MECHANICAL DESIGN

Design of Superheater:

Specification
The project assigned is to design a superheater heat exchanger of tube and shell type
to heat ammonia of flow rate 2335.88 kg/h from 35 °C to 177°C using saturated steam
entering at 40 bars.

Component Molecular Molar Flow Mass Flow Mole Mole

Weight (kmol/h) (kg/h) Fraction Y Fraction X
(kg/kmol)
NH 3 17 137.404 2335.88 1 1

Table 1: Data of Ammonia

Molar Flow = Mass Flow x Molecular Weight
kg 1 kmol
= 2335.88 x
h 17 kg
=137.404 kmol/h

To complete the specification, the duty (heat transfer rate) needed to be added to gas mixture
must be calculated using the formula:
Q=ṁC p ∆ T
= 0.6489 kg/s x 2.38 kJ/kg K x (177K-35K)
= 219.30 kJ/s
For steam:
Q lost =Q gain=mℷ
219.30 kg /s
m steam= = 0.128 kg/s
1712.9 Kj /kg
Physical Properties

 Ammonia Component

Temperature Inlet: 35℃

Temperature outlet: 177℃

Mean Temperature: 106℃

Component Cp μ Thermal ρ
Conductivity
(kJ/kg.K) (Pa.s) (kg/m3)
(W/m.K)
NH 3 2.38 1.32 x 10−4 0.0364 7.04

Table 2: Physical Properties of at T ave =106 ℃ and Pave = 1240 kPa

Component Cp (kJ/kg.K) μ Kv ρv ℷ
(kJ/kg)
(Pa.s) (W/m.K) (kg/m3)
Standard 1.958 1.84 x 10−5 0.0388 20.12 1712.9
Steam
Table 2: Physical Properties of standard steam at 40 bars and T ave =¿ 250.33℃

Overall Coefficient

The heat exchanger will consist of one shell pass and two tube passes. For an exchanger of
this type, the overall coefficient will be in the range 30 to 300 W/m 2K, see Table A in
Appendix A. Cold fluid is ammonia while hot fluid is condensing steam. Hence, the
following value of overall heat transfer coefficient U can be estimated: U= 50 W/m2 ℃ .

Exchanger Type and Dimensions

As this positions the inlet and outlet nozzles at the same end of the exchanger, an even
number of tube passes is commonly the preferred arrangement, which simplifies the
pipework. The heat exchanger will consist of one shell pass and two tube passes. Hence, start
with it.
 ∆ T out −∆ T ¿
∆ T lm= ∆ T out
ln
∆T¿

( 250.3−177 )−(250.3−35)
= ln
(250.3−177) ℃
(250.3−35)

= 131.79℃

Let T 1= 263.92℃

T 2 = 233.84℃

t 1 = 35℃

t 2 = 177℃

T 1−T 2 (263.92−233.84)
R= = = 0.2
t 2−t 1 (177−35)

t 2−t 1 (177−35)
S= T −t = (263.92−35) = 0.62
1 1

From the value R and S, the value of F t can be determined from Figure 12.19 in textbook for
F tas function of (R, S).

F t= 0.97

∆ T m= F t x ∆ T lm = 0.97 x 131.79℃ = 127.84℃

Heat Transfer Area

According to A in Appendix A, cold fluid is ammonia while hot fluid is condensing steam.
The value of overall heat transfer coefficient U can be estimated.

U= 50 W/m 2 ℃

Required Area for Heat Transfer:

Q = UA∆ T m
 Q (219.30 kJ / s)(1000)
A= = = 34.31m 2
U ∆ T m (50 W /m 2 ℃ )(127.84 ℃ )

Layout and Tube Size

Choose 25 mm for outside diameter and 21 mm for inside diameter of mild steel tubes to
resist corrosion problems as condensing steam is placed in the shell side. Take tube length,
L= 5m (a popular size).

Number of Tubes

Area of one tube (neglecting thickness of tube sheets)

= π x 0.025m x 5 m

= 0.3927 m2

A 34.31 m2
Number of tubes, N t = = = 87 tubes
π x d L 0.3927 m 2

So, for 2 passes, tubes per pass = 44

π
Tube cross-sectional area= (0.021m¿2= 0.0003464 m 2
4

Area per pass= 44 x 0.0003464 m 2 = 0.0152 m 2

1
Volumetric Flow = 0.6489 kg/s x = 0.0922 m3/s
7.04
0.0922m3 / s
Tube-side velocity, ut = = 6.05 m/s
0.0152 m2

Bundle and Shell Diameter

From Table 12.4, for 2 tube passes, K 1= 0.249, n1= 2.207

Db = d o ¿

= 25¿

= 331.39 mm
 =0.3314 m

For a split-ring floating head exchanger the typical shell clearance from Figure A is 63 mm,
so the shell inside diameter,

Shell diameter, Ds = 331.39 mm + 53 mm = 384.39 mm

Tube-side Heat Transfer Coefficient

' ρvd 7.04 x 6.05 x (21 x 10−3 )

Reynold s Number , Re= = = 6776
μ 1.32 x 1 0−4

C p μ (2.38 x 1 03 )(1.32 x 10−4 )

Prandtl Number , Pr =¿ = = 8.63
k 0.0364

L 5000 mm
= = 238
di 21 mm

From Figure 12.23 in Appendix A at Re= 6,776

j h =¿ 4.0 x 1 0−2

N u= j h Re P r= (4.0 x1 0−2)( 6776)(8.63¿0.33 =551.97

0.0364
hi = 551.97x ( ) = 956.75 W/m 2℃
0.021

This is acceptable since U o is to be 50 W/m 2C.

Shell-side Heat transfer Coefficient

Kern’s Method will be used to find area for cross flow of the shell side, A s .

Pt −d o
A s=( ) D s LB
Pt

Where,

Pt = tube pinch = 1.25d o = (1.25)(25mm)=31.25 mm

d o = outside diameter (25mm)

Ds = shell inside diameter

LB = buffle spacing (usually one fifth of shell diameter)

 Ds 384.39 mm
= = = 76.878 mm
5 5

31.25 mm−25 mm
A s=¿ ( )(384.39 mm)(76.878 mm) = 5,910.23 mm 2
31.25 mm

= 0.0059102 m 2

mshell 0.128 kg /s
Gs = ( )= 2
2 = 21.657 kg/m s
As 0.0059102m
21.657 kg/m 2 s
Shell-side velocity, ut = = 1.076 m/s
20.12 kg /m3

1.10 2
d e= (Pt −0.917 d2o ¿
do

1.10
= [(31.25¿2- 0.917(25¿2 ] = 17.75 mm = 0.01775 m
25

For shell side:

ρvd 20.12 x 1.076 x (0.01775 m)

Reynold ' s Number , Re= = = 20,884.34
μ 1.84 x 1 0−5

C p μ (1.958 x 1 03 )(1.84 x 1 0−5 )

Prandtl Number , Pr =¿ = = 0.929
k 0.0388

Use segmental baffles with a 25% cut. This should give a reasonable heat transfer coefficient
without too large a pressure drop.

From Figure 12.29, j h = 4.0 x 10−3

h s= ¿ x 103 ) x 4.0 x 10−3 x 20,884.34 x (0.929 0.33) = 178.22 W/m 2.K

Overall Coefficient

do
d o ln
1 1 1 1 do di
1 d
= + +
U o ho h od 2 K w
+ + ( o)
hi di h id d i ( )
U o = overall coefficient based on outside area of the tubes

h o = outside fluid film coefficient = 178.22 W/m2.K

hi = inside fluid film coefficient = 956.75 W/m2℃

do = tube outside diameter = 25 mm

d i = tube inside diameter = 21 mm

K w = thermal conductivity of tube wall material = 54 (W/m.oC) for “Mild Steel”

h od = outside dirt "fouling" coefficient = 3000 (W/m2.oC) (From Table B in Appendix E)

hid = inside dirt "fouling" coefficient = 3000 (W/m2.oC) (From Table B in Appendix E)

25
1 (0.025) ln
= 1 1 21 1 25 1 25
Uo +
178.22W /m ℃ 3000W /m2 ℃
2
+
2 x 54
+ ( ) + ( )
956.75 21 3000 21

U o = 131.133 W /m2 ℃

The value of U o = 131.133 W /m 2 ℃ is well below the initial estimated value of 300 W /m 2 ℃ .
The number of tubes does not change, but first check the pressure drops.However, the present
design satisfactory is good.

Pressure Drop

L ρ v2
[ () ]
∆ Pt = N p 8 j f
di
+2.5 [
2
]

Where,

ΔPt = tube side pressure drop (N/m2)

Np = Number of tube passes = 2

jf = fraction factor ' depending on Re ' Found from Figure 12.24 in the text book assuming
baffle cut of 0.25 = 5.5 x 10-3

L = length of one tube = 5 m

v = flow velocity inside the tube = 6.05 m/s

m = exponent value depending on type of flow

∆ Pt = 2 ¿

= 9141.56 Pa = 9.14 kPa (Acceptable)

1. The heat exchanger that being selected has one shell pass and two tube passes,
which Ammonia flow inside the tube and condensing steam flows inside the shell
2. The tube are made of from mild steel with 25 mm outside diameter, 21 mm inside
diameter, length of 5 m and total number of tube is 87.
3. The shell diameter Ds is 384.39 mm and baffles that being used are 25% cut.
4. The first estimating value for overall heat transfer coefficient Uo is 50 W/m2.℃,
while the final calculation value is 131 W/m2.℃.
5. The pressure drop (ΔP) is 9.14 kPa.
Figure 12.24