Double pipe heat exchanger

Multi-tubular double pipe heat exchanger

Occupy considerable floor area

Entail a large number of leakage points

So when large heat transfer surfaces are required, a shell and tube exchanger is
often preferred
Shell & Tube -most common type of heat exchanger in industrial applications
- very versatile with respect to heat transfer area, operating
temperature & operating pressure
 Major components

(i) Shell

(ii) Tube sheet

(iii) front end & rear

end head / channel
Fixed-head tubular exchanger
(iv) Channel cover

(v) Baffles

(vi) Baffle spacer

Bonnet Integral cover, One shell Pass Fixed Fixed tube exchangers
Tube sheet – Stationary Head •Cheaper
•Easy to construct
•Cause large thermal stresses on the tubes
and the shell
To avoid such high stresses, the more
expensive and difficult to construct options:
(i) Floating head exchangers
(ii) U-tube exchangers

Channel and Removable cover, One pass Shell,

Floating Head with backing Device

Channel and Removable cover, Kettle type

Reboiler, Pull through Floating Head
 Channel Removable Cover , Divided Flow, Externally
Sealed Floating Tube sheet

Channel Integral with Tube sheet and Removable Cover, Two

Pass Shell with Longitudanal baffle, U tube bundle
 Fig. 2: TEMA classification exchangers and component nomenclature

Label Item Label Item Label Item Label Item

Stationary Head- Shell Flange-Rear Floating Head Cover-

1 11 21 31 Pass Partition
Channel Head End External

Stationary Head- Floating Tubesheet

2 12 Shell Nozzle 22 32 Vent Connection
Bonnet Skirt

Stationary Head
3 Flange-Channel or 13 Shell Cover Flange 23 Packing Box 33 Drain Connection
Bonnet

Instrument
4 Channel Cover 14 Expansion Joint 24 Packing 34
Connection

Stationary Head
5 15 Floating Tubesheet 25 Packing Gland 35 Support Saddle
Nozzle

6 Stationary Tubesheet 16 Floating Head Cover 26 Lantern Ring 36 Lifting Lug

Floating Head Cover

7 Tubes 17 27 Tie rods and Spacers 37 Support Bracket
Flange

Floating Head Transverse Baffles or

8 Shell 18 28 38 Weir
Backing Device Support Plates

Liquid Level
9 Shell Cover 19 Split Shear Ring 29 Impingement Plate 39
Connection

Shell Flange- Slip-on Backing Floating Head

10 20 30 Longitudinal Baffle 40
Stationary Head End Flange Support
 Baffle types

Orifice baffle
Segmental Disc-and-do’nut baffles

Purpose
•Make the path of shell fluid narrower and to
ensure crossflow of the shell side fluid across
the tubes before it exits.
•Increase the velocity and turbulence -
resulting in higher shell side heat transfer
coefficient
•Support the tubes for structural rigidity,
preventing tube vibration and sagging
Baffle parameters
(a) Baffle clearance – distance between baffle and shell
(b) Baffle cut - % of the diameter cut off to shape it as segment of a circle and allow
unrestricted passage of the fluid.
Lower % cut increases the heat transfer coefficient at the cost of pressure drop in the
shell side. Typically, baffle cut is about 25 %
(c) Baffle pitch / spacing- maximum spacing between successive baffles.
- depends on how much support the tubes need.
Practical range of single segmental baffle spacing is Ds/5-Ds (Ds - shell diameter).
Spacing closer than Ds/5 cause leakages that nullifies the heat transfer advantage of
closer spacings.
Baffle pitch and not the baffle cut determines the effective velocity of the shell side
fluid and hence has the greatest influence on shell side pressure drop.
Tie-rods and spacer sleeves on the rods hold baffles in position.
Spacer sleeve of appropriate length on tie rods placed between two consecutive
baffles hold the baffles in place and do not allow them to shift
Some of the outer layer tubes in a tube bundle face the impinging entry fluid
through the inlet nozzles. These tubes get eroded particularly when the kinetic
energy of the fluid is high and also when the entering fluid may contain a mix of
vapour and liquid. Such tubes are required to be protected against erosion by a
plate barrier called ‘impingement plate’. Impingement plates fitted immediately
below the shell side fluid entry nozzle and fixed to the tie rods.
Multiple passes –
(i) increase tube side fluid velocity and heat transfer coefficient
(ii) minimize fouling.
(iii) increase pressure drop
Number of tube passes in a shell depends on the allowable pressure drop and
generally range from 1 to 10.
Standard design - one two or four tube passes
If higher pressure drop acceptable, desirable to have fewer but longer tubes (reduced
flow area and increased flow length).
Use of odd number of tube passes (3, 5 etc) rarely used
•Complicated construction
•May result in mechanical and thermal problems in fabrication and operation.
Exception- 1-1 exchangers are sometimes used for vaporizers and condensers.
Pass Partition Plates
•split the flow in tubes in multiple passes
•designed integral to the stationary head and the rear head.
•guide the tube side fluid to enter and exit specific sets of tubes.
In case of a 1-2 exchanger, pass partition plate only on the front end.
For even number of tube passes, tube side fluid entry and exit nozzles are on
opposite sides of the stationary head.
Cross flow area (perpendicular to the flow direction in tubes) in the channel depends
on the channel depth, its diameter being fixed by the tube sheet diameter.
Longitudinal baffles
(assembled integrated with the tube sheet) used to control the overall flow direction
of the shell fluid.
A single longitudinal baffle make two passes for the shell side fluid.
Shell and Tube exchangers designated as n-m exchanger.
 Tube Layout and some Standard Pitches
Tube layout Standard Pitch

Square ¾” OD on 1” pitch
1” OD on 1.25” pitch

Triangular ¾” OD on 15/16” pitch

1” OD on 1.25” pitch

Common plain tube sizes - 15.88, 19.05 and 25.40 mm outside diameter.
Smallest practical size for mechanical cleaning - 19.05mm.
Unlike commercial pipes, outside diameter of heat exchanger or condenser tubes
-the actual outside diameter in inches within a very strict tolerance.
Number of tubes depends on fluid flow rates & available pressure drop
-tube side velocity for water and similar liquids ranges from 0.9 to 2.4 m/s (3 to 8 ft/sec)
-shell-side velocity from 0.6 to 1.5 m/s (2 to 5 ft/sec)
-lower and upper velocity limits based on fouling and rate of erosion respectively.
Design of Shell and Tube exchangers
•Selection of an appropriate exchanger type
•Process design
•Mechanical design
 General guidelines for selection of the exchanger type

Floating Head
Floating Head Split Backing
Design Requirements U-Tube Fixed Tube sheet Pull-through
Ring
Bundle

Provision for
Individual tubes free to expand Expansion joint inshell Floating head Floating head
differential expansion

Removable bundle Yes No Yes Yes

Replacement bundle
Yes Not practical Yes Yes
possible

Individual tubes
Only those in outside row Yes Yes Yes
replaceable

difficult to do mechanically, can Yes, Yes, Yes,

Tube interiors cleanable
do chemically mechanically or chemically mechanically or chemically mechanically or chemically

Tube exteriors with

triangular pitch Chemically only Chemically only Chemically only Chemically only
cleanable

Tube exteriors with Yes, Yes, Yes,

Chemically only
square pitch cleanable mechanically orchemically mechanically orchemically mechanically orchemically

Any practical even

Number of tube passes Normally no limitations Normally no limitations Normally no limitations
number possible

Internal gaskets
Yes Yes No No
eliminated

BEU=1.0
Cost comparison BEM=1.0 AET=1.5
AEU=1.1 AES=1.5
(by TEMA type) BEN=1.1 AKT=1.8
BKU=1.2
•Codes and Standards
•Provide details of different exchanger configurations / type
•Provide guidelines for arriving at the mechanical details i.e. the dimensions,
allowances and the fabrication tolerances for the exchanger components.
Thorough knowledge of the applicable code essential to arrive at complete
specification of the exchanger and generate the fabrication drawings.

Standard Codes
TEMA- Tubular Exchangers Manufacturer’s Association (TEMA), a US based
organisation of heat exchanger manufacturers is used almost worldwide. They have
a design code formulated with the following subsection –
•Class R : design and fabrication of unfired shell and tube heat exchangers for
generally severe requirements of petroleum and related processing applications
•Class C : design and fabrication of unfired shell and tube heat exchangers for
generally moderate requirements of commercial and general process applications
•Class B : design and fabrication of unfired shell and tube heat exchangers for
chemical process service
TEMA Standards refer to the ASME boiler code (Section I) or pressure vessel code
(Section VIII, Div. I) according to the services of the heat exchanger. National
standards and codes specified by the client are also to be applied. Classification of
exchangers following TEMA is already presented earlier (Fig. 1 and 2).
API 660: This is the standard of the American Petroleum Institute for heat exchangers to be used in
refineries and petroleum related applications. Most of the refineries and petrochemicals have their
heat exchangers designed as per API 660 or TEMA – R.
The BIS code covering the shell and tube heat exchangers is IS 4503:1967. Its data sheet is specified
by IS 10123:1982. Air cooled exchangers are specified in IS 10470:1983 and its data sheet is IS
10873:1983. There are other codes applicable to heat exchangers for marine, air conditioning etc. IS
4503-1967 – Reaffirmed 2003 (Indian Standards - Specification for Shell and Tube Exchangers)
broadly classifies shell and tube type heat exchangers as (a)Fixed tube plate - non-removable tube
bundle(b) U-tube- removable tube bundle and (c) Floating head- removable tube bundle. These with
subdivisions, give the following seven designs : (i) Fixed tube plate, (ii) U-tube, (iii) U-tube reboiler or
kettle type, (iv) Internal floating head ( pull through type ), (v) Internal floating head ( non-pull
through type ), (vi) Internal floating head (reboiler or kettle), (vii) Floating head external packed.
BIS 4503 also refers to IS 2825–1969, Indian standard code for unfired pressure vessels for some of
the mechanical details. It also refers to other BIS codes for materials and standard dimensions of
fittings etc.
BS: British Standards Institution standard no BS ISO 16812 is applicable for shell and tube exchangers
in petroleum, petrochemicals and natural gas industries.
DIN and GOST are the German and Russian standards with specific codes for heat exchangers.
 Input process data
SI Metric Requirement Notes
Fluid Name --- --- Yes
Flow Rate kg/s or kg/hr kg/hr Yes
Operating Pressure kPaG or Kg/cm2G Yes
MPaG
Operating Temperature °C °C Yes
Vapour Fraction wt/wt wt/wt (Yes) For two phase flow
Heat Duty kW or MW MMkcal/hr Yes
Fouling Factor m2-K/W m2-hr-°C /kcal Yes
Vapour Thermal Conductivity W/m2-K kcal/m-hr-°C Yes
Viscosity m.Pa.s cP Yes
Enthalpy kJ/kg kcal/kg Yes
Specific Heat kJ/kg-K kcal/kg-°C Yes
Density kg/m3 kg/m3 Yes
Liquid Thermal Conductivity W/m-K kcal/m-hr-°C Yes
Viscosity m.Pa.s cP Yes
Enthalpy kJ/kg kcal/kg Yes
Specific Heat kJ/kg-K kcal/kg-°C Yes
Density kg/m3 kg/m3 Yes
Critical Pressure kPaA Kg/cm2A (Yes) For boiling
Boiling Range(Dew-Bubble) °C °C (Yes) For boiling

•In addition to this, information on the nature of the fluids e.g. flammability, corrosive nature, fouling tendency, solid
concentration etc as applicable are noted. These are used in deciding the types of the heat exchanger suitable for the
service.
•Constructional details like installation (horizontal / vertical / inclined);dDesign pressure and temperature;pPreferred
options, if any, for the tube geometries (length, OD, thickness), tube pitch and layout angle; materials of
construction; nozzle size, rating and facing, are also noted before embarking on the design.
•Design requirements: Allowable pressure drop
Design output

•Process design output

Exchanger configuration details – this is commonly summarised by specifying the code classification
e.g. TEMA AES exchanger, the number of shell and tube passes; pitch, pitch type; number and type of
baffles;
Process calculation results: Overall heat transfer coefficient; film coefficient of both shell and
tube sides; temperature difference (MTD); heat transfer area (effective/gross); pressure drop
estimates for shell and tube fluids.
•Mechanical details
oShell: material, size and thickness; corrosion allowance; insulation; Details of nozzles and flanges.
oTube bundle: Tube material, diameter, thickness, length and pitch; Baffle geometries (material,
type, cut orientation and %, thickness, spacing and number); Tie rods and spacer number and size;
Shell partition dimensions, if applicable.
oStationary and floating head: Dimensions of each end, provisions of pass partition plates, if
applicable. Details of nozzles and flanges.
oDesign references: Process calculation references (Procedure for calculation of shell side and tube
side heat transfer coefficients; Mechanical standard class (TEMA, BIS, etc.); Design considerations
such as short term conditions, if required

•Fabrication details: The detailed construction information required to fabricate the exchanger is
documented in a set of complete fabrication drawings. This set consists of
oGeneral arrangement drawings including stacking plan, if applicable
oShell, nozzles and support details, other connections (vent, drain, instruments, etc); Stationary and
floating head.
oTube bundle and its component details
Heat Exchanger Data Sheet as per IS 4503 (1967)
 Process design
1. Process fluid assignments to shell side or tube side
2. Selection of stream temperature specifications.
3. Setting shell side and tube side pressure drop design limits.
4. Setting shell side and tube side velocity limits.
5. Selection of heat transfer models and fouling coefficients for shell side and tube side.

Mechanical

1. Selection of heat exchanger layout as per the decided code (TEMA / BIS 4503 etc)
and the number of passes.

2. Specification of tube parameters - size, layout, pitch and material.

3. Setting upper and lower design limits on tube length

4. Specification of shell side parameters – materials, baffle cut, baffle spacing and
clearances

5. Setting upper and lower design limits on shell diameter, baffle cut and baffle spacing.
General guidelines for selecting the shell and tube side fluids
Tube side fluid
 High temperature fluid: Ensures lower heat losses from
the exchanger to the surroundings and lower cost of
exchanger insulation. At higher temperature the
allowable stress is lower. Tubes, having much lower
diameter (compared to shell), can withstand much higher
pressure at the same temperature. This makes the design
safer.
 Dirty and Fouling fluids: Tubes are easier to clean. The
chance of fouling is less as the stagnation points are only
few. Also the tube fluid, mostly flowing at a higher
velocity would have lower fouling (less deposit. Usually
cooling water is in tubes for this reason. Slurry is
preferred in the tube side for the same reason.
 More hazardous or expensive fluid: The chance of
leaking out is less.
 Fluid at higher pressure: Lower diameter of tubes call for
a lower wall thickness compared to the shell
 Corrosive fluid: Only the tubes and not the shell is
exposed to the corrosive environment. A corrosive fluid
in shell would affect both the shell and the tubes. In
addition, it is cheaper to fabricate tubes from exotic
materials.
In horizontal thermo-siphon reboiler, the process fluid is in the shell and the heating stream or steam may be in the tubes. This is to
incur minimum / lower pressure drop in the thermo-siphon circuit.
Shell side fluid
 More viscous fluid: As the critical Reynolds number for
turbulent flow is 200 on the shell side. Thus when flow
in tubes is laminar, it may be turbulent in the shell side
for the same flow conditions. However if the flow is still
laminar in the shell, it is directed through the tubes since
this ensures more accurate prediction of both heat
transfer and flow distribution.
 Liquid with the lower flow rate: To avoid multipass
construction with LMTD correction factor below unity.
It may also result in turbulent flow due to lower critical
Reynolds number for the shell side flow.
 Condensing steam/vapour: Shell flow offers a lower
pressure drop. However in vertical condensers, vapour-
liquid mixtures resulting from vapour condensation is
allowable.
 Fluid for which the pressure drop limit is lower or there
is chance of exceeding the same e.g. fluid of high
viscosity
 Fluid that has poorer heat transfer characteristics: As the
critical Reynolds number for turbulent flow is 200 on the
shell side.
 Fluid undergoing phase change
•Steps in a typical design procedure
•Typical overall heat transfer coefficient in industrial heat exchangers
•Temperature profile of fluids in different cases
Certain points may be noted while selecting the shell dimensions:

•Shells shorter than three times the shell diameter often suffer from poor fluid distribution
and excessive entry and exit losses. So they are likely to be more expensive than a longer ,
smaller diameter unit of the same area especially if the shell side fluid is at high pressures.
•Shells longer than 15 times the shell diameter are difficult for mechanical handling , require a
large clearway for bundle removal or retubing and show the effects of diminishing return on
costs.
Conventional heat exchangers have 6:1 or 8:1 ratio of effective tube length to shell diameter
with a pronounced trend towards the higher value as pressure drop prediction procedures
have improved
Shell side heat transfer coefficient without considering leakages due to baffles is most often computed from

NuDe  0.36 Re0.55

De Pr 1/3
Re De 
DeGs

The effective shell diameter De is obtained from

4  PT2   D02 / 4 
De  for a square tube arrangement
 D0

De 
8  3Pt 2 / 4   D02 / 8  for a triangular pitch
 D0

The shell side mass velocity is given by

mshell
Gs 
Ae

Ae 
 Ds  PT  D0  B 
PT

Ds - shell inside diameter

B - baffle spacing
PT - tube pitch
mshell - the mass flow rate of the shell side fluid
•The exchanger should be so designed that U > UD. This ensures that the exchanger will have a margin in the
heat transfer load (Q) when design inlet temperatures, fluid flow rates and properties are set. Accordingly, If
the calculated value differs significantly then return to step 6.
•Optimize the design: repeat steps 4 to 10, as necessary, to determine the cheapest exchanger that will satisfy
the duty. Usually that will be one with the smallest area.