INTRODUCTION

A heat exchanger is a device in which energy is transferred the heat

between two fluids maintained at different temperatures and separated by
a solid wall. Exchanger analysis and design thus involve both convection
and conduction.

Application of Heat Exchanger:

1- Power plant
2- Petroleum refineries

3- Heating, ventilating, refrigeration and air conditioning system

4- Heat recovery system

5- Chemical process industry

6- Natural-gas processing

Types of Heat Exchanger:

1- Double-pipe heat exchanger
The simplest type of recuperate is the double-pipe heat exchanger shown
in Fig. 1.1A. It consists of two concentric tubes. One fluid flows in the
inner tube and the other fluid flows in the annular area between the inner
and outer tubes. If the fluids flow in the same direction, as they do in Fig.
1.1A, then the flow is said to be parallel flow. If the fluids flow in
opposite directions.

Fig 1.1A: Double pipe heat exchanger

The flow is counter flow. Each fluid makes a single pass through the go
through the exchanger once. In a shell-and- exchanger; they only
Through the tubes, and the other tube heat exchanger, one fluid flows
Fluid flows around the tubes, enclosed by the “shell” of the heat
exchanger.

2- One-Shell-Pass, Two-Tube-Passes
Fig. 1.1B shows an exchanger with one shell pass and two tube passes.
Exchangers can also have more than two tube passes and more than one
shell pass.

Fig 1.1B: One Shell Pass, Two Tube Passes

3- Two-Shell-Passes, Four-Tube-Passes
Fig. 1.1C shows a two-shell pass, four-tube-pass exchanger. Baffles are
placed in shell and-tube heat exchangers to channel the flow of the shell
fluid across the tubes. The baffles enhance contact of the shell
Tubes by the shell fluid with the tubes. They minimize bypassing of
Fluid. In cross flow heat exchangers, one fluid flows through the tubes
and the other fluid flows crosswise to the tubes. The cross flow increases
the heat transfer relative to flows that are longitudinal along the tubes.
 Fig 1.1C: Two-Shell-Passes, Four-Tube-Passes

A shell and tube heat exchanger

It is the most common type of heat exchanger in oil refineries and other large chemical
processes, and is suited for higher-pressure applications; this type of heat exchanger
consists of a shell (a large pressure vessel) with a bundle of tubes inside it. One fluid runs
through the tubes, and another fluid flows over the tubes (through the shell) to transfer
heat between the two fluids. The set of tubes is called a tube bundle.
Parts of a shell and tube heat exchanger:
• Tube Bundle: A tube bundle consists of tube sheetsand tubes. The tube bundle is held
together by baffles, and tie rods.
• Shell: The tube bundle is included in a shell.
• Front Header: A front header, which is also referred to as a stationary header, is the part
from where the fluid enters the tubeside of the exchanger.
• Rear Header: A rear header is a part from where the tubeside fluid leaves the exchanger
or where it is returned to the front header.
 Fig 1.2: Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger

Two fluids, of different starting temperatures, flow through the heat

exchanger. One flows through the tubes (the tube side) and the other
flows outside the tubes but inside the shell (the shell side). Heat is
transferred from one fluid to the other through the tube walls, either from
tube side to shell side or vice versa. The fluids can be either liquids or
gases on either the shell or the tube side. In order to transfer heat
efficiently, a large heat transfer area should be used, leading to the use of
many tubes.
Usually cylindrically-shaped shell-and-tube heat exchangers. In large
power plants with steam-driven turbines, shell-and-tube surface
condensers are used to condense the exhaust steam exiting the turbine into
condensate water which is recycled back to be turned into
Steam in the steam generator.
Applications of shell and tube heat exchanger
1- The cooling of hydraulic fluid and oil in engines, transmissions and
hydraulic power packs.
2- Condensing process vapor or steam.

3- Cooling of turbine, compressor, and engine.

4- Shell and tube type heat exchanger can be used for higher
temperature difference services as it can accommodate thermal
expansion.
5- They are most suitable for gas services and phase change service.

Advantages of using a shell and tube heat exchanger

1- They are often easy to service

2- The cylindrical design of the housing is extremely resistant to

pressure and allows all ranges of pressure applications
3- The heat exchangers are compact in size
4- Extended heat transfer surfaces (fins) can be used to enhance heat
transfer
5- Cleaning and repair are relatively straightforward, because the
equipment can be dismantled for this purpose.

Among the various types of heat exchangers, the shell and tube heat
exchangers find awide range of applications, while around 35–40% of all
the heat exchangers, used in all kinds of industrial applications, are shell
and tube heat exchangers. This widespread use can be justified by its
versatility, robustness, reliability and applicability
Over a wide range of operating temperatures and pressures.
Pressure drop :-

Pressure drop results from the friction caused by fluids rubbing against
the piping components and the interior walls of a piping system.
For a given system, it can be calculated with engineering models using the
type of fluid, its flow rate, the piping layout and specifications (including
pipe diameter), the system component specifications (such as pumps),
And more.

Pressure drop in and of itself is not necessarily bad. Understanding how

to calculate it in a specific pipeline allows engineers to properly design a
system, and determine variables such as pipe diameter, pump
specifications, and the types of valves to be used,among other things.
However, there are also negative consequences associated with pressure
drop if it is not well understood for a particular installation.
If there is an excessive pressure drop in a system, the working fluid
temperatures increase, and system pumps will need to work harder due to
increased energy consumption. Pressure drops can also increase overall
system pressure, increasing wear on components and introducing
potentially dangerous over-pressure conditions. Finally excessive
pressure drop can also render some piping system components inoperable
due to inadequate operating pressures, or create damaging
System cavitation.

WHY DOES PRESSURE DROP MATTER?

It’s most basic level, understanding the pressure drop that is associated
with a specific fluid-carrying network allows process plant engineers to
determine the size of the pumps/motors needed and the process pipe
diameter required moving a particular type of product through a piping
system.
The higher the pressure drop in the line, the greater the amount of
energy consumed to maintain the desired process flow, requiring a
higher horsepower motor.
Conversely, the lower the pressure drop in a piping system, the less
energy consumed, providing the potential to use a lower
horsepower motor. Pressure drop also determines the overall system
pressure head requirements.
Pressure head (aka pump pressure head) is simply the height to which a
specific pump can lift a column of water, typically expressed in meters. It
is essentially a measure of the force the pump imparts on the fluid being
pumped. Pump pressure heads may be calculated, or may be available
from the pump’s manufacturer. However it’s determined, pump pressure
head must be added back into any pressure drop that’s otherwise
occurring in a piping system.
if the required pressure head is too large as a result of the need to
overcome a large pressure drop, this can have an adverse effect on
components within the system, including the proper operation of
ancillary equipment, premature failure of seals, and potentially harmful
over-pressure situations.
THE EFFECT OF PRESSURE DROP ON SAFETY

Over-pressure situations caused by pressure drop can also lead to safety

concerns. Processing systems are designed to operate safely and
efficiently. When system piping is undersized for a specific application,
the pump has to be oversized to accommodate the pressure drop. In this
situation, equipment close to the pump experiences higher-than-
acceptable pressures.
This can lead to ruptures in the piping, exposing processing plant
personnel to unsafe working conditions (e.g., hot liquid products,
corrosive cleaning chemicals, etc.)

WHAT AFFECTS PRESSURE DROP?

1. THE PRODUCT
When considering the potential for pressure drop in a specific fluid
processing system, the first thing needed is an understanding of the
nature of the product being pumped through it.
Fluid properties including:
 Density
 Heat capacity
 Temperature
 Viscosity
2. MECHANICAL COMPONENTS
Mechanical components in a piping system--including valves, flow
meters, adapters, couplings, and tubing--can also have an impact on
pressure drop. Apart from pumps, all of these components commonly
found in a process piping system will contribute to a system’s pressure
drop because they remove energy from the process flow, rather than
adding to it.
The mechanical pressure drop also depends on
 The cross-sectional area of the pipe
 The pipe's interior surface roughness
 The length of the pipe
 How many bends there are in the system
 The geometrical complexity of each component
For example, changes in fluid flow or direction--such as those created by
introducing 45- or 90-degree elbows-- can increase friction and pressure
drop. Also, the greater the distance that the fluid must travel in the
system, the greater the surface area there is to cause friction.

3-CHANGES IN ELEVATION OF PIPING

Pressure drop can also be significantly affected by a change in elevation
in the piping system. If the starting elevation of a pipe is lower than its
end elevation, there will be an additional pressure drop in the system
caused by the rise in elevation (measured in terms of fluid head, which is
equivalent to the rise in elevation).
Conversely, if the starting elevation of the pipe is higher than its end
elevation, there will be an additional pressure gain due to the drop in
elevation (again, measured in terms of fluid head, and equivalent to the
fall in elevation in this case).
For a specific piping system, the overall pressure drop may be
calculated by applying several equations. One example used to
calculate the pressure drop in the process piping is given by the
following:

P(end)= P(start) - friction loss- fittings loss -component loss + elevation

(start-end) + pump head
Where

P(end)= pressure at the end of the pipe

P(start)= pressure at the start of the pipe
Elevation (start-end) = (elevation at the start of the pipe) – (elevation at the
end of the pipe)
Pump head= 0 (if no pump is present)

So, when designing a process system to minimize or eliminate pressure

Drop, process plant engineers should do the following:

 Ensure that the process pipe’s interior diameter and the size of
the pump (horsepower, throughput) are properly sized for the
type of fluid that’s being piped through the system. Mistakes
made in either of these can result in either excessive pressure
drops or overpressure situations.
 Minimize the number of additional mechanical components
(valves, flow meters, adaptors, and couplings) in a process
pipeline, as all of these can add to problems with pressure drop.
 Ensure that the process pipeline is laid out to be as compact as
possible, minimizing pipe lengths and bends. Excessive pipe run
lengths and changes in direction will contribute to pressure drop.
 Make sure that the process pipelines are as level as possible,
ideally with both staring and end elevations close to the same
height. As noted above, changes in piping elevation in the overall
system will contribute to either pressure drop or overpressure
situations.
References:

1- https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_and_tube_heat_exch
Anger.
2- Heat Transfer Principles and Applications by Charles H.forsberg.
3- Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of Flow
Patterns,Pressure Drop, and Heat Transfer Coefficient in Staggered
and Inline Shell-Tube Heat Exchanger.
4- Thundil Karuppa Raj, Srikanth Ganne. Shell side numerica
analysis of a shell and tube heat exchanger considering the effects of
baffle inclination angle on fluid flow using CFD journal of science
direct.
5- Arjun K.S. and Gopu K.B. Design of Shell and Tube Heat
Exchanger Using Computational Fluid Dynamics Tools .journal of
Research Journal of Engineering Sciences.
6- Sachin k.Patel. , A.R.Patel "INVESTIGATION OF
PERFOMANCE FOR SHELL AND TUBE HEAT
EXCHANGER".
7- Ms.VanditaThantharate,.D.B.Zodpe Experimental and Numerical
Comparison of Heat Transfer Performance of Twisted Tube and
Plain Tube Heat Exchangers. (2-4).
8- Experimental determination of the heat transfer coefficient in
shell-and-tube condensers using the Wilson plot method.
9- Anil Kumar Samal “Shell and tube heat exchanger design using
CFD tools.
10- Simple heat transfer correlations for turbulent tube flow.