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
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
 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