Optimizing Performance of Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers

Overview
Introduction Understanding Air Cooled Exchangers Most Common Performance Failures Determine Current Performance Performance Enhancement Options Costs of Enhancement Other Considerations

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Introduction
Induced Draft Fin-Fan Air-Cooled Heat Exchanger

Bare Tube Bundle with Plug Style Header Boxes

Redwood Cooling Tower

Introduction
Petroleum Refining

Oil & Gas Production

Power Generation

Petrochemical

Gas Processing

Oil and Gas Transport

Understanding ACHEs

Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers

Induced Draft
Fans positioned above the exchanger bundle High velocity Reduces hot air recirculation Plenums protect exchanger bundle from elements Better air distribution across the bundle Better process control and stability Increases capacity in a fan-off or fan failure condition

Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers (cont.)

Forced Draft
Fans and mechanical components positioned below exchanger bundle Lower horsepower requirements Maintenance personnel protected from high exit-air temperatures Well suited for high temperature service

Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers

Gas Pipeline Compression

Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers

LNG Facility

Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers

Offshore Platforms

Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers

Cold Climate Designs

Most Common Performance Failures

Fan Assembly
Static Efficiency Mechanical Design - Tip Clearances - Inlet Bells

Tube Selection
Fin Efficiency, Gap Resistance Single Tube Testing - Performance Verification

Tube Side Fouling Air Side Fouling

Air Borne Contaminants Under specified Fouling Factors

Hot Air Re-circulation

Plant Layout, Unit Design

Determine Current Performance

STEP #1: Obtain original data sheets.
Check the current process conditions against the original design conditions.

Determine Current Performance

STEP #2: Perform visual inspection:
The fans
Operational Issues - rotation, blade settings Tip clearances correct? Inlet bells?

Determine Current Performance

STEP #2: Continued
Air leaks - seals, plenums? The mechanicals
Belt condition? Motor operational? Fan Shaft condition?

Bearings

Determine Current Performance

STEP #2: Continued
The fin tubes
Fin cleanliness, condition? (Top & Bottom) Loose Wrap-On fins? If embedded - tubes corroded? Fins crushed? (Usually on top) Tube spacing correct? Tubes distorted from heat? Tube side pressure drop? Within specifications?

Water Sprayed Finned Tubes

Finned Tubes
Hy-Fin Extruded

Hy-Fin Extruded Serrated Wrap-On

Embedded

Determine Current Performance

STEP #2: Continued
The louvers and steam coils
Louver operation, full range? Actuator operation? Correct operation direction? Steam coil operation - summer, winter? Is the steam coil blocked?

Louvers - Winterized Unit

Determine Current Performance

STEP #3: Air-side testing:
Shaft speed measurement & adjustment to assure constant RPM for all fans

Determine Current Performance

STEP #3: Continued
Measurement
voltage, amperage, horsepower power factor

Adjustment of fan blade pitch

correct motor loading

Measurement of air velocity

flow through the fin tube bundle.

Determine Current Performance

STEP #3: Continued
Measurement
pressure drop across the fin tube bundle. temperature rise across the fin tube bundle.

Determine Current Performance

Step #4 Calculate air side heat transfer rate: Qair = (r V A) x (cp) x (Tout - Tin)
r = average air density; lbm/cuft V = average measured velocity; ft/hr A = bundle face area; sqft cp = average air specific heat; Btu/lbm-F Tout = average air temperature leaving bundle; F T in = average air temperature entering bundle; F

Determine Current Performance

STEP #4: Continued
Compare calculated air side heat transfer
to the design duty.

Air-side testing
baseline the unit to set enhancement goals

Determine Current Performance

STEP #5:
Upon completion of tune up
assess performance enhancement options.

Performance Enhancement Options

Fan Assembly:
Increase blade pitch on all fans IF motor horse power is available. Check tip clearances are not tight enough
(< 3/8 inch), install tip seals.

Consider Inlet Bells

Axial Flow Fans

Efficient Air Flow

Inlet Bells Tip Seals and Seal Discs

Performance Enhancement Options

Fan Efficiency
Consider higher efficiency fans over low efficiency straight chord aluminum blades.

Fan Cord Comparison

Fan Cord Comparison (cont.)

Performance Enhancement Options

Tube Side Fouling
Bundle inspection and cleaning Plug and Gasket Replacement (also for cover plate designs)

Threading Problems - lubricants, material compatibility Machining and alignment

Performance Enhancement Options

Air Side Fouling
Air Borne Contaminants Fin tubes condition, cleanliness
Cleaning or retubing the bundle with equivalent or higher grade fin tubes Install bug screens

Serrated type fin tube upgrade to maximize plot space and cooling capacity

Finned Tubes
Hy-Fin Extruded

Hy-Fin Extruded Serrated Wrap-On

Embedded

Tube Out & Hydrotest Shop

Performance Enhancement Options

Bundle Condition
Consider bundle replacement - shutdown restrictions If fin tube corrosion is severe, headers may need replacing to meet ASME MAWP requirements

Maximizing Potential Heat Duty

Hot Air Recirculation
Inlet Air Temperature is Increased Location Original design - intake area Consider exhaust stacks Computation Fluid Dynamics Study

Exhaust Stacks

CFD Computational Fluid Dynamics

Air Behavior
Features

Engineering services which predict site-specific air behavior minimizing potential hot air recirculation

Performance Enhancement Options

Adding Units
Additional Flow, Cooling Hydraulic Balance Consideration

Cost of Enhancements
Tip Seals Inlet Bells Cleaning Stacks Fan/Mech New Bundle Humidification Add Unit $500/Fan $500/Fan $?? $200/Lft $10K/Fan $30K-$80K $600/Lft $100K-$250K 3% to 8% 3% to 8% 5% to ?% 10% to 30% 8% to 20% 10%-40% 20%-40% ??

Other Considerations
Tube rolling problems
Tube wall thickness, work hardening

Preferred Piping Configuration

Hydraulic considerations API allowable tolerances vs. Piping Code Stub in Headers

Other Considerations
Split Header Requirements
Sudden process changes, high temperatures, tube pullout

Optimizing Performance of Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers