Heat exchanger

The word exchanger really applies to all types

of equipment in which heat is exchanged but
is often used specially to denote equipment in
which heat is exchanged between two process
Streams.
 These heat exchanger may be
classified according to:
Transfer process
1. Direct contact
2. indirect contact
(a) Direct transfer type
(b) Storage type
(c) Fluidized bed
 Surface compactness

1. Compact (surface area density

700m2=m3)
2. non-compact (surface area density <
700m2=m3)
 Construction

1. Tubular
(a) Double pipe
(b) Shell and tube
(c) Spiral tube
2. Plate
(a) Gasketed
(b) Spiral plate
(c) Welded plate
3. Extended surface
(a) Plate fin
(b) Tube fin
4. Regenerative
(a) Rotory
i. Disc-type
ii. Drum-type
(b) Fixed-matrix
 Flow arrangement

1. Single pass
(a) Parallel flow
(b) Counter flow
(c) Cross flow
2. Multipass
(a) Extended surface H.E.
i. Cross counter flow
ii. Cross parallel flow
(b) Shell and tube H.E.
i. Parallel counter flow (Shell and fluid mixed, M shell pass, N Tube
pass)
ii. Split flow
iii. Divided flow
(c) Plate H.E. (N-parallel plate multipass)
 Number of fluids

1. Two-fluid
2. Three fluid
3. N-fluid (N > 3)
 Transfer mechanisms

1. Single phase convection on both sides

2. Single phase convection on one side, two-
phase convection on the other side
3. Two-phase convection on both sides
4. Combined convection and radiative heat
transfer
 Classification based on service

single phase (such as the cooling or heating of a liquid or gas)

two-phase (such as condensing or vaporizing).
Since there are two sides to an STHE, this can lead to several
combinations of services. Broadly, services can be classified as
follows:
single-phase (both shellside and tubeside);
condensing (one side condensing and the other single-phase);
vaporizing (one side vaporizing and the other side single-phase);
and
condensing/vaporizing (one side condensing and the other side
vaporizing). The following nomenclature is usually used:
 Heat exchanger: both sides single phase and process streams (that is, not a utility).
Cooler: one stream a process fluid and the other cooling water or air. Dirty water can be
used as the cooling medium. The top of the cooler is open to the atmosphere for access to
tubes. These can be cleaned without shutting down the cooler by removing the distributors
one at a time and scrubbing the tubes.
Heater: one stream a process fluid and the other a hot utility, such as steam or hot oil.
Condenser: one stream a condensing vapor and the other cooling water or air.
Chiller: one stream a process fluid being condensed at sub-atmospheric temperatures
and the other a boiling refrigerant or process stream. By cooling the
falling film to its freezing point, these exchangers convert a variety of chemicals
to the solid phase. The most common application is the production of sized ice
and paradichlorobenzene. Selective freezing is used for isolating isomers. By
melting the solid material and refreezing in several stages, a higher degree of
purity of product can be obtained.
Reboiler: one stream a bottoms stream from a distillation column and the
other a hot utility (steam or hot oil) or a process stream.
Evaporators: These are used extensively for the concentration of ammonium nitrate, urea,
and other chemicals sensitive to heat when minimum contact time is desirable.
Air is sometimes introduced in the tubes to lower the partial pressure of liquids whose
boiling points are high.
These evaporators are built for pressure or vacuum and with top or bottom vapor removal.
Absorbers: These have a two-phase flow system. The absorbing medium is
put in film flow during its fall downward on the tubes as it is cooled by a cooling
medium outside the tubes. The film absorbs the gas which is introduced into
the tubes. This operation can be cocurrent or countercurrent.

Falling-Film Exchangers: Falling-film shell-and-tube heat exchangers have been

developed for a wide variety of services and are described by Sack The fluid enters
at the top of the vertical tubes. Distributors or slotted tubes put the liquid in film
flow in the inside surface of the tubes, and the film adheres to the tube surface
while falling to the bottom of the tubes. The film can be cooled, heated,
evaporated, or frozen by means of the proper heat-transfer medium outside the
tubes. Tube distributors have been developed for a wide range of applications.
Fixed tube sheets, with or without expansion joints, and outside-packed-head
designs are used.

Principal advantages are high rate of heat transfer, no internal pressure

drop, short time of contact (very important for heat-sensitive materials), easy
accessibility to tubes for cleaning, and, in some cases, prevention of leakage
from one side to another.
 Classification by construction

The principal types of heat exchanger are

listed again as
1. Tubular exchanger
2. Plate exchanger
3. Extended surface
4. Regenerative
 2.1.1 Tubular heat exchanger

Tubular heat exchanger are generally built of

circular tubes. Tubular heat exchanger is
further classified into:
Double pipe heat exchanger
Spiral tube heat exchanger
Shell and tube heat exchanger
Double pipe heat exchanger

Constructon :- This is usually consists of concentric pipes.

One fluid flow in the inner pipe and the other fluid flow
in the annulus between pipes.
The two fluid may flow concurrent (parallel) or
in counter current flow configuration; hence the heat
exchanger are classified as:

counter current double pipe heat exchanger cocurrent double

pipe heat exchanger
Advantages :-
Is Easily by disassembly, no cleaning problem
ii Suitable for high pressure fluid, (the pressure
containment in the small diameter pipe
or tubing is a less costly method compared to a large
diameter shell.)
Limitation
The double pipe heat exchanger is generally used for the
application where
the total heat transfer surface area required is less than
or equal to 20 m2 (215 ft2) because
it is expensive on a cost per square meter (foot) basis.
 Spiral tube heat exchanger

Spiral tube heat exchanger consists of one or

more spirally wound coils fitted in a shell .
Heat transfer associated with spiral tube is
higher than that for a straight tube .

In addition, considerable amount of surface

area can be accommodated in a given
space by spiraling. Thermal expansion is no
problem but cleaning is almost impossible.
Advantages
Inexpensive
True countercurrent or co-current flow
Easily designed for high pressure service

Disadvantages
Difficult to clean on shell side.
Only suitable for small sizes. They are generally not
economical if UA > 50,000 Btu/hr-oF.
Thermal expansion can be an issue.

Typical Applications
Single phase heating and cooling when the required heat
transfer area is small.
Can be used for heating using condensing steam if
fabricated with elbows to allow expansion.
HAIRPIN HEAT EXCHANGERS

The hairpin heat exchanger design is similar to that of double pipe heat
exchangers with multiple tubes inside one shell. The design provides the
flexibility of a U-tube design with an extended shell length that improves the
exchangers ability to achieve close temperature approaches.

Advantages
Good countercurrent or co-current flow good temperature approach. Can
be designed with removable shell to allow cleaning & inspection. Use of finned
tubes results in compact design for shellside fluids with low heat transfer
coefficients. Easily designed for high pressure service. Able to handle large
temperature difference between the shell and tube sides without using
expansion joints. All connections are at one end of the exchanger.
Disadvantages Designs are proprietary limited number of manufacturers.
Relatively expensive. Limited size Not economical if UA > 150,000 Btu/hr-oF.

Applications
Single phase heating and cooling when the required heat transfer area is relatively
small. Often found in high pressure services and where there is a large
temperature difference between the shell and tubeside fluids.
Shell and tube heat exchanger
Shell and tube heat exchanger is built of round tubes mounted in a cylindrical shell with the
tube axis parallel to that of the shell. One fluid flow inside the tube, the other flow across and
along the tubes. The major components of the shell and tube heat exchanger are tube bundle,
shell, front end head, rear end head, baffles and tube sheets

Shellside Flow
In
Shell
Tubeside Flow
Out

Tube Bundle

Shellside Flow
Out

Tubeside Flow
In
 The shell and tube heat exchanger is further
divided into three categories as
1. Fixed tube sheet
2. U tube
3. Floating head
 Fixed tubesheet

A fixed-tubesheet heat exchanger has straight tubes that are secured at both
ends to tubesheets welded to the shell. The construction may have removable
channel covers , bonnet-type channel covers , or integral tubesheets.
Advantage
The fixedtubesheet construction is its low cost because of its simple
construction. In fact, the fixed tubesheet is the least expensive construction
type, as long as no expansion joint is required.
tubes can be cleaned mechanically after removal of the channel cover
or bonnet, and that leakage of the shell side fluid is minimized since there
are no flanged joints.

Disadvantage
This design is that since the bundle is fixed to the shell and cannot be
removed, the outsides of the tubes cannot be cleaned mechanically.
Thus, its application is limited to clean services on the shell side.
However, if a satisfactory chemical cleaning is designed can be employed,
fixed-tubesheet construction may be selected for fouling services on the
shell side.
In the event of a large differential temperature between the tubes and the
shell, the tubesheets will be unable to absorb the differential stress,
thereby making it necessary to
Incorporate an expansion joint. This takes away the advantage of low cost
to a significant extent.
 U-tube

As the name implies, the tubes of a U-tube heat exchanger are bent in the shape
of a U.
There is only one tubesheet in a Utube heat exchanger. However, the lower cost
for the single tubesheet is offset by the additional costs incurred for the bending
of the tubes and the somewhat larger shell diameter (due to the minimum U-bend
radius), making the cost of a U-tube heat exchanger comparable to that of a fixed
tubesheet exchanger.
Advantage
U-tube heat exchanger as one end is free, the bundle
can expand or contract in response to stress differentials.
In addition, the outsides of the tubes can be cleaned, as
the tube bundle can be removed.
Disadvantage
U-tube construction is that the insides of the tubes cannot be
cleaned effectively, since the U-bends would require
flexible-end drill shafts for cleaning. Thus, U-tube heat
exchangers should not be used for services with a dirty fluid
inside tubes.
 Floating head

The floating-head heat exchanger is the most versatile type of

STHE, and also the costliest.
In this design, one tubesheet is fixed relative to the shell, and
the other is free to float within the shell. This permits free
expansion of the tube bundle, as well as cleaning of both the
insides and outsides of the tubes. Thus, floating-head SHTEs
can be used for services where both the shell side and the
tube side fluids are dirty-making
The standard construction type used in dirty services, such as in
petroleum refineries. There are various types of floating- head
construction. The two most common are the pull-through with
backing device and pull through without backing service designs.
The design with backing service is the most common
configuration in the chemical process industries (CPI). The
floating-head cover is secured against the floating tubesheet by
bolting it to an ingenious split backing ring. This floating-head
closure is located beyond the end of the shell and contained by a
shell cover of a larger diameter. To dismantle the heat exchanger,
the shell cover is removed first, then the split backing ring, and
then the floating-head cover, after which the tube bundle can be
removed from the stationary end.
 In the design without packing service construction (Figure 2.8), the
entire tube bundle, including the floating-head assembly, can be
removed from the stationary end, since the shell diameter is larger
than the floating-head flange. The floatinghead cover is bolted
directly to the floating tubesheet so that a split backing ring is not
required.
The advantage of this construction is that the tube bundle may be
removed from the shell without removing either the shell or the
floatinghead cover, thus reducing maintenance time. This design is
particularly suited to kettle reboilers having a dirty heating medium
where Utubes cannot be employed. Due to the enlarged shell, this
construction has the highest
cost of all exchanger types.
 Plate heat exchangers

These exchangers are generally built of thin

plates. The plate are either smooth or have
some form of corrugations and they are either
flat or wound in exchanger. Generally
theses exchanger cannot accomodate high
pressure/temperature differential relative the
tubular exchanger.
 This type of exchanger is further classified as:
Gasketed plate
Fixed plate
Spiral plate
 Gasketed plate heat exchanger
Gasketed plate heat exchanger consists of a series of corrugated alloy material
channel plates, bounded by elastomeric gaskets are hung off and guided by
longitudinal carrying bars, then compressed by large-diameter tightening bolts
between two pressure retaining frame plates (cover plates)
 Construction
The frame and channel plates have portholes which allow the process fluids to enter
alternating flow passages (the space between two adjacent-channel plates)
Gaskets around the periphery of the channel plate prevent leakage to the
atmosphere and also prevent process fluids from coming in contact with the frame
plates. No inter fluid leakage is possible in the port area due to a dual-gasket seal.
Expansion of the initial unit is easily performed in the field without special
considerations.
The original frame length typically has an additional capacity of 15-20 percent more
channel plates (i.e. surface area). In fact, if a known future capacity is available during
fabrication stages, a longer carrying bar could be installed, and later, increasing the
surface area would be easily handled.
When the expansion is needed, simply untighten the carrying bolts, pull back the
frame plate, add the additional channel plates, and tighten the frame plate.
Applications:

Most PHE applications are liquid-liquid services but there are numerous
steam heater and evaporator uses from their old ages in the food industry.
Industrial users typically have chevron style channel plates while some food
applications are washboard style.
Fine particulate slurries in concentrations up to 70 percent by weight are
possible with standard channel spacing's.
Wide-gap units are used with larger particle sizes.
Typical particle size should not exceed 75 percent of the single plate (not total
channel) gap.
Close temperature approaches and tight temperature control possible with
PHEs and the ability to sanitize the entire heat transfer surface easily were
a major benefit in the food and pharmaceutical industry.
Advantages: -
Easily assembled and dismantled
Easily cleaned both chemically and mechanically
Flexible (the heat transfer can be changed as required)
Can be used for multiple service as required
Leak is immediately deteced since all plates are vented to the atmosphere,
and the
fluid split on the floor rather than mixing with other fluid
Heat transfer coefficient is larger and hence small heat transfer area is
required than STHE
The space required is less than that for STHE for the same duty
Less fouling due to high turbulent flow
Very close temperature approach can be obtained
low hold up volume
LMTD is fully utilized
More economical when material cost are high
 Disadvantages: -
Low pressure <30 bar (plate deformation)
Working temperature of < (500 F) [250 oC]
(maximum gasket temperature)
 Welded- and Brazed-Plate exchanger
To overcome the gasket limitations, PHE
manufacturers have developed welded-plate
exchangers. There are numerous approaches
to this solution: weld plate pairs together
with the other fluid-side conventionally
gasketed, weld up both sides but use a
horizontal
nickel brazing, diffusion bond then pressure
form plates and bond etched, passage plates
Typical applications include district heating
where the low cost and minimal maintenance
have made this type of heat exchanger
especially attractive.
Most methods of welded-plate manufacturing do not allow for inspection of the
heattransfer surface, mechanical cleaning of that surface, and have limited ability to repair
or plug off damage channels. Consider these limitations when the fluid is heavily fouling,
has solids, or in general the repair or plugging ability for severe services.
PLATE & FRAME HEAT EXCHANGERS
A plate and frame heat exchanger is a compact heat exchanger where thin corrugated
plates are stacked in contact with each other, and the two fluids flow separately along
adjacent channels in the corrugation.

The closure of the stacked plates may be by clamped gaskets, brazed (usually copper
brazed stainless steel), or welded (stainless steel, copper, titanium), the most common
type being the first, for ease of inspection and cleaning.

Advantages
Very compact design
High heat transfer coefficients (2 4 times shell & tube designs)
Expandable by adding plates
Ease of maintenance
Plates manufactured in many alloys
All connections are at one end of the exchanger
Good temperature approaches
Fluid residence time is very short
No dead spots
Leakage (if it should occur) is generally to the outside not between the
fluids
Low fouling due to high turbulence
Disadvantages
Designs are proprietary limited number of manufacturers
Gaskets limit operating pressures and temperatures &
require good maintenance
Typical maximum design pressures are 150-250 psig.
Gasket compatible with fluids are not always available
Poor ability to handle solids due to close internal
clearances
High pressure drop
Not suitable for hazardous materials
Not suitable in vacuum service.
Typical Applications
Low pressure and temperature single phase heating and
cooling when fluids are not hazardous, a high pressure drop
can be tolerated and alloys are required for the fluids being
handled.
 Spiral Plate Exchanger (SPHE)
SPHEs offer high reliability and on-line performance in many
severely fouling services such as slurries.

CONSTRUCTION :-
The SHE is formed by rolling two strips of plate, with welded-
on spacer studs, upon each other into clock-spring shape
and This forms two passages. Passages are sealed off on
one end of the SHE by welding a bar to the plates; hot and
cold fluid passages are sealed off on opposite ends of the
SHE.
A single rectangular flow passage is now formed for each
fluid, producing very high shear rates compared to tubular
designs. Removable covers are provided on each end to
access and clean the entire heat transfer surface.
 Pure countercurrent flow is achieved and LMTD
correction factor is essentially = 1.0.
Since there are no dead spaces in a SHE, the
helical flow pattern combines to entrain any
solids and create high turbulence creating a self-
cleaning flow passage. There are no thermal-
expansion problems in spirals. Since the center of
the unit is not fixed, it can torque to relieve
stress. The SHE can be expensive when only one
fluid requires high alloy material.
 Since the heat-transfer plate contacts both fluids, it is
required to be fabricated out of the higher alloy. SHEs can
be fabricated out of any material that can be cold-worked
and welded. The channel spacings can be different on each
side to match the flow rates and pressure drops of the
process design. The spacer studs are also adjusted in
their pitch to match the fluid characteristics. As the coiled
plate spirals outward, the plate thickness increases from a
minimum of 2 mm to a maximum (as required by pressure)
up to 10 mm. This means relatively thick material separates
the two fluids compared to tubing of conventional
exchangers.
Applications:
The most common applications that fit SHE are slurries. The
rectangular channel provides high shear and turbulence to sweep
the surface clear of blockage and causes no distribution problems
associated with other exchanger types.
A localized restriction causes an increase in local velocity which
aids in keeping the unit free flowing. Only fibers that are long and
stringy cause SHE to have a blockage it cannot clear itself.
As an additional antifoulant measure, SHEs have been coated with a
phenolic lining. This provides some degree of corrosion protection
as well, but this is not guaranteed due to pinholes in the lining
process.
 There are three types of SHE to fit
different applications:
Type I is the spiral-spiral flow pattern It is used for all heating and cooling services and can
accommodate temperature crosses such as lean/rich services in one unit. The removable covers on
each end allow access to one side at a time to perform maintenance on that fluid side. Never
remove a cover with one side under
pressure as the unit will telescope out like a collapsible cup.
Type II units are the condenser and reboiler designs One side is spiral flow and the other side is in
cross flow. These SHEs provide very stable designs for vacuum condensing and reboiling services. A
SHE can be fitted with special mounting connections for reflux-type ventcondenser applications.
The vertically mounted SHE directly attaches on the column or tank.
Type III units are a combination of the Type I and Type II where part is in spiral flow and part is in
cross flow. This SHE can condense and subcool in a single unit. The unique channel arrangement
has been used to provide on-line cleaning, by switching fluid sides to clean the fouling (caused by
the fluid that previously flowed there) off the surface. Phosphoric acid coolers use pond water for
cooling and both sides foul; water, as you expect, and phosphoric acid deposit crystals. By
reversing the flow sides, the water dissolves the acid crystals and the acid clears up the organic
fouling. SHEs are also used as oleum coolers, sludge coolers/ heaters, slop oil heaters, and in other
services where multiple flow- passage designs have not performed well.
SPIRAL PLATE HEAT EXCHANGERS
Spiral plate heat exchangers are fabricated from two metal plates that are
wound around each other. One process fluid stream enters the exchanger at
the centre and flows outwards while the second fluid enters on the outside
and flows inward. This creates almost a true countercurrent flow.

Advantages
Single flow paths reduce fouling rates associated with
fluids containing solids.
Ability to handle two highly fouling fluids
No dead spots for solids to collect inside exchanger
Countercurrent flow
Manufactured in many alloys
Very low pressure drop
 Disadvantages
Designs are proprietary limited number of
manufacturers
Generally more expensive than shell & tube designs

Typical Applications
1. Liquid/liquid heating, cooling or heat recovery,
where one or both of the fluids may cause fouling.
2. Vapour/liquid condensing, particularly at very low
pressure and/or high-volume flow.
SPIRAL TUBE & HELIFLOW HEAT EXCHANGERS
Spiral tube type heat exchangers are fabricated from coiled tubing.
In some cases the tubing is installed inside a fabricated bundle to
provide a compact stand alone heat exchanger.
These exchangers are used primarily for small services such as
pump seal fluid and sample coolers.
See attached article "Graham Spiral Flow Heat Exchangers.pdf" for a
more detailed description.
Advantages
Compact very inexpensive exchanger for small applications
Can handle high pressures
Disadvantages
Designs are proprietary limited number of manufacturers
 AIR COOLED HEAT EXCHANGERS
locations where there is a shortage of cooling water.
Air-cooled heat exchangers are usually used when the heat exchanger outlet
temperature is at least 20 oF above the maximum expected ambient air
temperature. They can be designed for closer approach temperatures, but often
become expensive compared to a combination of a cooling tower and a water-
cooled exchanger.
Air cooled heat exchangers use electrically driven fans to move air across a bank of
tubes. There are two basic arrangements:

Induced draft Fans draw air through the tube banks.

Forced draft Fans blow air through the tube banks.

Air cooled exchangers are expensive compared to water cooled exchangers due to
their large size, low heat transfer coefficients on the air size, and structural and
electrical requirements. In addition air cooler exchangers require large plot areas
and must be designed to handle diurnal and seasonal changes in air temperature.
The very low heat transfer coefficient associated with air on the outside of the
tubes is partially overcome through extensive use of finned tubes to increase the
outside surface area.
Changes in ambient air temperatures are often handled by using variable
speed or pitch fans to adjust the air flow. In cold climates, it may be necessary
to design in the ability to recirculate air to prevent freezing in the process.

Smaller units (similar to radiators) are available and commonly used for small
duty applications.

Advantages
Do not use water for cooling
Disadvantages
Requires large plot area
Expensive
Fins can plug in "dirty" environments
Fans can be noisy

Typical Applications
Cooling and condensing where cooling water is unavailable or is
uneconomical to use.
 Extended surface
The tubular and plate exchangers described previously are all prime surface heat
exchangers. The design thermal effectiveness is usually 60 % and below and the heat
transfer area density is usually less than 300 m2/m3. In many application an
effectiveness of up to 90 % is essential and the box volume and mass are limited so
that a much more compact surface is mandated.

Usually either a gas or a liquid having a low heat transfer coefficient is the fluid on
one or both sides. This results in a large heat transfer area requirements. for low
density fluid (gases), pressure drop constraints tend to require a large flow area. so a
question arises how can we increase both the surface area and flow area together in
a reasonably shaped configuration. The surface area may be increased by the fins.
The flow area is increased by the use of thin gauge material and sizing the core
property.

There are two most common types of extended surface heat exchangers.
 Plate fin

Plate -fin heat exchanger has fins or spacers sandwiched

between parallel plates (refereed to as parting plates or
parting sheets) or formed tubes.
While the plates separate the two fluid streams, the fins
form the individual flow passages. Fins are used on both
sides in a gas-gas heat exchanger. In gas-liquid
applications fins are used in the gas side.
 Tube fin

In tube fin heat exchanger, tubes of round, rectangular, or elliptical

shape are generally used. Fins are generally used on the outside
and also used inside the tubes in some applications. they are
attached to the tube by tight mechanical fit, tension wound, gluing,
soldering, brazing, welding or extrusion. Tube fin exchanger