CO3:Summarize Heat

Exchangers

M 3.01: Understand the use of heat

exchangers in industry.

Heat exchangers – Uses of heat exchangers in

industry
A heat exchanger is a device used to effect the process of heat
exchange between two fluids .

Cooler :

It is a heat exchange equipment used to cool a process fluid (gas or liquid)

by means of water or atmospheric air. It involves the removal of sensible
heat from the process fluid(stream).

Condenser :

It is a heat exchange equipment used to condense a vapour or a mixture

of vapours (in the presence or absence of non-condensable gas). It
involves the removal of latent heat with the help of a suitable cooling
medium, e.g., cooling tower water or chilled water.

Chiller :

It is a heat exchange equipment employed to cool a process fluid (stream)

to a temperature below that can be obtained by using water as a cooling
medium. It employs a refrigerant such as ammonia or freon as a cooling
medium.

Exchanger :

It is a heat exchange equipment that is used to exchange the heat

between hot and cold process streams/fluids.
Heater :

It is a heat exchange equipment which imparts sensible heat to a process

fluid (stream).

Condensing steam may be used as a heating medium.

It heats a process stream by condensing steam.

Reboiler :

It is a heat exchange equipment, used to meet the latent heat

requirement at the bottom of a distillation column. The heating medium
may be either steam or a hot process fluid that are at different
temperatures.

Vaporiser :

It is a heat exchange equipment (unfired) which vaporises part of the

liquid.

Waste - heat boiler :

It is a heat exchange equipment employed for the production of steam

using a hot process stream or a hot gas or a hot liquid stream produced in
a chemical reaction as a heating medium.

Evaporator :

It is a heat exchange equipment employed for the concentration of a

solution by evaporation of water. Condensing steam is used as a heating
medium.

3.02 Illustrate major types of heat exchangers in industry

Illustrate double pipe heat exchanger

It is the simplest type of heat exchanger used in industry. It is used when the
heat transfer area required is relatively small.

It consists of concentric pipes, connecting tees, return heads and return bends.

The packing glands support the inner pipe within the outer pipe. A double pipe
heat exchanger arranged in two legs [i.e., when two lengths of the inner pipe are
connected by a return bend] as shown in figure is known as a single hair-pin.
Tees are provided with nozzles or screwed connections for permitting the entry
and exit of the annulus fluid which crosses from one leg to the other through
the return head.

The return bend connects two legs of the inner pipes to each other. This
exchanger can be very easily assembled in any pipe-fitting shop as it consists of
standard parts and it provides inexpensive heat transfer surface.

In this exchanger, one of the fluids flows through the inside pipe and the other
fluid flows through the annularspace created between two concentric pipes
either in co-current or counter-current fashion.

It is usually employed for decreasing the temperature of a hot fluid with the
help of a cold fluid when flow rates are low. These are commonly used in
refrigeration services.

The major disadvantages of a double pipe heat exchanger are :

1. Small heat transfer surface in a large floor space as compared to other types
(e.g.,

shell and tube heat exchanger).

2. Dismantling requires large time and

3. Maximum leakage points.

Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger :

Shell :

It is usually a cylindrical casing through which one of the fluids flows in

one or more passes.

Shell is commonly made of carbon steel. It may be cut to the required

length from a standard pipe upto 60 cm diameter or fabricated from
plates.

The minimum thickness of shell made of carbon steel varies from 5 mm to

11 mm depending upon the diameter.

Tubes :

Standard heat exchanger tubes used in many industrial processes may be

of various sizes and lengths.
 The outside diameter of tubes vary from 6 mm to 40 mm.

The tube lengths used are 0.5, 2.5, 3, 4, 5 and 6 meters.

The tubes that are placed in a tube bundle inside the shell are either
rolled or welded to the tube sheet.

The tube side fluid first enters a header (bonnet) or channel through a
nozzle, then flows through the tubes in parallel flow.

It may flow in one pass, i.e., once through or in more than one pass, i.e.,
many times. In general, an even number of the tube side passes are used.

Tube pitch : The shortest centre-to-centre distance between the

adjacent tubes is called as the tube pitch.

Clearance : The shortest distance between two tubes is called as the

clearance.

Baffles :

Baffles are commonly employed within the shell of a heat exchanger

 to increase the rate of heat transfer by increasing the velocity and

turbulence of the shell side fluid
 as structural supports for the tubes
 and dampers against vibration.

The baffles cause the fluid to flow through the shell at right angles to the axes
of the tubes.

To avoid bypassing of the shell side fluid the clearance between the baffles and
shell, and the baffles and tubes must be minimum.
The centre-to-centre distance between adjacent baffles is known as baffle
spacing or baffle pitch.

Various transverse baffles used are : segmental, disc and ring, orifice, etc.

The segmental baffles are most commonly used. Segmental baffle is a drilled
circular disk of sheet metal with one side cut away.

When the height of the baffle is 75 % of the inside diameter of the shell, it is
called as 25 % cut segmental baffle.

25 % cut segmental baffle is the optimum one giving good heat transfer rates
without an excessive pressure drop.

The baffle thickness usually ranges from 3 mm to 6 mm.

Tie rods are used to hold the baffles in place, with spacers to position / locate
the baffles.

Tie rods are fixed at one end in the tube sheet by making blind holes. Usually 4
to 6 tie rods with atleast 10 mm diameter are necessary

Tube sheet :

It is essentially a flat circular plate with a provision for making gasketed joint,
around a pheriphery. A large number of holes are drilled in the tube sheet
according to the pitch requirements.
Shell Side and Tube Side Passes :

With the help of passes (i.e., flow paths) we can change the direction of flow in
the shell and tubes. Passes are generally used to obtain higher velocities and
longer paths for a fluid to travel, without increasing the length of the
exchanger, that leads to high heat transfer rates.

The passes on the shell side are : single pass, two pass, single split pass.

The passes on the tube side are : one, two, four, six upto twelve. Passes on the
tube side are formed by partitions placed in the shell cover and channels.

Classification of Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers

1. Fixed tube sheet heat exchanger.

2. Floating head heat exchanger.

3. U-tube type heat exchanger

The main components of all these exchangers are

 shell,
 shell cover,
 tubes,
 tube sheets,
 channel,
 channel cover,
 Tube side nozzles (inlet/outlet)
 Shell side nozzles (inlet/outlet),
 pass partitions,
 baffles,
 tie rods and spacers

Fixed tube-sheet exchanger

This is the simplest form of heat exchanger wherein the tube sheets are
welded to a shell at both the ends.

The shell is equipped with two nozzles.

The tube sheets usually extend beyond the shell and serve as flanges for the
attachments of the channels on either side.

The channels on either sides are covered by means of channel covers and are
provided with nozzle connections for the entry and exist of the tube side fluid.

The shell side passes more than two are rarely used but as such there is no
limitation on the tube side passes.

Floating head heat exchanger

In order to make the removal of a tube bundle possible and to allow for a
considerable expansion of the tubes, a floating head exchanger is used.

In this exchanger tubes are fixed in a floating tube sheet at one end and in a
stationary tube sheet at the other end.

The stationary tube sheet is clamped between a shell and a channel (by a flange
joint).

The floating tube sheet is clamped between a floating head and a clamp ring.
The clamp ring (split backing ring) which splits in half to permit dismantling is
placed at the back of the tube sheet.

The floating tube sheet is kept slightly smaller in diameter than the inside
diameter of shell so as to withdraw the entire tube bundle from the channel
end.

The channel is provided with inlet and outlet connections for the tube side fluid.
The shell is closed by a shell cover or bonnet on a floating head si de.

Shell cover at the floating head end is larger than the other end so as to enable
the tubes to be placed as near as possible to the edge of the fixed tube sheet.

The tube sheet along with the floating head is free to move and thus, this
exchanger takes into account differential thermal expansion between shell and
tubes.

Application :

It is widely used in chemical industries and petroleum refineries. It is suitable

for severe duties associated with high pressures and temperatures and also
with dirty fluids.

Advantages :

(i) The tube bundle of the exchanger is removable for inspection and mechanical

cleaning of the tubes (from outside).

(ii) It eliminates differential expansion problems.

U-tube heat exchanger

Construction:

A U-tube 1-2 heat exchanger consists of U-shaped tubes, both the ends of
which are fixed to a single stationary tube sheet.

At one end of a shell, a channel is provided with pass partition and is used for
entry and exit of the tube side fluid.

At the opposite end of the shell, there is a cover which is integral with it.
The shell is provided with two nozzles for entry and exit of the shell side fluid.

The tube sheet is clamped between shell and channel flanges.

The entire tube bundle can be removed from the shell from the channel end.

The differential thermal expansion between shell and tubes is absorbed by U-

bends.

Working:

In this exchanger, the tube side fluid enters through the channel, it flows first
through one arm of the U - shaped tubes. It comes at the other end, travels
down through the bend, flows through the other arm of the U-shaped tubes and
ultimately leaves the exchanger through an outlet provided on the channel.

During its passage through the exchanger, it exchanges heat with the shell side
fluid.

Application:

Commonly used for a reboiler on large fractionating columns (with an enlarged

shell) where steam is condensed in the tubes.

Also used for high pressure and temperature applications.

Finned tube heat exchanger / Extended surface exchanger :

When the heat transfer coefficient of one of the process fluids is very low as
compared to the other, the overall heat transfer coefficient becomes
approximately equal to the lower coefficient.

This reduces the capacity per unit area of heat transfer surface and this thus
make it necessary to provide very large heat transfer area.

Such situations often arise in

(i) heating of viscous liquids by condensing steam or a hot liquid of low

viscosity and
(ii) heating of an air or a gas stream by condensing steam.

The heat transfer area of a tube or pipe is increased substantially by attaching

the metal pieces.

The metal pieces employed to extend or increase the heat transfer surface are
known as fins.

The fins are most commonly employed on the outside of the tubes. An example
of the extended surface heat exchanger is an automobile radiator.

Common types of fins / extended surfaces are :(i) Longitudinal fins and (ii)
Transverse fins.

Plate-type heat exchanger :

It consists of a series of rectangular, parallel plates held firmly together
between substantial (sturdy) head frames.

The plates have corner ports and are sealed and spaced by rubber gaskets
around the ports and along the plate edges.

The plates are having corrugated faces. These plates serve as the heat transfer
surfaces and are frequently of stainless [Link] plates provide a high
degree of turbulence even at low flow rates.

In general, a gap between plates is 1.3 to 1.5 mm. It is provided with inlet and
outlet nozzles for fluids at the ends.

In this exchanger, a hot fluid passes between alternate pairs of plates,

transferring heat to a cold fluid in the adjacent spaces.

The plates can be readily separated for cleaning and the heat transfer area can
be increased by simply adding more plates.

Advantages of plate heat exchanger :

 It being very compact requires a very small floor space

 low pressure drop,
 absence of inter leakage of fluids,
 ease in dismantling for the inspection and cleaning of plates,
  high heat transfer coefficients, and
 provide a large heat transfer areas in a small volume.

M3.03 Identify the flow patterns and allocation of fluids in heat

exchangers.

Flow arrangements in heat exchangers :

There are three basic flow arrangements.

1. Parallel flow/Co-current flow

2. Counter current flow and

3. Cross flow

Heat exchangers according to the flow arrangement :

Parallel flow heat exchanger : It is the one in which two fluid streams enter
at one end,flow through it in the same direction and leaves at the other end.

For example, double pipeheat exchangers, shell and tube heat exchangers can
be operated in a parallel flow fashion.

Counter current flow heat exchanger : It is the one in which two fluid
streams flow in opposite directions.

For example, double pipe heat exchangers, shell and tube heat exchangers can
beoperated in this way.

Cross flow heat exchanger : It is the one in which one fluid moves through the
exchanger at right angles to the flow path of the other fluid. Cross flow heat
exchangers are used for air or gas heating. For example, plate-fin heat
exchangers
Range :

It is the actual rise or fall of temperature of a fluid.

If Th1 is the inlet temperature and Th2 is the outlet temperature of a hot fluid,
then Th1 – Th2 is the range for the hot fluid.

Similarly if Tc1 and Tc2 are the inlet and outlet temperatures of a cold fluid,
then Tc2 – Tc1 is the range for the cold fluid.
Approach :

It is the terminal point temperature difference between hot and cold fluids.

Thus Th1 is the inlet temperature of a hot fluid and Tc2 is the outlet
temperature of a cold fluid at one endof counter current heat transfer
apparatus, then Th1 – Tc2 is called the approach.

Log mean temperature difference :

The heat transfer flux is directly proportional to a driving force. The driving
force for heat flow is taken as Th – Tc, where Th and Tc are the temperatures
of hot and cold fluids respectively.

∆Tlm is referred to as the logarithmic mean or the log mean temperature

difference (LMTD).
In a 1-2 heat exchanger, the tube side fluid flows twice through the exchanger
and the shell side fluid flows once through it. Consequently, there is a
combination of the co-current and counter-current flow patterns in such
multipass units. The rate of heat transfer in these units using the corrected
LMTD is given by

Q = U.A. FT (∆Tlm)

FT = Correction factor for the LMTD and is usually taken as 0.85 – 0.90

∆Tlm = Log mean temperature difference

Difference between single pass and multipass shell and tube heat exchanger
:

1. Single pass heat exchanger is simple in construction.

Multipass heat exchanger is complex in construction.

2. In single pass heat exchanger, the flow may be parallel or counter-current.

In multipass heat exchanger, the flow is parallel as well as counter current.

3. It is relatively inexpensive.

It is relatively expensive.

4. Heat transfer coefficients are relatively low.

Heat transfer coefficients are high.

5. For a given duty, the floor space requirement is large.

For a given duty, the floor space requirement is low.

6. Friction losses are low.

Frictional losses are high.

7. Heat transfer rates are low.

Heat transfer rates are high.

8. Fluids flow once through the exchanger.

Fluids flow number of times through the exchanger depending upon the number
of

passes.

9. Small to modest U valves and larger areas. Larger U valves and smaller areas.

10. Easier to assemble, dismantle and clean. Relatively difficult to assemble,

dismantle

and clean.

Based upon the number of passes provided on the tube side as well as on the
shell side,the shell and tube heat exchangers are referred as 1 - 2 shell and
tube heat exchanger, 1 – 4 shell and tube heat exchanger, 2 - 4 shell and tube
heat exchanger, etc.

In 1 - 2 shell and tube heat exchanger, the shell side fluid flows once through
Shell side pass (two pass) the exchanger and the tube side fluid flows twice
through the exchanger

(Number - 1 stands for shell side pass and number - 2 stands

for tube side passes).
In 2 - 4 shell and tube heat exchanger, the shell side fluid flows twice through
the exchanger and the tube side fluid flows four times through the exchanger.

Basically, passes are provided to increase the heat recovery.

Shell side pass (two pass)

Tube side passes

Guideline for directing fluids :

As the shell side of a heat exchanger is difficult to clean, the least corrosive
and cleanest fluid should be admitted in the shell.

The scale forming fluids should always be directly through the tubes.

The corrosive fluids should be admitted through the tubes to save the cost of
an expensive alloy shell. When both the fluids are corrosive, the fluid which is
more corrosive should be directed through the tubes.

To improve the heat transfer characteristics dealing with a viscous liquid, the
viscous liquid should be introduced on the shell side as baffles induce the
turbulence.

To avoid expensive high-pressure shells, the high pressure fluids should flow
through the tubes.

The vapours or gases should always be directed through the shell.

Fouling Factor :

When the heat transfer equipment is put into service, after sometime, scale,
dirt and other solids deposit on both sides of the pipe wall, providing two more
resistances to the heat flow.
The added resistances must be taken into account in the calculation of the
overall heat transfer coefficient.

The additional resistances reduce the original value of U and thus the required
amount of heat is no longer transferred by the original heat transfer surface.

Hence, heat transfer equipments are designed by taking into account the
deposition of dirt and scale by introducing a resistance Rd known as the fouling
factor (it is a thermal resistance due to scale).