JITENDRA SURVE PIPING GUIDE 01/04/03

SHELL AND TUBE EXCHANGERS

EXCHANGER LOCATION AND SUPPORT

• Exchangers shall be located next to their related equipment or vessel

in sequence of process flow, keeping large diameter and alloy piping to
a minimum length and satisfying economics, piping flexibility, and
special process requirements as indicated in PID.
• Exchangers shall be elevated to provide for the following:
1. Gravity flow of product from one piece of equipment to another.
2. Required NPSH of pump.
3. Other mechanical or process requirements.

• Minimum elevation requirements shall be as indicated on the PID.

Deviation from the minimum elevation shall be approved by the
process engineer.
• Exchangers which must be elevated should be grouped together
whenever practical in a common structure with other equipments
having similar process requirements. Ladder and stairways shall be
provided as per standard.
• Flow patterns are established in the PID. Fluid being cooled should flow
down the exchanger. Fluid being heated should flow up the exchanger.
• Vapor return line should be oriented so that liquid is not blown off the
seal pan. Check the process before releasing vessel orientation to
vessel department.
• Preferred method is to keep vapor line as short as possible for
flexibility requirements. Minimize piping runs and elbows.
• Parallel and symmetric arrangements shall be reviewed by process.
• Horizontal shell and tube exchangers should be positioned so that the
channel end faces the auxiliary road or maintenance access way for
tube bundle removal with adequate space provided at the front end of
the exchanger for bonnet removal.
• Fig: 6-11 shows the exchanger orientation.

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JITENDRA SURVE PIPING GUIDE 01/04/03

• Exchangers can be located as single items, in pairs (this is the most

common installation), or in larger groups when no intermediate control
is required between the shell and tube streams.
• The single and paired installation is shown in fig: 6-12.

• Paired exchangers may operate in series, parallel or dissimilar

services; grouped exchangers operate only in series or parallel.
• Fig: 6-13 shows samples of parallel and series exchanger installations.

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JITENDRA SURVE PIPING GUIDE 01/04/03

• Paired and grouped exchangers should be spaced to allow a minimum

of 18 in (450mm) between the outside of adjacent channel or bonnet
flanges to facilitate access to flange bolts for maintenance.
• Spaced should be provided on either side of paired exchangers and at
both ends of grouped exchangers for control and operator access.
• Fig: 6-14 illustrates a structure mounted installation and its required
access areas.

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JITENDRA SURVE PIPING GUIDE 01/04/03

• Horizontal exchangers may be stacked to a preferred maximum top

shell centerline elevation of 12 ft (3600 mm) from grade or platform,
as shown in fig: 6-15.

• Stacking of exchangers above this height may require platforming for

access to channel and bonnet flanges and fixed handling devices.
• Horizontal shell and tube exchangers may be located at grade or
elevated in steel or concrete structures when process requirement or
space requirement dictate.
• Support of horizontal exchangers as shown in Fig: 6-16 is by saddles
attached to concrete piers for grade mounted installations and by
saddles attached to steel frames in elevated installations.
• When possible, supports should be inline for common foundation
design.
• Exchangers having cooling water from underground to channel shall
have anchor at channel end.
• Anchor locations for exchangers without underground piping
connections shall be determined by piping flexibility.
• Horizontal reboiler anchor location depends on relationship of vessel.
Anchor one end only.
• Thermosyphon reboilers may be supported from adjacent vessel or
from independent structure from grade. In either case, the method and
location of support shall be determined by piping stress. Location of
the supports shall be determined on the basis of minimizing differential
movements between reboiler piping and the vessel.
• If steam is to be circulated through reboiler prior to start up or if there
is an appreciable increase in temperature of the reboiler and vessel,
the reboiler may require spring supports.
• When possible, support thermosyphon reboilers independent of
platform to improve maintenance and operation accessibility.
• If process requirements permit, shell and tube exchanger can also be
mounted in vertical position, supported by lugs and tower nozzles in
tower supported installation (Fig: 6-17), within concrete or steel
structure (Fig: 6-18) and by concrete piers (Fig : 6-19).

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JITENDRA SURVE PIPING GUIDE 01/04/03

• The same considerations for maintenance, control and operator access

should be given for vertical installations as are for horizontal
installations.

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JITENDRA SURVE PIPING GUIDE 01/04/03

Missing pages 120,121. Missing Fig: 6-19, 6-20, 6-21, 6-22 :

• The important feature to remember when working with tower

supported vertical reboilers, not requiring springs is highlighted in fig:
6-17A above.
1. The layout designer must set the reboiler support lug elevation 1
in / 0.25 above the platform steel and not at the steel elevation.
2. Before maintenance, the 1 in / 0.25 gap will be shimmed,
thereby enabling the reboiler load to be carried by platform steel
during maintenance turnaround.
3. The nozzle and channel flange will be unbolted and the channel
section removed.
4. The tube bundle is then ready to be removed.

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