Process Design of Air Cooled Heat Exchangers (Air Coolers) (Project Standards and Specifications)
Process Design of Air Cooled Heat Exchangers (Air Coolers) (Project Standards and Specifications)
Process Design of Air Cooled Heat Exchangers (Air Coolers) (Project Standards and Specifications)
KLM Technology
Group Rev: 01
Project Engineering
Standard
April 2011
www.klmtechgroup.com
TABLE OF CONTENT
SCOPE 2
REFERENCES 2
DEFINITIONS AND TERMINOLOGY 2
SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS 3
UNITS 3
GENERAL 3
HORIZONTAL TYPE 4
FANS 4
Number of Fans 4
Fans in Various Duties 5
Types 5
RUST PREVENTION 6
CHEMICAL CLEANING CONNECTIONS 6
OPERATING TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE 7
AIR-SIDE DESIGN 7
General Requirements 7
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS 8
TUBE-SIDE FLUID TEMPERATURE CONTROL 10
COLD CLIMATE CONSIDERATION 11
High Viscosity-High Pour-Point Services 11
Winterization 12
APPENDIX A 16
APPENDIX B 17
APPENDIX C 19
Page 2 of 19
KLM Technology
PROCESS DESIGN OF AIR
Rev: 01
Group COOLED HEAT EXCHANGERS
(AIR COOLERS)
Project Engineering Standard
April 2011
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS)
SCOPE
This Project Standards and Specifications covers the minimum process design
requirements, field of application, selection of types and design consideration for
air coolers.
REFERENCES
Throughout this Standard dated and undated standards/codes are referred to.
These referenced documents shall, to the extent specified herein, form a part of
this standard. For dated references, the edition cited applies. The applicability of
changes in dated references that occur after the cited date shall be mutually
agreed upon by the Company and the Vendor. For undated references, the latest
edition of the referenced documents (including any supplements and
amendments) applies.
Bare Tube Surface - Outside surface of prime tubes based on length measured
between outside face of header tube sheets in square meters.
Finned Tube Surface - Total outside surface (exposed to air) based on length of
tubes measured between outside face of header tube sheets in square meters.
Forced Draft Type - Designed with tube bundles located on the discharge side
of the fan.
Induced Draft Type - Designed with tube bundles located on the suction side of
the fan.
KLM Technology
PROCESS DESIGN OF AIR
Rev: 01
Group COOLED HEAT EXCHANGERS
(AIR COOLERS)
Project Engineering Standard
April 2011
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS)
SYMBOL/ABBREVIATION DESCRIPTION
A/V Autovariable
DN Diameter Nominal, mm
MAP Manual Adjustable Pitch
NPS Nominal Pipe Size, inch
P Air-side static pressure drop, mbar (0.1 kPa)
Uo Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient, W/m2. K (W/m2.
°C)
UNITS
GENERAL
1. Air cooled exchangers are usually composed of rectangular bundles
containing several rows of tubes on a triangular pitch. Heat transfer is
generally countercurrent, the hot fluid entering the top of the bundle and air
flowing vertically upward through the bundle.
Air cooled units have been successfully and economically used in liquid
cooling for compressor engine and jacket water and other recirculating
systems, petroleum fractions, oils, etc. and also in condensing service for
steam, high boiling organic vapors, petroleum still vapors, gasoline, ammonia,
etc.
2. Since air is a universal coolant, there are numerous applications where
economic and operating advantages are favorable to air-cooled heat transfer
equipment. However, applications are limited to cases where the ambient air
dry bulb temperature is below the desired cooling or condensing temperature.
Page 4 of 19
KLM Technology
PROCESS DESIGN OF AIR
Rev: 01
Group COOLED HEAT EXCHANGERS
(AIR COOLERS)
Project Engineering Standard
April 2011
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS)
HORIZONTAL TYPE
FANS
Number of Fans
Page 5 of 19
KLM Technology
PROCESS DESIGN OF AIR
Rev: 01
Group COOLED HEAT EXCHANGERS
(AIR COOLERS)
Project Engineering Standard
April 2011
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS)
At least two fans shall be provided for each bay. Any deviation from this
requirement will need the prior approval of the Company.
Types
1. Two general classifications of air-cooler fans are:
a. forced draft type where air is pushed across the tube bundle;
b. induced draft type where air is pulled through the bundle (see Fig. 1).
2. Forced draft should be selected for all normal applications. Amongst other
reasons, the accessibility of fans, actuators and drives is much better for
maintenance and there is thus a strong preference for this arrangement.
Forced draft shall be selected for critical and condensing duties where the
difference between the design product outlet temperature and the design air
inlet temperature is 15°C or higher.
Forced draft shall be selected for all cooling duties where air outlet
temperatures would be higher than those specified as limiting for the induced-
draft arrangement.
3. For critical cooling or condensing duties where the product outlet temperature
falls below a point 15°C above the design air inlet temperature (*), induced
draft may be considered providing the air outlet temperature will not rise to a
level higher than is acceptable for the fan, fan hub and bearings for the
greasing system and for all structural components exposed to the hot air
stream. The degree of acceptability is subject to the Company’s approval.
Under normal operating conditions, air outlet temperatures should not
exceed:
- 60°C with fans in operation.
- 80° C with free convection on the air side.
A higher outlet temperature may be considered providing it does not exceed
the operating temperature limits for the fan blades, the hub, the fan blade
Page 6 of 19
KLM Technology
PROCESS DESIGN OF AIR
Rev: 01
Group COOLED HEAT EXCHANGERS
(AIR COOLERS)
Project Engineering Standard
April 2011
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS)
RUST PREVENTION
The structural parts can be galvanized or pickled and painted to prevent rusting
of the steel.
KLM Technology
PROCESS DESIGN OF AIR
Rev: 01
Group COOLED HEAT EXCHANGERS
(AIR COOLERS)
Project Engineering Standard
April 2011
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS)
AIR-SIDE DESIGN
General Requirements
1. Such environmental factors as weather, terrain, mounting, and the presence
of adjacent buildings and equipment influence the air-side performance of an
air-cooled heat exchanger.
The purchaser shall supply the Vendor with all environmental factors pertinent
to the design of the exchanger as per the Table 1. These factors shall be
taken into account in the air-side design.
2. Air Coolers shall be designed for summer and winter conditions. The summer
and winter design air temperatures and humidities shall be specified in the job
specifications.
3. For winter design conditions the minimum tube wall temperature shall be at
least 22°C higher than pour point temperature for both normal and minimum
design throughput.
4. Proper fouling resistance shall be applied to the inside surface of the tube.
Page 8 of 19
KLM Technology
PROCESS DESIGN OF AIR
Rev: 01
Group COOLED HEAT EXCHANGERS
(AIR COOLERS)
Project Engineering Standard
April 2011
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS)
5. All heat transfer surfaces and coefficients shall be based on total effective
outside tube and fin surface.
6. When calculating heat transfer coefficients, the inside fouling and inside fluid
film resistance shall be multiplied by the ratio of the total effective outside
surface to the total effective inside surface.
7. The effective tube wall and fin metal resistance shall be included in
calculating heat transfer coefficients.
8. Pressure drops shall not exceed the maximum allowed values specified.
These indicate the total pressure drops across nozzles, headers and tubes.
9. Fouling factor on air side of exchangers shall be 0.35m2. K/kW (0.002
h.ft2.°F/Btu).
10. The need for air flow control shall be as defined by the purchaser on the basis
of specific process operation requirements, including the effect of weather.
Various methods of controlling air flow are available.
The type ultimately selected is dependent on the degree of control required,
the type of driver and transmission, equipment arrangement, and economics.
As a guide, the various methods include, but are not limited to, simple on-off
control, on-off step control (in the case of multiple-driver units), two-speed
motor control, variable-speed drivers, controllable fan pitch, manual or
automatic louvers, and air recycling.
11. Fan selection at design conditions shall be such that at constant speed the
fan is capable of providing, by an increase in blade angle, a 10 percent
increase in air flow with a corresponding pressure increase.
12. In the inquiry the maximum and minimum design ambient temperatures under
which fans and drivers will operate, as well as any specific requirements
relating to the sizing of drivers and transmissions shall be stated.
13. For mechanical components located above the tube bundle design
temperature shall be equal to maximum process inlet temperature unless
otherwise specified.
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
1. Design maximum ambient air temperature should be selected so that it will
not be exceeded more than 1-2 percent of the total annual hourly readings
based on at least 5 consecutive years. Lower figures mean a smaller
Page 9 of 19
KLM Technology
PROCESS DESIGN OF AIR
Rev: 01
Group COOLED HEAT EXCHANGERS
(AIR COOLERS)
Project Engineering Standard
April 2011
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS)