Professional Documents
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Spiral-Plate
Heat Exchangers
Spiral-p,late ex~hangers offer compactness, a variety of f,low arrangements,
efficient heat transfer, and low maintenance costs. lihese
and other features are described, along with a shortcut design method.
Spirall heat exchangers have a number of advantages over conventional shell-and-tube exchangers:
centrifugal forces increase heat transfer; the compact
configuration results in a shorter undisturbed flow
lengtH; relatively easy cleaning; and resistance to fouling: These curved-flow units (spiral plate and spiral
tube") are particularly useful1 for handing viscous
or .solids-containing fluids ..
Spiral-Plate-Exchanger Fabrication
Flow Arrangements and Applications
A spiral-plate excHanger is fabt'icated from two
relatively long strips of plate, which, are spaced apart
and wound around an open1 split center' to form a
pair of concentric spiral 1passages. Spacing is maintained uniformly along the length of the spiral by
spacer studs welded to the. plates.
For most services, both, fluid-flow channels are
closed by alternate channels welded at both sides of
the spiral plate (Fig. 1) .. In some applications, one
of the channels is left completely open (Fig. 4) ,.
the other closed at both sides of the plate.. These
two types of construction' prevent the fluids from,
mixing.
Spiral-plate exchangers are fabricated from any
material that can' be cold worked and welded, such'
as: carbon steelj stainless steels, Hastelloy :m and: C,
nickel and nickel alloys, aluminum alloys, titanium,
and copper alloys.. Baked phenolic-resin coatings,,
among others, protecti against corrosion from cooling
Although the spiral-plate and spiral-tutJe exchangers or aimHar,
their applications. and methods of fobricaticm ore. quit different; Thi~
article i devoted wholly. to the spital-plate exchanger; an article in
tiM Ml:ly 18 i1we of Chemical fnginH,;ng wilt take up the 1-piral+tul:Je
exchanger.
2030368834
SPI,RALPLATE EXCHANGERS
use~ig.
colum~g. 4
(2) The spiralplate exchanger is sometimes precluded from serviee in which thennal eyclmg is
frequent. When used in cycling services, its mechani-.
cal. design sometimes must be altered to provide. for
much higher stresses. Full-faced gaskets of compressed asl:lestos are not generally acceptable for
cycling services because the growth' of the spiral!
plates. cuts the gasket~ which results in' excessive
bypassing and; in some cases,. erosion of the cover.
Metal-to-metal seals are generally necessary.
( 3) This exchanger usually should not be used
when a hard deposit forms during operation, be-
cause the spacer studs prevent such' deposits hom
being easily removed by drilling. When1 as or some
pressures,. sucli studs can be omitted, this. !.imitatiOn
is not present'
( 4) For spiral-axial' flow, the temperature difference
must be corrected. The conventionali correction for
cross flow applies. Fluids are not mixed\ flows are
generally single pass. Axial B.ow may be multipass.
2030368836
SPIRAL-PLATE EXCHANGERS
EmpiricaliEquation-Heat Transfer
Spiral Flow
(l) No phase change (liquid~' N
{2) No phase change (gas),N11.
h = (11 + 3:54.D,!Du)
> N 11u
> N 11...
h = (11
+ 3.54 D,/D 11 }
< N ~<
< 2,100
~6)
Axia1 Fiow
No phase change (lliquid}, N 11 ,
n>
< 2,100
> 10,000
> 10,000
< 2,100
Plate
(10) Plate, sensible heat transfer
It= 12 k,./p
h = 12 k.,/p
Fouling
(12) Fouling, sensible heat transfer
h =assumed
h =assumed
Eq.
No. Mechanism or Restriction
E!Tlpirical
~ [d~r Ld,1
1~-!;;5) (~r + 1.5 + ~]
t>.P = 0001
< 100
t>.P =
>N
(15~,
11..-
> 10,000
(19) Condensing
Notes:
1. NR..- = 20,000(D,/D/1) 0 "
2 .. G = W.pd(Ap,,)
3. Surface-condition factor
t>.P = 0;000 5 -;
d,H
t>.P = 4 x 10-'
s d~'
(w)u
L
t>.P =
(~')
-++
-t;
L [ W ] [
(17) Condensing
AxiaJIFiow
(18) No phase change, N 11 ,
Drop
aP = 0:0011
Spiral Flow
(14) No phase change, N ~<
No phase change, 100
Equation>-~ressure
(d,
1.3
z;
/,H)\''
0.0115 z'
1'L6]
!!.. + 1 + 0.03 H
d,
for copper and steel= LO; for stainless steel= 1.7; for pol.ished surfaces= 2.5.
MA'20~EERING
:o-:"umerical
Factor
:..T,
~
= 20.6
,.....
z"M
'II
:,,
,.
W... (T;,-TL)
flT 11
W ... (T"-T,,)
flT11
= 19.6
-1 ..
.! 77,
=32.6
= 3.8
II
1.18
= 167
M'''(z,)"
M''"Z'',
11
M''"Zl'11
..,.'"
-~
... r ..
.l.
z4M"'
X
X
500
:.T,. = 278
W0'(TH-TL)
8 .....
zlMts
-C8 2
ll.T.
W(TH-TL)
ll.T11
Pto.r
P"
k..
c
h.
~~: = 3,333
W'' A
cs
k,
1
X
X
X
d,
LH
d,
LH
d,
LH"i7
-IH
HtLt
X
X
ll.T.
wA
ll.T11
W~TH-Td
ATM
WA
ll.T11
W(Tit-Td
flT11
WA
ll.T11
(See Note 1)
(See Note 1)
LH
1Ii
d,
HL
d,
H0"
Lt3Hr
(See Note 1
Mza'"
= 6,000
J.T,
J.T,.
ll.T~r
= 0.619
J.T II
ll.T
W 11 (T .. -Td
8 .,.
= 158
.r
;..!_ = 16.1
W'',A
cs
W 2' 3 (T 11 -TL}
flT 11
s"'' (,z.p.u
MecHanical
Design Factor
Work
Factor
d,"'I'
p
_.1?._
LH
1
LH
1
LH
(See Note 1)
(See
Note
1:)
2030368838
SPIRALPl.ATE.. EXCHANGERS
for sheU.and~tube heat exchangers (which were discussed oy Lord, Minton and Slusser&).
Primarily; the method combines into one relationship the classical' empirical equations for fihn, heattransfer coefficients with heat'-ballmce equations and
with correlations tHat describe tHe geometry of the
heat exc~ger. The resulting .overall; equation is
recast into three separate groups. that contain factors
relating to the physical properties of the fluid, the
performance or duty of the exchanger, and the
mechanical design or arrangement of the heat-transfer
surface. These groups are then multiplied tbgether'
with a numerical factor to obtain a product that is
equal: to' the fraction of the total driving force-or
log mean temperature difference (b.Tll or LMTD)that is dissipated across each element of resistance
in the. heat-How path1
When the sum of the products for the individual
resistance equa15 1, the trial design may be assumed
to be satisfactory for heat: transfer. The physical
significance is that the sum of the temperature drops.
across each resistance is equal to the total available
t!.Tll The pressure. drops for both' fluid~flow paths
must be checked: to ensure that: both are within
acceptable limits .. Usually, several trials are necessary
to get a satisfactbry balance between heat transfer
and pressure drop.
Table I summarizes the equations used with the
method for heat transfer and: pressure drop . The
columns on the left list the conditions to which each
equation applies, and the second columns. gives the
standard forms of the correlations for .6hn coefficients
that are found in texts. The remaining columns in
Table I: tabulate the numericaL physical property,
work and mechanical design factors-all of which
together. form tlie recast dimensional equation. 1'he
product of these factors gives. the fraction of total
temperature drop' or driving force ( tJ. T1/b.T11 ) across
the. resistance.
As stated, the sum of t!.Thl t!.T11 (the hot-fluid
factor), tJ.T./tJ.TM (the cold-fluid factor)', b.T,/b.TJI.
(the fouling factor), and AT..,/ti.T11 (the plate factor)
determines the adequacy of: heat transfer. Any combinations of b.T1/ b.T11 may be used, as long as the
orientation specified: by the equation matches that
of the exchanger's flowpath ..
The units in tHe pressure-drop eq1.1ations are consistent with those used for heat transfer. Pressure drop
is calculated directly in psi.
>
Na .--
>
10;000
Hl,OOO;.
Eq. (7)-No Phase Change (Gas),. NR., > 10,000is for. gases with Reynolds numbero greater than
10,000 .. Again, because the physical property factor
for common, gases is essentially a constant, thiS constant is combined with the numerical' factor in
Eq. (:6) to get Eq, (7).
Condensing
zone
stiBCOOUNGZONE calculations
depend on arittlmeticmean tem
perature difference of, the tWo
fluids instead of logmean tem
perature differenoes-Fig. 5
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING/MAY 4, 1970
2030368840
SPIRALPl.ATE EXCHANGERS
Nomenclature
A
B
c
c
D.
D.
D.
d,
G
g.
p
p
t:J'
Q
s
Dro~Spiral
Flow
u
w
r
'
I
I
~
P
I:, I:'
IT
Subscripts
11
c
. H
h
L
m
s
w
Dimensionless Groups
N...
N
Nr.r
Reynolds number
Critical Reynolds number
Prandtl number
2030368841
>
10,000-is an
Heat-Transfer Calculations
Now; substitute values:
Hot side, Eq. (3):
~T.!..
aTJI -
6
[
Coldi Side
Flowrate, lb./hr.................
6,225
5,,925
200
60
Inlet temperature, c.. . . . . . . . . . .
Outlet temperature, c.. . . . . . . . ...
I20
I 50.4
V:iscoeity, cp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ..
3. 35'
. 8
Specific heat, Btu./lb.;oF.... ... . ...
0.71
0.66
Molecular, weight.................
200.4
200.4
Specific ~Vfovity............... ...
0 . 843
liL843
Allowable yressure drop, psi.. . . . . .
I
I'
Material o construction ........... stainless steel (k - Ul)
(Z,/z.)u: . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I
I
Preliminary Calculations
Heat transferred
61225 X (200-120) X 1.8 X
0,11:
636,400 Btu./hr.
Therefore:
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING/MAY 4, 1970
~5~ 80 J[ 241~~~2.5]
aT. _
[ 200.4 .
t:.TM
32.6 0.843'...
0.375
[ 24111 X 32.5,
111
][
Hot Side
'~].
SAMPLE CALCUlATIONS
ConditiODs
200 4
32.6[ 0:843'.. , X
O.I25 ]
54.5
32.5 X 24
= 500 X 01066 X 9.828 X 0.0001603 0.052
10
Widths,, lin.
4
6
12
12
18
18
24
24
30
36
48
Outside 018.,
Maximum, .lin.
32
32
32
58
32
Core
Dia.,ln.
8
8
8
l2
8
12
58
32
8
58
12
12
58
58
12
12
58
6C'
58
12
12
72
58
ahannel spacings, in.: 3/16 (12 in. maximum width.),
114 (48 ;n. maximum width), 5/16, %. %. %. 3f4
and: l.
Plate thiCknesses: stainless steel) 14-3 U.S. gage; car
bon steel, ~. 3/16, 114 and 5/16 in.
2o3oasss42
SPIRALPLATE EXCHANGERS
SOP = 0.848
= 1.877
[-6~]
0.375 X 24
f 1.035 X8 X 1 X 24
16]
ti (0.375 + 1.125) 5.925112 + LS+ 61
11
:
112
2.
3.
4:
= 0.565
= 0.618
= 0.035
5.
== 1.285
8;
6.
7.
9 ..
10.
J[-6~~~-]
0.25 X 24
Acknowledgements
References
16 J
J[--5.9~]
0.375 X 24
11.
12.
13.
14.
+ 81f112
+ 1.5 + 6f
Design summary:
Plate width.. . . . . .. . .. .. .. .
24 in.
Plate length.............. . . . 41.8 ft
Channel spacing............
1/4 in .. (both sides)
Spiral diameter.. .. . . . .. . . . . 23.4 in ..
Heat-transfer area... . . . . . .
167 sq. ft.
Hot-side pressure drop ..... 0.607 psi.
Cold~side pressure drop ..... 0. 861 psi.
U... ... . . . . . . ... . . . . . . ... . . . 38.8 Btu./(hr.)(sq.ft.)("F.)
Pr,essur;e-Drop Cal.culations
4 p .. [ 0.001 X.61 ]
+ 1.5 +
16 ]
411:8-
15.
16.
Colo side:
tJ.P _ [
o.oo~_4h8~](
0.843
--o37sx
5.925_.] x
' 0.25 X 24
1. 5
16 .]
+ us
in
t~e
~ngineering
2030368843.