Heat Exchanger Design Flashcards
What is a heat exchanger?
A device or piece of hardware which promotes the transfer of heat between 2 or more entities at different temperatures.
What are the 3 types of flow configuration?
- Parallel (co-current) flow
- Counter-current flow
- Cross-flow
Describe a parallel (co-current) flow heat exchanger
The 2 inlet ports are positioned at the same end of the heat exchanger, where stream-to-stream temperature difference is the greatest. Fluids flow in the same direction.
Describe a counter-current flow heat exchanger
The 2 inlet ports are positioned at opposite ends of the heat exchanger, where stream-to-stream temperature difference is more evenly distributed along the heat exchanger. Fluids flow in opposite direction.
What is a cross-flow heat exchanger used for?
Gas heating & cooling.
What is meant by ‘mixed’ & ‘unmixed’ in a cross-flow heat exchanger?
Mixed - stream fluid can move freely in the exchanger as it exchanges heat.
Unmixed - stream fluid is confined in separate channels in the exchanger so that it cannot mix with itself during the heat-transfer process.
What are the 4 types of heat exchanger when considering their construction? Give an example for each.
- Tubular - shell & tube
- Plate - gasketed
- High corrosion-resistant material - graphite
- Special - rotary regenerator
What are the purpose of baffles in a shell & tube heat exchanger?
Increase heat exchange area.
What is the purpose of a floating head on a shell & tube heat exchanger?
Allows expansion in exchanger, less hazardous with temperature increase & decrease.
What type of shell & tube exchanger is a kettle reboiler? Draw & label 7 things.
U-tube - see diagram in notes
- Heating medium inlet
- Heating medium outlet
- Liquid from distillation column
- Vapour to distillation column
- Liquid product out
- Weir plate
- Entrainment plate
Where should the exiting vapour of the kettle reboiler enter the distillation column?
Below the first plate in the column.
What are the tubes called in a kettle reboiler?
Hairpin tubes.
Describe a double pipe heat exchanger. Give an example.
Used for high pressure fluids, small area, bulky & expensive. eg. hairpin heat exchanger.
Describe a spiral tube heat exchanger.
Used for clean fluids, higher area than shell & tube.
Describe a plate heat exchanger.
Area < 500m2, compact, modest temperature & pressure. Can be sealed by gasket, fully welded or fusion bonded.
Describe an extended surface (fin) heat exchanger.
Fins extend surface for increased heat transfer. Plate fin gas-gas, tube fin liquid-air.
Give 5 examples of heating fluids. State the temperature range for each.
- Steam 110-260C
- Hot oil to 350 C
- Dowtherm to 450 C
- Molten Salt to 660 C
- Hot gases to 1200 C
Give 5 examples of cooling fluids. State the temperature range for each.
- Cooling water 30 C
- Chilled water 10 C
- Brine -20 C
- Ammonia -40 C
- Propylene -50 C
How should fluid allocation be determined with respect to corrosion? Why?
The more corrosive fluid allocated to the tube-side as easier to clean & reduces cost of expensive alloys.