Thermal Rating procedure for an existing heat exchanger

 The purpose is to
assess the suitability of
a given heat exchanger
for a prescribed duty.

Rating calculations of Shell and

Tube Heat Exchangers

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Serth Fig. 3.13

Solved example (3.5 From Serth) Solution Procedure – H.E. rating

Thermal rating procedure for an existing heat exchanger
30,000 lb/h of kerosene are to be cooled from 400°F to 250°F by heat
exchange with 75,000 lb/h of gas oil, which is at 110°F. Available for this
duty is a shell-and-tube heat exchanger having 156 tubes in a 21 ¼-in ID
shell. The Tubes are 1-in OD, 14 BWG, 16 ft long on a 1 ¼ in. square
pitch. The baffles are 20% cut segmental type and are spaced at 5-in
intervals. Both the shell and tube are carbon steel, having k=26
Btu/h.ft.°F. Will the exchanger be thermally suitable for this service?
Use energy balances to find the heat duty and any unknown parameters
(temperatures or mass flow rate) and determine the log-mean temperature
difference (see example 3.4 solved previously).
Step 1: Calculate the required overall coefficient, Ureq.
(a) Determine the surface area from the dimensions of the heat exchanger (use
Tables to find the required information for tubing – for example Table 10 from
Kern, in Heaslip, p. 14)

Fluid properties are as follows: (b) Solve to find the overall required heat transfer coefficient.
Kerosene cp=0.6 Btu/lbm.°F, =0.45 cp, k=0.077 Btu/h.ft.°F
Oil cp=0.5 Btu/lbm.°F, =3.5 cp, k=0.08 Btu/h.ft.°F.

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Tube dimensions H.E. rating
Step 2: Calculate the clean overall coefficient, Uc, for the given heat exchanger.
Tube side heat transfer coefficient, hi:
a) Using convection correlations (see section 2.4 Serth).
- First calculate the tube-side mass flow rate, and the Reynolds number
4m pertube
per tube Re D i 
Di 

- Find the appropriate correlation depending on the Reynolds number and solve for hi

b) Using Sieder Tate graphs (Kern, p. 53 Heaslip).

- First calculate the tube-side mass velocity, and the Reynolds number
. /
, where (ft2)
.

- Read jH from the y-axis and solve for hi.

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H.E. rating
Shell- side heat transfer coefficient, ho:

c) Use information on charts (for example Figure 3.12 Serth, or charts by Kern, p.
56 Heaslip) to find the clearance, C, pitch, PT, and shell-side equivalent diameter,
de, for a heat exchanger having 1” OD tubes on a 1 ¼ in square pitch.

Calculate the shell-side cross-flow area in ft2

Calculate the shell-side mass velocity (need to find the shell-side cross flow area)
and the Reynolds number.

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 H.E. rating
Shell- side heat transfer coefficient, ho (cont’d)

d) Find jH from Figure 3.12 Serth, previous slide or charts by Kern, p. 56 Heaslip

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H.E. rating H.E. rating

Step 3: Obtain the required fouling factors
Calculate the overall “clean” heat transfer coefficient

1
Uo 
1 Uc 
Do Do ln( Do / Di ) 1
Ao
 Ao Rcond 
1   In the absence of other information obtain fouling factors from the literature (for example Table
3.3 Serth).
hi Ai ho hi Di 2k ho
Step 4: Calculate the overall heat transfer coefficient, UD.
 If Uc> Ureq, proceed by estimating the value of UD, taking fouling into account.
 Design calculations are made on the basis of UD, since the heat exchanger 1
 1 
must be operable after fouling has occurred.
U D    RD 
 UC 
1
UD 
Do Do ln( Do / Di ) 1 RD ,i Do If UD> Ureq, the heat exchanger is suitable for service
    RD ,o
hi Di 2k ho Di

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 Fouling Factors

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