AIR-COOLED HEAT EXCHANGERS 11-49
TABLE 11-17 Multitube Hairpin Section Data stream on either one side or the other to be based upon design effi-
Surface area for ciency (mass flow rates, fluid properties, pressure drops, and veloci-
Tube 6.1 m (20 ft.) ties) and not because there is any greater tendency to foul on one side
Shell O.D. Shell thickness count nominal length than the other. Experience has shown that, in cases where fouling is
influenced by flow velocity, overall fouling in tube bundles is less in
Size mm in mm in 19 mm sq m sq ft
properly designed longitudinal flow bundles where areas of low veloc-
03-MT 88.9 3.500 5.49 0.216 5 3.75 40.4 ity can be avoided without flow-induced tube vibration.
04-MT 114.3 4.500 6.02 0.237 9 6.73 72.4 This same freedom of stream choice is not as readily applied when
05-MT 141.3 5.563 6.55 0.258 14 10.5 113.2 a segmental baffle is used. In those designs, the baffle’s creation of low
06-MT 168.3 6.625 7.11 0.280 22 16.7 179.6 velocities and stagnant flow areas on the outside of the bundle can
08-MT 219.1 8.625 8.18 0.322 42 32.0 344.3 result in increased shellside fouling at various locations of the bundle.
10-MT 273.1 10.75 9.27 0.365 68 52.5 564.7 The basis for choosing the stream side in those cases will be similar to
12-MT 323.9 12.75 9.53 0.375 109 84.7 912.1 the common shell and tube heat exchanger. At times a specific selec-
14-MT 355.6 14.00 9.53 0.375 136 107. 1159. tion of stream side must be made regardless of tube-support mecha-
nism in expectation of an unresolvable fouling problem. However, this
16-MT 406.4 16.00 9.53 0.375 187 148. 1594. is often the exception rather than the rule.
18-MT 457.2 18.00 9.53 0.375 241 191. 2054.
20-MT 508.0 20.00 9.53 0.375 304 244. 2622.
22-MT 558.8 22.00 9.53 0.375 380 307. 3307. DESIGN APPLICATIONS
24-MT 609.6 24.00 9.53 0.375 463 378. 4065. One benefit of the hairpin exchanger is its ability to handle high tube-
26-MT 660.4 26.00 9.53 0.375 559 453. 4879. side pressures at a lower cost than other removable-bundle exchang-
28-MT 711.2 28.00 9.53 0.375 649 529. 5698. ers. This is due in part to the lack of pass partitions at the tubesheets
30-MT 762.0 30.00 11.11 0.4375 752 630. 6776. which complicate the gasketing design process. Present mechanical
design technology has allowed the building of dependable, remov-
able-bundle, hairpin multitubes at tubeside pressures of 825 bar
1.5 to 1.8 times the shell outside diameter, with this ratio decreasing (12,000 psi).
slightly for the larger sizes. The best known use of the hairpin is its operation in true counter-
One interesting consequence of this fact is the inability to construct current flow which yields the most efficient design for processes that
a hairpin tube bundle having the smallest radius bends common to a have a close temperature approach or temperature cross. However,
conventional U-tube, TEMA shell, and tube bundle. In fact, in the maintaining countercurrent flow in a tubular heat exchanger usually
larger hairpin sizes the tubes might be better described as curved implies one tube pass for each shell pass. As recently as 30 years ago,
rather than bent. The smallest U-bend diameters are greater than the the lack of inexpensive, multiple-tube pass capability often diluted the
outside diameter of shells less than 300 mm in size. The U-bend diam- advantages gained from countercurrent flow.
eters are greater than 300 mm in larger shells. As a general rule, The early attempts to solve this problem led to investigations into the
mechanical tube cleaning around the radius of a U-bend may be area of heat transfer augmentation. This familiarity with augmentation
accomplished with a flexible shaft-cleaning tool for bend diameters techniques inevitably led to improvements in the efficiency and capac-
greater than ten times the tube’s inside diameter. This permits the tool ity of the small heat exchangers. The result has been the application of
to pass around the curve of the tube bend without binding. the hairpin heat exchanger to the solution of unique process problems,
In all of these configurations, maintaining longitudinal flow on both such as dependable, once-through, convective boilers offering high-exit
the shellside and tubeside allows the decision for placement of a fluid qualities, especially in cases of process-temperature crosses.
AIR-COOLED HEAT EXCHANGERS
AIR-COOLED HEAT EXCHANGERS Inlet air temperature at the exchanger can be significantly higher than
the ambient air temperature at a nearby weather station. See Air-
Atmospheric air has been used for many years to cool and condense Cooled Heat Exchangers for General Refinery Services, API Standard
fluids in areas of water scarcity. During the 1960s the use of air-cooled 661, 2d ed., January 1978, for information on refinery-process air-
heat exchangers grew rapidly in the United States and elsewhere. In cooled heat exchangers.
Europe, where seasonal variations in ambient temperatures are rela- Forced and Induced Draft The forced-draft unit, which is
tively small, air-cooled exchangers are used for the greater part of illustrated in Fig. 11-43 pushes air across the finned tube surface. The
process cooling. In some new plants all cooling is done with air. fans are located below the tube bundles. The induced-draft design has
Increased use of air-cooled heat exchangers has resulted from lack of the fan above the bundle, and the air is pulled across the finned tube
available water, significant increases in water costs, and concern for surface. In theory, a primary advantage of the forced-draft unit is that
water pollution. less power is required. This is true when the air-temperature rise
Air-cooled heat exchangers include a tube bundle, which generally exceeds 30°C (54°F).
has spiral-wound fins upon the tubes, and a fan, which moves air Air-cooled heat exchangers are generally arranged in banks with
across the tubes and is provided with a driver. Electric motors are several exchangers installed side by side. The height of the bundle
the most commonly used drivers; typical drive arrangements require a aboveground must be one-half of the tube length to produce an inlet
V belt or a direct right-angle gear. A plenum and structural supports velocity equal to the face velocity. This requirement applies both
are basic components. Louvers are often used: to ground-mounted exchangers and to those pipe-rack-installed ex-
A bay generally has two tube bundles installed in parallel. These changers which have a fire deck above the pipe rack.
may be in the same or different services. Each bay is usually served by The forced-draft design offers better accessibility to the fan for on-
two (or more) fans and is furnished with a structure, a plenum, and stream maintenance and fan-blade adjustment. The design also pro-
other attendant equipment. vides a fan and V-belt assembly, which are not exposed to the hot-air
The location of air-cooled heat exchangers must consider the large stream that exits from the unit. Structural costs are less, and mechan-
space requirements and the possible recirculation of heated air ical life is longer.
because of the effect of prevailing winds upon buildings, fired heaters, Induced-draft design provides more even distribution of air across
towers, various items of equipment, and other air-cooled exchangers. the bundle, since air velocity approaching the bundle is relatively low.
