Performance monitoring for Heatric coolers

Heatric recommends that the performance of each Heatric compact diffusion bonded cooler be monitored to ensure continued trouble-free operation. This recommended practice is designed to give an overview of Heatrics recommendations. For more detailed information, please refer to your project-specific Installation, Operating and Maintenance Manual or contact Heatric.
The following should be monitored: Coolant control valve position Coolant pressure Flow rates for each stream Inlet and outlet temperatures for each stream Pressure drops across the exchanger for each stream Pressure drops across the strainers As further protection, Heatric also recommends that a permanent, mechanical minimum stop be installed in the coolant control valve to prevent the coolant flow from unintended interruption. Minimum stops are not an alternative to ensuring the control valve is operating properly but may delay thermal fatigue damage to an Heatric cooler.

Coolant pressure
To avoid the cooling medium boiling, it is important to maintain the coolant pressure above its saturation pressure at the gas inlet temperature. Unstable coolant boiling can introduce instability and cause thermal fatigue damage. Cooling medium boiling can also lead to corrosion and scale deposition inside the cooler cores. Check the coolant pressure as part of plant condition monitoring.

Coolant control valve

Heatric coolers have a small thermal inertia and respond very rapidly to changes in operating conditions. It is therefore important that instabilities in flows do not occur. Experience has shown that poorly commissioned control systems can introduce gross flow instability into the cooling medium. If not detected and eliminated at an early stage, unstable flow can cause thermal fatigue damage. During commissioning, and when major plant modifications are carried out, the coolant control system should be turned to manual. Once commissioning and plant modification work is finished and the system returned to automatic, control signals should be monitored at start up for stability. Trend the control signal at high frequency, every 15 to 30 seconds, for about two hours. Do not average the data as this will hide instabilities. It will quickly become apparent if the control system is unstable. Tune it and continue monitoring to confirm stability during normal operation. Once the control valve is stable, it should remain so and will need checking only occasionally or when plant operating conditions change.

Flow rates, temperatures and pressure drops

To check that the coolers are performing as design, check the flow rates, pressure drops and inlet and outlet temperatures. These can also indicate if there is a blockage or the coolers are starting to foul. Check flow rates, inlet and outlet temperatures and pressure drops across the coolers for each stream as part of regular plant condition monitoring.

Pressure drops across strainers

Heatric recommends that the pressure drop across each strainer be monitored as well as the pressure drop across the cooler. A rising pressure drop will indicate when the strainer requires cleaning and servicing, without the need to physically inspect it. Service the strainer when required: a burst strainer will block the cooler with the strainer and its accumulated debris. Monitor the pressure drops across the strainers routinely. Refer to the strainer supplier for guidance on the allowable pressure drops for your specific strainers.

RP 301 Rev 3 (coolers) November 2011 Page 1 of 2

Performance monitoring for Heatric coolers

Monitoring assistance
Heatric will be pleased to carry out a performance review if you notice anything unexpected or unusual. We will ask that the above information be sent electronically either in raw data for trending or as trends. Heatric also has a MS Excel spreadsheet called OFFDESIGN which can be used to check performance. If you would like a copy, please contact us. For further information or assistance in reviewing your performance monitoring, please contact our aftersales department: heatric-aftersales@meggitt.com.

Heatric
46 Holton Road Holton Heath Poole Dorset BH16 6LT United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 1202 627000 Fax: +44 (0) 1202 632299 Email: info@heatric.com www.heatric.com

RP 301 Rev 3 (coolers) November 2011 Page 2 of 2