AIR COOLER

Air cooled heat exchanger

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see GE-353-4-2-Rev2 (principe de trace et supportage).pdf §7. Les aéroréfrigérants

Load Cases

for API661 checking:

use only Load cases with 'Operating temperature' (not design) with friction and with occasional loads
(snow, ice, wind)
Note: friction is mandatory on aircooler headers
Aircooler design

splitted headers are used if delta temperature between inlet and outlet > 110°C (API661 §7.1.6.1.2)

Elevation view

2 or 4 passes configuration:

non-splitted headers

front header rear header

vertical
direction

aircooler axis
splitted headers

front top header

rear header
front bottom header

1 or 3 passes configuration:

non-splitted headers

front header rear header

splitted headers

front top header

rear header
front bottom header
Elevation view / front headers

bundle frame vertical

front header of bundle
direction

lateral
direction

sliding plate

2 front headers = splitted

2 front headers = splitted

thermal
displacement
from “fixed point”

vertical
direction
aircooler axis

lateral
direction

bundle frame =
« fixed point » = neutral point for fixed structure
thermal displacements
header can have small
displacements because of gaps

Note: standard practice is to block front

header or front top header in the bundle
direction in the CAESAR model even if there
is a small gap
Vendor drawings

see
-general arrangement drawing
-bay drawing (“outline drawing of bay”)
-bundle drawing
-header drawing (“front top header drawing” …)

general arrangement

! “FIXED POINT” can only means ‘neutral axis’ because lateral support can have a gap

neutral axis

vertical
direction

lateral
direction

thermal displacement around ‘neutral axis’

bay drawing – allowable loads

get API661 allowable loads for nozzle, header, bay

example: Arctic Kelvion
*3 for 150, 300 and 600 lbs
*4 for 900 and 1500 lbs
in this example coordinate system is
3D model CS

3 = nozzle allowable factor

values = 3 * API661_single_header
3 = single header allowable factor

3 = bay allowable factor

bay drawing – nozzle details

bay drawing – weight

if no others datas available, use bay weight for CAESAR modelling

correct weight for CAESAR is the bundle weight (part that slide during thermal dilatation)
bay drawing – side view

on this side view, “FIXED POINT” means that bundle is free to dilate in the aircooler axis from
fixed point

vertical Z
direction

aircooler
lateral axis
direction
Y
X

thermal displacement from “fixed point”

check the design type (splitted or non-splitted)

here : splitted design (1 header for inlets, 1 header for outlets)
bay drawing – displacements

Notes:
- during sea-transport or towing, bundle can be locked to avoid any movements
- displacements values will be used to model aircooler restraints in CAESAR

aircooler axis

vertical

lateral

aircooler axis

vertical

lateral

Z gap = +10mm vertical

(hold down) direction
Z

inlet front header

lateral
direction
Y
outlet front header X
Y gap = 20mm aircooler
axis

vertical
+X gap = 8mm , but X blocked in CAESAR modeling (standard practice) direction
Z

inlet header rear header

“fixed” “floating” aircooler
axis
outlet header X
Y
lateral
free to move in X free to move in X direction
bundle drawing

you can get bundle weight filled by fluid = ‘bundle weight empty’ + ‘fluid weight’
Notes:
bundle weight have importance in nozzle load because of friction
mass is in kg ; multiply by 10 for CAESAR mass in Newtons

and you can get ‘fluid weight’ with bay drawing (here 320 kg)
header drawing

example of an outlet front bottom header with 2 outlet nozzles

CAESAR modelling

see vendor drawing if aircooler design is splitted or non-splitted (3D model display can be wrong !)

! in CAESAR aircooler must be modelled with correct material (CS or SS)

if aircooler material is different of piping material, branches modelling will require flexibility

Example of non-splitted aircooler (1 ‘front header’ for inlet nozzles and outlet nozzles)

inlet1
1 support
X blocked with gap = x mm (see bay drawing for value)
mass1
RZ blocked

Tope_inlet inlet2

temperature vertical rigid :

Tope_outlet T=(T_ope_inlet + T_ope_outlet)/2
Z
outlet1
2 supports (at mass position) Y
mass1
Y blocked
Z blocked friction 0.1
RX blocked
X
outlet2

Notes:
mass1= bundle weight / 2

front header rear header

 Example of splitted aircooler (1 ‘front top header’ for inlet nozzles, 1 ‘front bottom header’ for outlet nozzles)
(see bay drawing for gap values)

2 supports (at mass position)

X blocked with gap = x mm
mass2
rigid: Z blocked friction 0.1
diameter  1000mm RX blocked

2 supports for inlet (at mass position) thickness  100mm Z

see zoom mass2
X blocked with gap = x mm
Y
Y blocked
Z blocked friction 0.1
RX blocked
X
inlet1
mass1 inlet2
Notes:
2 supports for outlet (at mass position)
mass1 mass1= bundle weight / 8
mass1 X blocked with gap = x mm
mass2= bundle weight / 4
Z blocked friction 0.1
outlet1 mass1 RX blocked
outlet2

"couplings restraints"
zoom
node_N2 node_N3
node_N1 node_N2

"opposite"
header
node_N2 node_N2 node_N3
node_N1
node_N1 node_N2
"inlet rigid"
node_N3
"outlet rigid"
node_N2 node_N3
node_N1 node_N2
Piping routing
- avoid branches loops (distance between inlet piping header and nozzles : as short as possible)
- if flexibility is needed : add flexibility for outlet branches, and keep rigid design for inlet branches
(so inlet piping will enforce aircooler displacements)
- if several aircoolers are used for 1 piping network: be sure that flow is equal for each aircooler
(same number of bends)
- configuration with 1 header (“rateau”) or configuration with several headers (“cascade”) depend of
process design (see PID)
- if valves are installed at inlet nozzles : add flexibility for inlet branches
(because valves can be closed and create a temperature delta)
- if ‘aircooler material’ is different of ‘piping material’ (ex: CS and SS) : add flexibility for piping
branches

Notes:
- bundle weight (model in CAESAR with several mass) and friction has influence on nozzle loads:
check that friction coefficient is set to 0.1 for bundle restraints and that bundle weight is correct

Sea transport / Towing

allowable load for sea-transport and towing nozzle loads : HOLD
aircooler flanges must be connected during sea transport or towing
aircooler headers can be locked (remove gaps in CAESAR)

special requirements can be requested : ex: pipe header structure can be welded to bundle frame to avoid
any relative displacements between piping and aircooler
examples of piping routings:

1 header ("rateau")
1 header ("rateau") with flexibility

distance as short as
possible

2 headers ("cascade" = symetrical)

Inlets 1 header (“rateau”)
Inlets several headers (“cascade”)
Outlets 1 header (“rateau”)
Outlets several headers (“cascade”)
FE-pipe 661Pro

don’t use it : too many BUGS

- bug of non-merged plates !

- bug to create several nozzles

Note: ‘partition plate’ = horizontal plate that separate inlet chamber of outlet chamber for a non-splitted header