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Article Quiz For Heat Exchanger Selection and Design
Article Quiz For Heat Exchanger Selection and Design
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Answer 1:
a) HTRI (Xist) calculates HTC and ∆P in small
increments, throughout tube length, shell diameter Figure 2 Shell side flow distribution
and tube rows. The text book method calculates
overall HTC and ∆P for entire heat exchanger. HTC Question 2:
and ∆P varies with change in velocity and fluid What is Ft (LMTD correction factor)?
What is the significance of Ft factor? (What does it
indicate?)
What are the allowable values for Ft?
What is the measure of a LOW Ft factor?
Answer 2:
LMTD formula assumes pure counter current flow.
Ft is correction factor, on LMTD for co-current and
cross-flow heat exchangers. Ft is one for pure counter
current flow. Minimum value of Ft should be between
0.9 and 0.95. Ft is a measure of heat transfer efficiency
and temperature cross. A low value of Ft indicates
reverse heat flow in some part of the exchanger.
Following are different solution for reverse heat
flow or temperature cross.
• Use one tube pass per shell (Pure counter current).
Figure 1 Shell increments in three dimensions • Use shells in series.
flow baffles
• H has a double split flow at shell side, has no cross
flow baffles
• X is pure cross flow heat exchanger (has no cross
flow baffles)
Question 7: Make fluid allocation either at shell
side Vs Tube Side
Figure 5. Heads suitable for shell side cleaning
• 60 bar H2 and cooling water
Maximum size of removal bundle should be 5ft (1.5 • Sour Naphtha and sea water
m) diameter and 20 ft (6.1 m) tube length. S type • Tar and steam
floating head is generally used for shell ID grater • Thermo-siphon re-boiler - HC and Steam
than 250 mm. T type floating head is used for small • Gas condensation with cooling water
diameter exchanger or Kettle type heat exchanger. T
Answer 7 : Fluid allocation – shell side Vs Tube
type floating head is easy to maintain compared to S
Side
type floating head exchanger; as shell cover, clamp-
• Tube side 60 bar H2 and Shell side cooling water
ring and floating head cover must be removed prior
(High pressure fluid at tube side is good for
to removing the bundle for S type floating head
mechanical design.)
exchanger.
• Sour Naphtha and sea water – ANY (Both are
corrosive so any combination can work. More
Question 6: Place following shells in sequence
information on temperature, pressure and fouling
from highest ∆P at top and lowest ∆P at bottom at
is required to make correct selection.)
shell side.
• Tube side Tar and shell side steam (Viscous or
• X
dirty service at tube side, for easy mechanical
• E
cleaning.)
• J
• Thermo-siphon re-boiler - HC and Steam (Fluid
• H
allocation depends on HX orientation.)
• G
• - Horizontal Type – HC at Shell side and steam at
tube side
Answer 6: Highest ∆P at top and lowest ∆P at • - Vertical Type – HC at Tube side and steam at
bottom at shell side. shell side
• E is one pass shell with multiple cross flow baffles • Gas condensation on shell side, for easy removal
• J is divided flow shell with multiple cross flow of condensate and reduce two phase pressure
baffles drop. Cooling water at Tube side to obtain higher
• G has single split flow at shell side, has no cross HTC and easy mechanical cleaning at tube side.
(Following shells can be used for thermo-siphon Answer 10 : Following service in sequence from
re-boiler. lowest fouling factor at top and highest fouling factor
• E can be used for vertical thermo-siphon re-boiler at bottom.
• G, H, J & X can be used for horizontal thermo- • Treated boiler feed water – 0.001
siphon re-boiler ) • Naphtha from naphtha hydrotreater – 0.002
• DEG and TEG solution - 0.002
• Heavy fuel oil – 0.005 – 0.007
• Atmosphere tower bottoms – 0.007
• Vacuum Tower Bottoms – 0.01
HX / HX device Application
Spiral baffle De-bottlenecking of existing HX, by increasing shell side heat transfer coefficient.
Two HX in series Condenser requires huge sub cooling. (First for condenser and second for sub-cooling.)
Reducing baffle spacing For condenser HTC can be improved by vapour shear enhancement outside the tubes.
Stub in re-boiler Small heat duty for column re-boiler.
Hair pin exchanger For temperature cross service and high flow rate ratios between shell and tube side fluids,
hair pin exchangers are more suitable.
X Type shell Vacuum service for low _P.
NTIW (No tubes in window) To reduce tube vibrations.
Fin tube heat exchanger For N2 / Air cooler at shell side
Vertical baffle cut To remove liquid from condenser.
Jacketed pipe Very small heat duty or to maintain fluid temperature.
Vapour belt feed device For uniform distribution of fluid in big shell diameter HX. (Vapour belt also known as
‘annular distributor’.)
Two exchanger in parallel When exchanger exceeds allowable diameter for big heat duty.
Tube inserts To increase velocity (HTC) at tube side for viscous fluid.
Vertical condenser Small heat duty for column condenser.
Replace CW by chilled water Either condensing temperature has been lowered because of inlet composition change or to
increase LMTD for de-bottlenecking exchanger for heat transfer area.
Control valve at inlet of To control recirculation rate, for handling multiple cases and huge turn down requirements.
thermo-siphon re-boiler
Exchanger By pass control To handle huge turn down and easy temperature control, ‘by pass control’ is more popular
Heat and this can be found in Process to Process heat exchangers.
Exchange
Supplement
8 50 HYDROCARBON ASIA, MAY/JUN 2007 Visit our website at: http://www.safan.com
This publication thanks Manish Shah of Ranhill Worley Parsons, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for
contributing this paper, which was presented at the Heat Exchange Engineering Conference 2007 at
Kuala Lumpur, organized by Hydrocarbon Asia. PetroMin and RAMS Asia in association with
HTRI and Cal Gavin Ltd.
Manish Shah has received degree in Petrochemical Engineering with distinction from MIT India. He has 12
years of process engineering experience in oil and gas, refinery and petrochemical. Process design of LSG (Low
Sulphur Gasoline), DHDS (Diesel Hydro DeSulphurisation), Mild hydrocracking unit, LPG recovery has been
done by him. He has been involved in various process design work like developing simulation, PFD, P & I Diagram,
HAZOP, SIL, Safety review, equipment sizing and contingency analysis. He has good experience in designing
different types of heat exchangers using HTFS & HTRI; and designing of Tray / Packed Column using Aspen Plus,
HYSYS and PRO II.