Integrate Thermal & Mechanical Heat Exchanger Designs to Save

Time and Reduce Capital Costs.

Webinar Q&A
This document summarizes the responses to questions posed before and during the webinar on general
Heat Exchanger Designs topics.

Is it possible to limit velocity and back calculate the design?

Yes, both of these design limits can be specified from the Design Options form.
In the full Aspen Exchanger Design and Rating (EDR) Browser, open the Program Options folder.
Choose the first item in the folder, Design Options. To specify the baffle cut and other geometry limits
click on the second tab at the top, Geometry Limits. To set the minimum and maximum fluid velocity,
click on the Process Limits tab.
If you wanted to apply the same set of constraints to multiple exchanger designs, it may be helpful to
save these limits to a template. Once you have finished entering the customized design options, click
on the File menu and save the file as a Design Document Template (*.EDT). You can then use this
template as a starting point for new EDR designs.

Is Aspen Shell & Tube Mechanical used by many of the exchanger equipment vendors? Do
they use it for equipment quotes?
Yes, there are a large number of vendors using Aspen Shell &Tube Mechanical. Aspen Shell & Tube
Mechanical is a specialized tool for the design of heat exchangers offering many advantages over
typical pressure vessel mechanical design tools Many use the rigorous costing models as the basis
of their quotes.

How would you handle plate and shell exchangers?

We do not currently have a plate-and-shell model.

How do the models for shell and tube and plate heat exchangers handle non-Newtonian
fluids?
All of the correlations used by Aspen EDR are documented in the Design Reports on the HTFS
Research Network. DR27 reports the design procedures used to calculate heat transfer to Newtonian
and Non-Newtonian fluids. Our plate heat exchanger program allows specification of non-Newtonian
fluids.

Does the heat exchanger designed with Aspen Shell and Tube Exchanger show where ice is
forming?
In Aspen Shell & Tube Exchanger you can check the minimum wall temperature to ensure you are
above the freezing point of your fluids.

Does Shell & Tube heat exchanger thermal design work with non-Aspen mechanical
programs?
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Some 3 party vendors of mechanical design software can load data from Aspen Shell & Tube
Exchanger

Is it possible to calculate the heat transfer coefficient of an exchanger in operation?

Yes, when you size a heat exchanger using Aspen EDR within an Aspen Plus or Aspen HYSYS
simulation, the rigorous design is live within your simulation and will recalculate in response to
process changes, just as all other unit operations in your flowsheet.
You can view the overall heat transfer coefficient on the heat exchanger from inside the simulation or
by opening the Aspen EDR Browser.

Do you have any plans to include PCHE type into the Aspen Exchanger Tool?
We have no immediate plans to include explicit modeling of PCHEs but we do know customers who
use our plate-fin program for this type of exchanger.

Can the Aspen Shell & Tube Mechanical print the design calculations?
You can print the full ASME code design calculations, which are located in the Code Calculations
folder in Aspen EDR Mechanical.

Do you supply the interface sources of your program to import your data into user programs?
The Aspen EDR software does support automation protocols so it is quite feasible to link to user
programs.

Can you use Aspen EDR for sizing thermosiphon and kettle type reboilers?
Yes, we have published instructions on our Support Center website that explain how to use Aspen
EDR for both of these cases and there are a number of customers who published case studies on
successful use of our products in that context. Please refer to the Knowledge Base solutions at
http://support.aspentech.com/.

How does the energy analysis come up with the target energy savings potential, and could
you give a high level overview of the steps to identify the 18% savings actually implemented?

Energy Analysis in Aspen Plus and Aspen HYSYS is possible through integration with our Aspen
Energy Analyzer product. Please see our public website and the Aspentech training center for our
Jump Start guides, online training modules and video tutorials to give you an overview of how Energy
Analysis works and how to get started.

Is there a user guide for Aspen EDR similar to the ones that come with Aspen HYSYS? If so,
can you provide a link?
There is a Jump Start guide for Aspen Shell & Tube Exchanger on our public website. You can
download it at http://www.aspentech.com/products/aspen-tascplus.aspx.
For more training materials on all of our EDR products please visit:
www.aspentech.com/products/edr-tutorials

Is there full documentation about Aspen Exchanger Design and Rating available?
Documentation for each of our Aspen EDR products is available from the Aspentech support website.
In addition, many of our leading customers license the Aspen HTFS Research Network where they
can access documentation of the models and correlations used in our software. This includes
proprietary research data used to derive correlations or validate overall exchanger modeling.

Can simulation mode push a process variable backwards? For example, a cooling water
exchanger in standalone Aspen EDR we can give an inlet/outlet temperature and let Aspen
EDR calculate the flowrate. Can this flowrate be pushed back to Aspen HYSYS in integrated
mode?
At the moment the simulation by Aspen EDR within Aspen HYSYS calculates process outlet
conditions for defined stream inlet conditions and defined stream flowrates. You can use an adjust
block in Aspen HYSYS to achieve this type of calculation. Please contact us so that we are able to
understand what you are seeking to achieve.

What about the construction codes Aspen EDR Shell & Tube (mech.) / other than ASME also
fine-tuned?
As well as ASME, Aspen Shell & Tube Mechanical can handle EN13445, AD Merkblatter and
COADAP.

In earlier versions of Aspen HYSYS , the interpolation between very steep compressor curves
was not interpolated properly. Has this been corrected in V8?
Improvements have been made in the interpolation and representation of compressor curves,
including support of quasi-dimensional and non-dimensional performance curves.

Is it possible to open Aspen HYSYS cases built using V8 in an earlier version of Aspen HYSYS
(e.g., V7.3)?
In general, Aspen HYSYS only supports forward compatibility, e.g., an Aspen HYSYS case saved in
an earlier version can be opened in a later version.

Are there any options that model jacket cooling when using piston compressors?
This functionality is not supported at this time.

Does AspenTech Global Services provide services directly to a client or through an existing
AspenTech registered user?
AspenTech Global Services provides paid consulting services for a wide variety of customers.

Which is more efficient in centrifugal compressor- IGV control or variable frequency drive?
Both have their place depending on the application. You should discuss the pros and cons for any
specific case with the equipment vendor. In some cases there may not be an option.

Can we use variable frequency/speed drive with reciprocating compressors?

There is no reason why variable speed drives cannot be used with reciprocating compressors.
However, the normal method of control is via clearance volume adjustment or pressure-controlled
recycling.

Can we model a gas turbine used in a power plant?

Gas turbines have been modeled in Aspen HYSYS using a combination of the Expander model and
the Gibbs reactor model to represent the combustion chamber. An example of dynamic gas turbine
model is available for download from the AspenTech support website (support.aspentech.com) Solution ID 131736. The convection section modeling of Aspen Fired Heater has been used by some
customers to model Heat Recovery Steam Generators on Combined Cycle power plant.