SOL ALPHA
Heat transfer · Shell-and-tube heat exchanger

Design a shell-and-tube product cooler

Thermal, hydraulic and mechanical design of a product cooler from heat duty to the pressure-retaining equipment.

5 solution steps7 suggested modulesStatus: solution concept

The engineering task

A continuous process stream must be cooled from a high inlet temperature to a specified outlet temperature. Cooling water is available at a limited inlet temperature and flow rate. The permissible pressure drop on each side must be respected while velocities must remain high enough to limit fouling and low enough to avoid erosion.

The task does not end with heat-transfer area. Tube pitch, tube length, number of passes and baffle spacing affect heat transfer, pressure drop, fouling and vibration at the same time. The tubesheet, shell, heads, flanges, nozzles and overpressure protection must then be verified for the selected design cases.

Required design data

  • Flow rate, composition and inlet/outlet temperatures of both fluids
  • Operating/design pressure and permissible pressure drop on each side
  • Fouling factors, materials and corrosion allowances
  • Required construction, cleanability and available installation length

Technical solution approach

Close the heat balance

Determine heat duty from mass flow and enthalpy change. Cooling-water flow follows from its allowable temperature rise; both sides must yield the same duty.

Check the temperature programme

Compare counter-current, co-current and multipass arrangements using the effective mean temperature difference. Exclude temperature crosses and impractically small terminal differences.

Iterate the geometry

Estimate area with an initial overall coefficient, then iterate tube diameter, count, length, baffle spacing and pass count until duty and pressure-drop limits are met together.

Check operating risks

Review velocities, fouling margin, vibration excitation, possible two-phase regions and loss of either utility. Startup, shutdown and blocked-outlet cases matter as well as normal operation.

Verify the pressure parts

Once geometry is fixed, calculate shell, heads, tubesheet, flanges and openings within one consistent code family and define overpressure protection.

Expected deliverables

Heat duty and required area
Main dimensions, tube count and baffle arrangement
Pressure drops, velocities and fouling margin
Mechanical checks and relief case

Suitable SOL ALPHA modules

The modules form a technically plausible toolchain. Their final selection and sequence will be confirmed during the later calculation against the applicable code and project conditions.

PROPDesign dataInterface to determination of properties with PROPERprovides temperature-dependent properties for both fluids→BILProcess designMaterial and heat balancingcloses the material and heat balance and determines duty→WTSThermal designThermal and hydraulic design of shell and tube and double pipe heat exchangerssizes area and geometry thermally and hydraulically→RDVHydraulicsTube-side pressure drop in shell and tube heat exchangerschecks tube-side pressure drop→RBSAVerificationTube bundle vibration analysischecks flow-induced tube vibration→E135Mechanical designFixed tubesheetsverifies a fixed tubesheet to DIN EN 13445→A2SafetySafety facilities to protect against pressure transgression: Safety valvessizes pressure relief for the governing upset case→