Final Work: Compact Heat

Exchangers, Design and

Applications
Adlin Miranda Morales
INTD 3355
Prof. Liz Pagan

Agenda
What is a compact heat exchanger?
Types
Advantages and limitations
Cost of heat exchangers
Fouling
Security and Environmental aspect
Design
Conclusion

Basic Definitions
Heat exchanger: apparatus that has two

streams of fluid that exchange temperatures

in order to heat or cool the system.
Fouling: type of contamination in the heat
exchanger that can damage its purpose.

Description
Basically this presentation focuses on what

are compact heat exchangers, the various

types, costs, advantages and disadvantages
and how fouling may affect.
The main option for research was internet and
the library ( books, journals, thesis, etc.)

What is a Compact Heat

Exchanger?
Area density greater than 700 m2/m3 for gas

or greater than 300 m2/m3 when operating in

liquid or two-phase streams.
Highly efficient
Reduce volume, weight and cost

Types of CHEs
Plate and frame heat exchangers: (PHE)

Plate and Frame Heat Exchanger

Most common type of PHE
Consists of plates and gaskets
Materials: stainless steel, titanium and non-

metallic
Operation limits:
- temperatures from -35C to 220C
- pressures up to 25 bar
- flow rate up to 5000 m3/h

Brazed Plate Heat Exchanger (PHE)

Brazed Plate Heat

Exchanger
Operates at higher pressures than gasketed

units
Materials: stainless steel, copper contained
braze
Operating limits:
From -195C to 200C
Pressures up to 30 bar

It is impossible to clean. The only way is by

applying chemicals.

Welded Plate Heat Exchanger (PHE)

Welded Plate Heat Exchanger

Plates welded together to increase pressure

and temperature limits

Materials: stainless steal and nickel based
alloys. Can be made with copper , titanium or
graphite
Operation Limits:
- temperature limits depend on the material
- can tolerate pressures in excess of 60 bar

Spiral Heat Exchanger

(SHE)

Spiral Heat Exchanger

(SHE)
Two long strips of plate wrapped to form

concentric spirals
Materials: carbon steel, stainless steel and
titanium
Operation limits:
Temperatures up to 400C (depends on

gasketed materials)
Pressures up to 25 bar

Plate Fin Heat Exchanger (PFHE)

Plate Fin Heat Exchanger

(PFHE)
High area density and handles several

streams
Materials: aluminum, corrosion and heat
resistant alloys, and stainless steel (available
in titanium)
Operation limits:
- Temperature limits depend on the material
- cryogenic temperature up to 100C
(aluminum)
- stainless steel up to 650C
- Pressures up to 100 bar for aluminum and 90

Printed-circuit heat exchangers

(PCHE)

Printed-circuit heat exchangers

(PCHE)
Flexibility of design and high strength offered

by techniques of construction
Materials: Stainless steel 316L, alloys, nickel
and titanium.
Operating limits:
- temperature ranges from -200C to 900C
- pressures up to 400 bar

Compact Shell-and-Tube Heat

Exchanger

To increase surface area, this equipment

has a large number of small diameter tubes

Other Types of CHE

Compact types retaining a shell
APV Paratube Heat Exchanger
Fluidized Bed Heat Exchanger
Twisted Tube Heat Exchanger

Advantages and
Limitations
Improved energy efficiency
- Closer approach temperatures allows greater energy
transfer.
Smaller volume and weight
Higher efficiency
Lower cost
Multi-stream and multi-pass configurations
Tighter temperature control
Power savings
Improved safety

Limitations
Lack of industrial awareness

Companies remain aware of technology of CHE

Limited choice
Particularly for high-pressure
Conservatism in the user industries
Process industries are reluctant to adopt what
they may seen either as new technologies.
Susceptibility to fouling
Perception that small passages are likely to foul.

Cost of compact heat exchangers

Compact heat exchanger tend to be cheaper

especially when their total installed cost is

considered.
In some cases the materials used to

manufacture is expensive, but when we

consider the cost of unit plus the installation,
the cost is less than equivalent shell and tube.

Cost of compact heat exchangers

Fouling
Crystallization or precipitation

Solutes in the fluid is precipitated and crystals are formed

Particulate fouling or silting
Solid particles are deposited on the heat transfer surface
Biological fouling
Deposition and growth of organism on surfaces
Corrosion fouling
Carrying of corrosion products from other part of the system
being left on the heat transfer area surface
Chemical reaction fouling
Arises from reactions between constituents in the process
fluids
Freezing or solidification fouling
Occurs when the temperature of a fluid passing through a heat
exchanger becomes too low

Security Aspects
Fouling:

- Use of non-fouling fluids wherever possible is

of course recommended, for example clean air
or gases, light carbons and refrigerants.
- In open systems, check the possible
application of self-cleaning strainers, and the
installation of systems to dose with biocides,
scale inhibitors, etc., to control fouling.
- Use self-cleaning filter if possible
- Consider chemical cleaning. If this is
undertaken, the system must be designed to
allow the introduction and complete removal
of cleaning fluids.

Corrosion:
In some CHEs, the wall thicknesses are less
than in a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, so
corrosion rates and allowances need to be
accessed carefully
Although CHEs are often made from more
corrosion-resistant materials than the shelland-tube units, other corrosion mechanisms
such as cracking may occur, and the
compatibility of the material with the fluids in
the CHE should be checked.

Design
Analysis based on and Ntu method
Convection and friction coefficients have been

determined by Kays and London.

Some data of design can be supplied by

manufacturers.
Results for heat transfer and friction factors

for circular tube- circular fin and for circular

tubes continuous fin.

G Vmax

VA fr
m
m

Aff
Aff Afr

Aff rea mnima flujo libre

Afr rea frontal

jH St Pr 2/3
St h /Gc p
G Vmax
Re GDh /

G Vmax

VA fr
m
m

A ff
A ff A fr

A ff rea mnima flujo libre

A fr rea frontal

jH St Pr 2/3
St h /Gc p
G Vmax
Re GDh /

Environmental Aspects
Energy conservation and environmental

considerations are the driving forces behind

changes aimed at reducing both chemical and
thermal waste.
More efficient use of energy and raw materials
Recovery of heats of reaction
High intensity mixing, enhancing process selectivity
Minimum risk of runaway reactions
Smaller and cheaper plant
Ability to handle high-pressure reactions

Conclusion
Compact heat exchangers are available in a

wide variety of configurations to suit most

processes heat transfer requirements.
The advantages of CHEs, and associated heat
transfer enhancement techniques, extend far
beyond energy efficiency.
Lower capital cost, reduced plant size, and
increased safety are typical of the benefits
arising from the use of CHEs.
Compact heat exchangers can replace some
normal size heat exchangers bringing
advantages and performance.

Conclusion
This research took a lot of time, since the

specific details of a theme like this take time

to search.
Even though it took time, I really enjoyed
making this presentation.

References
ADVANCES IN COMPACT HEAT EXCHANGERS. (n.d.). Retrieved March 5, 2009, from

http://www.rtedwards.com/books/164/index.html

Al-Qahtani, Abdullah Mushabbab Zuhair, M.S., 2008, Design and operate a fouling

monitoring device to study fouling at twisted tube. King Fahd University of Petroleum
and Minerals (Saudi Arabia), 171 pages; AAT 1456206.

An Assessment of the Performance and Requirements for "Adiabatic" Engines. (1988,

May 27). Science Magazine, 240, 1157-1162. Retrieved March 5, 2009, from
http://library.uprm.edu:2132/cgi/content/abstract/sci;240/4856/1157?
maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=heat+exchangers&searc
hid=1&FIRSTINDEX=10&resourcetype=HWCIT

Bell, L. E. (2008, September 12). Cooling, Heating, Generating Power, and Recovering

Waste Heat with Thermoelectric Systems . Science Magazine, 321, 1457-1461.

Retrieved March 5, 2009, from
http://library.uprm.edu:2132/cgi/content/abstract/sci;321/5895/1457?
maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=heat+exchangers&searc
hid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT

References
Compact Heat Exchangers. (n.d.). Retrieved March 5, 2009, from

http://www.eca.gov.uk/etl/find/_ 85.htm

Designing Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers. (n.d.). Retrieved March

5, 2009, from http://www.cheresources.com/designexzz.shtml

Energy Savers: Heat Exchangers for Solar Water Heating

Systems. (n.d.). Retrieved March 5, 2009, from

http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/water_heating/index.cfm
/mytopic=12930
Enhanced, Compact and Ultra-Compact Heat Exchangers: Science,

Engineering and Technology. (n.d.). Retrieved March 5, 2009, from

http://services.bepress.com/eci/heatexchangerfall2005/

References
Hawkins, G. A. (1954, December 10). Heat Transmission. Science Magazine, 532.
Heat Exchangers - Shell & Tube, Plate, Air-Cooled : API Heat Transfer. (n.d.).

Retrieved March 5, 2009, from http://www.apiheattransfer.com/

Heat Exchangers for the HVAC Industry. (n.d.). Retrieved March 5, 2009, from

http://www.heatexchangersonline.com/
Heat Exchangers. (n.d.). Retrieved March 5, 2009, from

http://www.flatplate.com/?gclid=CNbbnaC1pZoCFRKIxwodJDnU8w
Heat Transfer Engineering. (1979, January 8). Heat Transfer Engineering, 1, pp. 2.
JM Heat Exchangers - Heat Transfer Specialists. Shell & Tube Exchangers, Fin

Coils, Calorifiers, Plate Heat Exchangers, Charge Air Coolers, Fin Fan Exchangers.
(n.d.). Retrieved March 5, 2009, from http://www.jmheatexchangers.com/

References
Macro Power from Micro Machinery. (1997, May 23). Science Magazine, 276, 1211.

Retrieved March 5, 2009, from

http://library.uprm.edu:2132/cgi/content/summary/sci;276/5316/1211?maxtos
how=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=heat+exchangers&searchid=1&FI
RSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT

Veronica, Daniel Alexander, Ph.D., 2008,

Detecting heat exchanger fouling automatically with an embedded data-driven agen

t using expert signature maps
. University of Colorado at Boulder, 245 pages; AAT 3303899

(2004). Compact Multifunctional Heat Exchangers: A Pathway to Process

Intensification. Grenoble, France: CEA-Grenoble.

(2001). Handbook of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. Boca Raton: CRC

Press LLC.

(2003). Heat Transfer in Single and Multiphase Systems. Boca Raton: CRC Press LLC.

(2000). The CRC Handbook of Thermal Engineering. Boca Raton: CRC Press LLC.