What is a Reboiler?

Types and Selection of Reboilers

(with PDF)
whatispiping.com/reboiler-type-selection/

Anup Kumar Dey July 27, 2019

What is a Reboiler?
Reboilers are typical heat exchanger that produces vapor to drive fractional
distillation separation. In classical fractional distillation services, all the vapor to drive the
separation comes from the reboiler. (Alternatively, externally generated vapor, feed preheat,
or inter-reboiler systems may be used). Proper reboiler operation is vital to effective
distillation.

Types of Reboilers
Reboilers are classified depending on the orientation of the reboiler and the type of
circulation used.

Depending on the reboiler orientation there are two types of reboilers:

Vertical Reboiler (Fig. 2) and

Horizontal Reboiler (Fig. 1 and 3)

Depending on the types of circulation, the following five types of reboilers are widely used

Fired Reboilers
Force Circulation Reboilers
Kettle Reboilers
Thermosyphon Reboilers
Internal reboilers

The selection of the proper type of reboiler for any specific service is the most difficult job of
reboiler design. Reboilers normally are shell-and-tube exchangers that heat up the
fractionation column fluid utilizing the heat transfer from steam. Specific services may use
other specialized designs including stab-ins, plate-fins, spiral-plate, and others. The purpose
here is not to go into the design details of each specific type but rather to examine the
selection criteria that favor one configuration over another. Since shell-and-tubes are so
common, most of the discussion focuses on them but some factors favoring other designs
are covered as well.

Factors influencing Reboiler Type Selection

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Many factors influence reboiler type selection. In the end, all these factors reduce
economics. Every plant will weigh the trade-off between these factors differently. No one-
size-fits-all selection exists. Major factors include:

Plot space available

Total duty required
The fraction of tower liquid traffic vaporized
Fouling tendency
Temperature approach available
Temperature approach required
Corrosion of the fluid.
Design temperature and Pressure.
Characteristics of the reboiler boiling fluid.
Heating medium requirements.

Reboiler Configurations
All of the above mentioned factors affect the desired configuration of the Reboiler. The major
configuration selections include:

Forced reboiler versus natural circulation reboiler

Tube side versus shell side vaporization inside reboiler
Once-through versus process recirculation reboiler
Single-shell versus multiple-shell systems
Vertical versus horizontal reboiler
Stab-in bundles
Other types

Figures 1 to 4 show common types of reboilers. Figure 1 shows two horizontal, shell-side
boiling configurations. Figure 1A is a recirculating thermosyphon reboiler. Figure 2A is a
once-through thermosyphon reboiler. Figure 2 shows vertical configurations. Figure 2C is a
tube-side boiling configuration with the once-through flow and Figure 2D is a shell-side
boiling recirculating thermosyphon. Figure 3E shows a kettle reboiler and Figure 3F shows a
forced-circulation reboiler. Figure 4G illustrates a stab-in bundle and figure 4H shows a
forced-circulation, fired heater.

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Fig.1: Horizontal Shell Side Boiling Reboilers

Fig. 2: Vertical Reboilers

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 Fig. 3: Flooded bundle reboilers

Fig. 4: Stab-in and fired heater reboilers

Reboiler Type Selection Table

Table 1 includes the major factors in making a choice for the reboiler type selection.

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 Factor Favored types Disfavored
types

Low bottoms product fraction compared to Recirculating Once-through

boil-up Kettle

High bottoms product fraction compared to Once-through Recirculating

boil-up reboiler

Low relative volatility systems Recirculating

High relative volatility systems Once-through Recirculating

Large exchanger size or high-duty Horizontal reboiler Vertical reboiler

requirements

Small exchangers Vertical

Stab-in

Leaks are hazardous or difficult to deal with Stab-in

Exotic materials Stab-in

Tight temperature approach Spiral-plate Shell-and-tube

Plate-fin

Solids present Kettle Plate-fin

Spiral-plate

Thermally unstable products Recirculating (no Kettle

baffle) Once through

Tight plot plan Vertical Horizontal

Ample plot plan Horizontal

High temperatures Fired heaters

High heat fluxes Forced circulation Natural

Flooded bundles circulation

Table. 1: Reboiler-type selection table

Different Types of Pumps
Different Types of Pumps

Other systems in addition to the ones shown here are also possible. Of course, every
reboiler system’s final choice will depend upon specific design details involved. Many reboiler
systems have specific characteristics that favor designs that might not be immediately
apparent.

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 Few more resources for you…

Piping Design and Layout

Piping Stress Analysis
Piping Materials
Piping Interface

Further Studies

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reboiler
https://www.chemicalprocessing.com/articles/2012/select-the-right-reboiler/

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