preheating of boiler feedwater is economical as the in- crease in the condenser cost due to the lower MTD is usually paid out in a few months. Power saving in air coolers. Most conventional air cool- crs operate with constant-speed, constant-pitch fans. Air flow docs not vary and a constant electrical load is drawn by the kan motors, This situation leads to excessive power concam Viscous fluid on the shellside gives a higher heat transfer coefficient than when on the tubeside due to higher turbulence. Thus, interchanging fluid sides to reroute the more viscous fluid improves the heat transfer coefficient. sumption because control systems are available to decrease the flow of air whenever maximum cooling is not required: he power consumed by the fan motors thus can be corre: spondingly reduced, saving up to one-third of the energy Used for the no-control situation. ‘Methods available for air cooler temperature control in: dlude the use of: © Manually or automatically operating louvers Bypassing on the process stream side (manual or auto- matic) ‘© Switching fans on-off (manual or automatic) where sev~ eral fans are used for a particular service © Two-speed motors (manual or automatic) © Variable speed drivers © Auto-variable fans ‘The third and sixth methods, above, result in energy sav ing. Auto-variable fans operate with the minimum motor horsepower at all times for a fixed process outlet tempera ture, since the fans only move the quantity of air actually needed. The control mechanism is usually a pneumatically ieuivated diaphragm, which alters the blade pitch angle over wide range while the fan is in motion, By virtue of the en= trey savings they elfect, auco-variable fans usually have a fa- vorable payout period. Use of high+lux tubes. High-flux tubes, licensed by Union Carbide Corp., incorporate a highly elficient boiling surface composed of a thin matrix of metal bonded to a tu: bular substrate, This special porous surface provides the sites needed for nucleate boiling and thereby promotes boil ing heat transfer coefficients from two to eight times greater than conventional surfaces at a given temperature differ- ence. This makes it possible to accomplish the given heat duty with less heat transfer area for the same temperature differential, or with lower temperature differential for the same heat transfer area. For an application involving boiling Of refrigerant, lowering the temperature differential will re Sule in the saving of refrigerant compression horsepower. High-flux tubes, therefore, may be employed profitably to conserve energy. Fouling control. The fouling of heat transfer equipment ‘may be defined as the deposition of unwanted material on hheat exchange surfaces causing a deterioration in perfor mance. The fouling problem is not solely confined to ineffi- ciencies in heat transfer: increased pressure drops, due to the partial blockage of the flow passages by the foulant material, may be equally or more important in terms of energy con: sumption for pumping and generally poor operation. ere are a number of processes that can give rise to foul ing: crystallization, particulate deposition, chemical reac tion, polymerization, growth of biological materials, coking and corrosion on the surface. Despite a lack of understanding of the mechanisms in- volved in fouling, designers tend to use basic rules of good. design to minimize fouling: ‘© The fluid with the higher fouling tendency is placed on the tubeside as itis easier to clean inside the tubes than out side them after a fouling layer has built up. Flow velocity should be kept high as it will suppress all types of fouling, "© Ir the fouling fluid is on the sheilside, in addition to pro- viding a removable bundle design, the baiTle design must be such as to avoid stagnant regions, i.e., a well-proportioned baffle spacing and baffle cut ratio, double segmental baffles or no-tubes-in-window design For mechanical cleaning, straight tubes in horizontal orientation are preferred. For hydraulic cleaning on the Shellside, square oF rotated square pitch should be used with ‘a minimum baffle spacing-to-shell ID ratio of 0.2. U-tubes should not be used for fouling fluids inside tubes. ‘© Finned tubes should be used with great caution if foul- ing is anticipated on the shellside. ® Turbulators should be used with great caution if fouling is anticipated on the tubeside. © Polymerization fouling is particularly sensitive to tube wall temperature. ‘© In thermosyphon_reboilers, the amount vaporized should be restricted to 30% to minimize fouling. ‘© Some types of exchangers are considered to be less prone to fouling than others, For example, plate exchangers foul less than shell-and-tube exchangers, assuming that both are well-designed. Supposedly, the corrugations on the plates igive rise to high turbulence, which rends co scour the surface nd keep it clean. Similar claims have been made recently: about rod-ballle exchangers © On-line cleaning systems using brushes (e.g., Mestoc) vor balls (e-¢., Taprogge) can be employed in turbine exhaust surface condensers and even large process condensers with considerable advantage in initial and operating cost. CONCLUSION Considerable economy can be achieved during plant de- bottlenecking by modifying existing hear exchangers t0 get operation at higher thruputs and higher efficiencies The author [R. Mukherjee has 17 years of experience inthe ‘thermal design of shel-and:tube and air.cocted haat exchangare tho Hont and Mass Transfer Division of Engineers India Ltd, New Deli, In dia. Presently manager, ois responsible forall ‘activities pertaining fo thermal design of heat ‘exchangers. Mr Mukherjee holds @ BS degree In chemical engineerng from Jadavpur Univer- ‘iy, Calcutta, India, and has particioated as faculty in several courses in heat exchanger aesign. He as consider- ‘able experience in revamp/aebotlengcking of various refinery and pet rechemical units, Hydrocarbon Processing, July 198849