HEAT EXCHANGERS

Complete Design Procedure for all types of heat

exchangers:

Chemical Engg. Design – Vol.6 by “Coulson & Richardson”

1
THERMAL POWER PLANT

2
 HEAT EXCHANGERS (HE or HX)
Device that facilitates the exchange of heat between 2
fluids that are at different temps. without mixing each
other.
Heat transfer in a heat exchanger involves
Convection in each fluid
Conduction through the wall separating the fluids

Overall heat transfer coefficient (U) accounts for the above

conduction and convection effects

Conduction
Cold Fluid

Hot Fluid Convection

Cold Fluid
 Heat Exchangers (HE or HX)
Heat exchangers are used in a wide range of applications from
heating, air-conditioning, chemical processing, power plants and
automobiles.
HE differ from mixing chambers that they do not allow the two fluids
involved to mix.
Rate of heat transfer between the 2 fluids at a location in a
HE depends on the magnitude of the temp. difference at
that location, which varies along the HE length.

Different heat transfer applications require different types of heat

exchangers and hence we have many types.
The attempt to match the heat transfer hardware to the heat
transfer requirements within the specified constraints has
resulted in numerous types of innovative heat transfer
equipment designs.
 Heat Exchangers
For a complete design (Thermal Part) of any heat transfer equipment,
the following checks are to be done:
- Energy balance.
- Preliminary sizing and surface area calculations.
- Part-load/off-design point calculations to see how
the equipment performs at various operating points.
- Metal temp. calculations to check the suitability of
the materials and the thickness or size.
- Analysis for vibration and suggesting modifications
before detailing.
- Pressure drop calculations for the streams involved
& suggesting critical pressures.
- Finding alternatives to bring down the total cost of
the equipment.
The next stage is the detailed mechanical design.
Classification of Heat Exchangers
 Classification of Heat Exchangers
RECUPERATOR / REGENERATOR
Recuperator is a conventional HX with heat transfer between two
fluid streams.
Since the cold stream recovers or recoups the heat that is
available in the hot stream, it is called recuperator.
The fluid streams may or may not be in in direct contact with each
other
Regenerator consists of a solid material that is alternately heated and
cooled by the passage of hot and cold fluid streams through it.
Heat is extracted from the hot fluid, stored temporarily as
sensible heat, then transferred to the cold fluid.
Though its function is to transfer heat, it is also a type of short term
heat storage device.
 Classification of Heat Exchangers
Direct Contact & Transmural HX
Direct Contact HEs do not have walls between hot and cold stream.
The two fluids are allowed to come into contact, forming an
interface through which heat is transferred.
The streams are either a gas-liquid pair, two immiscible liquids or a
solid particle-fluid combination.
But most of the recuperative HXs contain passages
through which the hot and cold fluids are constrained
to flow.
Heat transfer takes place through the walls of the passages,
separating the streams
These are called Transmural type HX.
 Classification of Heat Exchangers
Single Phase / 2 Phase HX
HXs in which evaporation or condensation takes place in one or both
streams present is much more complex than those with only single
phase fluids.
So basically we have 3 types of heat exchangers to select with:
Direct contact, Regenerative and Recuperative.
Direct contact type is the cheapest one, but can only be used when the
two fluids are at the same press. and the process permits their mixing.
Regeneration reduces the amount of mutual contamination between
the fluids, but also necessitates equal pressure.
For these reasons, Transmural (Indirect Contact) HX is the
most common form used.
 Double Pipe Heat Exchanger
Parallel Flow Counter Flow

T T

Hot
Hot Flu
Flu id id

Col
luid dF
ld F luid
Co

Cold fluid in
Cold fluid out

Hot fluid in Hot fluid out

Hot fluid in Hot fluid out

Cold fluid in Cold fluid out

 Cross Flow Heat Exchanger

The 2 fluids usually move perpendicular to each other.

The flow configuration is called cross-flow.
In a car radiator, both the fluids are unmixed.
 Compact Heat Exchanger
These HXs are designed to realize a larger heat transfer area per unit
volume.
The large surface area is obtained by attaching closely
spaced thin plates or corrugated fins to the walls
separating the 2 fluids.
Area density:
β = Heat Transfer surface area/Heat exchanger volume
β >700 m2/m3 – Compact
Achieve high heat transfer rates between two fluids in a
small Volume
• Car radiator : β =1000 m2/m3
• Gas turbine HX : β =6000 m2/m3
• Human lungs : β =20,000 m2/m3
These HXs are more suitable for mobile applications: Gas-gas and gas-
liquid configurations.
 Compact Heat Exchanger Cores

(a) Finned flat – tube matrix (b) Plate – finned circular tube matrix
(c) Circular – finned tube matrix (d) Plate – fins with single pass
(e) Plate – fins with multipass
 Plate Heat Exchangers

 Constructed of series of thin plates with corrugated flat flow

passages.
 Plate geometry cannot withstand high pressures or
temperatures like a circular tube. Hence suitable
for moderate temperatures and pressures.
 PHE is normally used for liquid-liquid heat exchange applications.
 Hot & cold fluids flow in alternate passages. Each hot fluid
stream is surrounded by cold fluid streams on either side
leading to efficient heat transfer.

 As demand for heat transfer increases, the PHE size

can be increased by adding more no. of plates.
Plates of A Plate Heat Exchanger (Make - Alfa Laval)
Fluid Flow In A Plate Heat Exchanger (Make - APV)
Plate Heat Exchanger
 Rotary Regenerator
Regeneration, a process during which heat is transferred to a thermal
energy storage device (called a regenerator) during one part of the cycle
and is transferred back to the working fluid during another part of the
cycle.

Hot

Cold
Rotary Regenerator
 Heat Exchanger (Shell and Tube)
This is the most common type of HX in industrial applications.
It consists of large number of tubes (sometimes several hundred)
with their axes parallel to each other.
One fluid flows through the shell and the other fluid
through the tubes.
Baffles are provided in the shell side to force the fluid to flow
across the shell to enhance the heat transfer.
The tubes open to large flow areas on both sides called
headers, where the tube side fluid accumulates before
entering and after leaving the tubes.
Though these HXs are widely used in industries, they
are not suitable for automobile, marine & aircraft
applications due to their large size and weight.
Heat Exchanger (Shell and
Tube)
 Heat Exchanger (Shell And Tube)
1-shell pass and 2-tube passes 2-shell passes and 4-tube passes
T1
T1 t2

t2
t1 t1

T2 T2

(T1)
(T1)

(T2) (T2)
Shell and Tube Exchanger – 4 Tube Passes
 Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient

2 fluids are separated by solid wall.

Cold fluid
Convection in the fluid streams (hot &
cold) and conduction through the wall.
Radiation effects are usually included in
Hot fluid Heat transfer
the convection HTC.

Ai – Inside area of the tube Cold fluid

Ti
Ao – Outside area of the tube Hot fluid
To
hi – Inside heat transfer Ai Wall
Ao
coefficient hi ho
ho – Outside heat transfer Ti
1
coefficient Ri  Rwall 1
r Ro 
ln o 
hi Ai ho Ao
kR – thermal 1
conductivity of ri 
 tube 1
Total  Ri  Rwall  Ro   
material hi Ai 2kL ho Ao
 Overall heat transfer coefficient
We know, Q = T/R = UA T = UiAiT = UoAoT
Here, U – Overall HTC
Ui – Overall HTC based on inner surface
Uo– Overall HTC based on outer surface
r
ln o 
1 1 1 r 1
    i
U i Ai U o Ao hi Ai 2kL ho Ao

Note that, UiAi = UoAo and Ui  Uo unless Ai = Ao.

So, ‘U’ is meaningless unless the area on which it is

based is specified.

If the tube wall thickness is very small, then we may assume Ai = Ao

 FOULING
The HX performance deteriorates with time as a result of
accumulation of deposits (in the form of scales, layered
sediments or biological agents) on the heat transfer surfaces.

These deposits introduce additional resistance to heat transfer and the

heat transfer rate decreases.
The net effect of these accumulations on heat transfer is
represented by a fouling factor (R f), which is a measure of
thermal resistance introduced by fouling.
The most common type of fouling is the precipitation of solid
deposits in a fluid on the heat transfer surfaces.
In tea pots used in houses, we can notice a layer of calcium based
deposits on the surfaces, which is mainly due to hard water.
The scales may be removed by scratching and the surface is
cleaned by chemical treatment.
 FOULING
If the same thing occurs on the surface of fine tubes of a HX, both flow
passage area and heat transfer reduces.
To avoid this problem, water in power and process plants
is extensively treated and its solid contents are removed.

The solid ash particles in the flue gases accumulating on

the surfaces of air preheaters create similar problems.

Another form of fouling, which is common in the chemical

process industry, is corrosion and other chemical fouling.

The products of chemical reactions get accumulated on the

surfaces.

This type of fouling can be eliminated by coating the metal

pipes with glass or using plastic pipes without affecting the
heat transfer.
 FOULING

(a) (b)
(c)
Fouling – (a) Bore well pipe, (b) Heat Exchanger surface,
(c) Arteries
Water Table?
 FOULING
Heat exchangers may also be fouled by the growth of algae in
warm fluids. This type of fouling is called biological fouling and
can be prevented by chemical treatment.

Fouling should be considered in the design and selection of heat

exchangers.

Thus, we have to select a larger heat exchanger to ensure

that it meets the heat transfer requirements even after
fouling.
Periodic cleaning and the resulting downtime are
additional penalties due to fouling.
The fouling factor is zero for a new heat exchanger. It depends on the
operating temp., fluid velocity & the length of service.
Fouling increases with increasing temp. and decreasing
velocity.
 FOULING
Considering a S&T HX with fouling:
ln ro 
1 1 1 R f ,i  r  R 1
  i
f ,o
    Ti
U i Ai U o Ao hi Ai Ai 2kL Ao ho Ao
hi To
ho
Since, R = = =
Ti To

Where, Ai= πDiL Ao= πDoL 1/hiAi Rf,i/Ai ln

( )
𝑟0
𝑟𝑖 Rf,o/Ao 1/hoAo
2 𝜋 𝑘𝐿

Rf,i & Rf,o are fouling factors on the inner & outer sides
respectively.

Note: Both Rf,i & Rf,o have units of m2.C/W

Caution: Rf may be called fouling factor or fouling

resistance.
 PROBLEM – 1
A double-pipe HX is constructed of a stainless steel (k = 15.1 W/m·K) inner
tube of ID 1.5 cm and OD 1.9 cm and an outer shell of ID 3.2 cm. The
convection HTC is 800 W/m2·C on the inner surface of the tube and 1200
W/m2·C on the outer surface. For a fouling factor of 0.0004 m 2·C/W on the
tube side and 0.0001 m2·C/W on the shell side, find
(a) the thermal resistance of the HX per unit length
(b) the overall heat transfer coefficients, based on the inner and outer surface
areas of the tube, respectively.
Assume the HTCs and the fouling factors are constant and uniform.

Soln: Di = 1.5 cm; Do = 1.9 cm; L = 1 m

hi = 800 W/m2·°C; ho = 1200 W/m2·°C
Rf,i = 0.0004 m2·°C/W; Rf,o = 0.0001 m2·°C/W
 PROBLEM - 1
a). R = = =
ln ro 
Also, 1 1 1 R f ,i  r  R 1
  i
f ,o
   
U i Ai U o Ao hi Ai Ai 2kL Ao ho Ao
Ai= πDiL = 0.0471 m2 and Ao= πDoL = 0.0597 m2

We get, R = 0.0532 m2·°C/W

Nearly, 19% of the total thermal resistance is due to fouling.

b). The overall HTCs, based on the inner and outer surfaces:
Ui = 1/[Link] = 399.1 W/m2·°C
Uo = 1/[Link] = 314.9 W/m2·°C

The variation between Ui & Uo is around 27%, due to

considerable difference between the inner & outer surface
areas of the tube.
 HEAT EXCHANGER ANALYSIS

Two types of analysis are:

- Select a heat exchanger that will achieve a specified

temperature change in a fluid stream of known mass flow
rate.
We use, Log Mean Temperature Difference (LMTD)

- Predict the outlet temperatures of the hot and cold

fluid streams in
a specified heat exchanger.
We use, Effectiveness–NTU (No. of Transfer Units)
method.