3.

5 Heat exchangers basic design

The basic definition of a heat exchanger is a device that transfers heat from a
hot to a cold fluid. They are used extensively in process plants and are given
specific names when they serve a special purpose, e.g. superheaters,
evaporators, condensers, deaerators, etc., may all be classified as heat
exchangers. For design purposes, heat exchangers can be broadly classified
into direct contact and surface types. Figures 3.17 and 3.18 show the principles
and the general extent of temperature changes associated with each type.

3.5.1 Contact-type exchangers

Contact-type exchangers are used mainly in steam systems where either
steam is used as a contact heating medium or water is used as a cooling (i.e.
attemporation or desuperheating) medium. The entire exchanger vessel is
normally built to pressure equipment standards.

3.5.2 Surface-type exchangers

In surface-type exchangers, the two process fluids are kept separate by a
physical barrier. Heat is transferred from the warm fluid through the barrier
to the cold fluid. The two basic arrangements are the tube type and the plate
type.
The design of tube-type heat exchangers is covered extensively by the
TEMA (Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers Association, USA) technical
standards and European standards such as EN 247. Many configurations are
available, divided broadly into head and shell types (see Fig. 3.19). Thermal
expansion is accommodated by various types of sliding arrangements (Fig.
3.20). Tube-type exchangers show various different design arrangements
for the way that the tubes are distributed in the tubeplate. Figure 3.21 shows
the three most common the triangular, square, and rotated-square patterns.
Figure 3.22 shows an exploded view of a typical tube-type exchanger.

3.5.3 Thermal design

From a thermal viewpoint, tube-type heat exchangers can be classified
broadly into parallel and counterflow types. The thermal driving force is
the parameter known as Log Mean Temperature Difference (LMTD). For
the parallel flow configuration (see Fig. 3.17).

1 2
m
12

LMTD and Watts

/
q UA
n