HEAT EXCHANGER NETWORKS I – HEAT TRANSFER EQUIPMENT

Many types of heat transfer equipment are used in the process industries. By far, the most commonly
used type is the shell-and-tube heat exchanger. Two of the more common types of shell-and-tube heat
exchanger are illustrated in Figure 15.1. The first, shown in Figure 15.1a, shows the fluid flowing through
the tubes in a single pass. Figure 15.1b shows a design in which the fluid flows in two passes through the
tube-side. The two-pass arrangement can be constructed using “U” tubes to turn the tube-side fluid,
rather than relying on the heat exchanger head to reverse the flow, as shown in Figure 15.1b. The fluid
flowing in the shell is made to flow repeatedly across the outside of the tubes through the use of baffles.
Figure 15.2a shows an ideal shell-side flow pattern using segmented baffles with combinations of ideal
cross-flow and ideal axial flow. Cross-flow gives both higher rates of heat transfer and higher pressure
drops than axial flow. In practice, the flow pattern is not ideal, as illustrated in Figure 15.2a, but leakage
occurs through the tube-to-baffle clearance, as illustrated in Figure 15.2b. Also, bypassing occurs
between the tube bundle and the shell and is a function of the shell-to-baffle clearance, as illustrated in
Figure 15.2b. Sealing devices are usually included in the design to minimize bypassing. Both leakage and
bypassing act to reduce the rate of heat transfer on the shell-side. Baffle designs other than segmented
baffles are available, giving different flow patterns on the shell-side. There are many other shell-and-tube
designs than those illustrated in Figure 15.11–4. It should be noted that in Figure 15.1a, the hot fluid flows
vertically down. This is normal practice since a hot liquid will become more dense as it is cooled, and
therefore less buoyant, and would tend to naturally flow downwards as a result of the buoyancy forces.
Also, if some condensation of the vapor were occurring, this would also tend to flow naturally downwards.
Similarly, in Figure 15.1b, the cold fluid on the tube-side of the heat exchanger flows upwards. This is
because a cold liquid being heated up would become less dense and therefore more buoyant, and would
tend to naturally flow upwards as a result of the buoyancy forces. Alternatively, if a liquid were being
partially vaporized, any vapor would tend to naturally flow upwards. Consider first the resistance to heat
transfer across the wall of the tubes.

Gambar 1. Shell-and-tube Heat Exchanger

 Gambar 2. Shell-side flow patterns

15.1 OVERALL HEAT TRANSFER COEFFICIENTS

Figure 15.3 illustrates the resistance to heat transfer across the wall of the tube. There are five
resistances to heat transfer. Each can be characterized by a heat transfer coefficient.

1. Shell–side film coefficient

The heat transfer through the resistance created by the fluid on the outside (shell-side) of the tubes is
given by:
𝑄 = ℎ𝑠 𝐴𝑜 ∆𝑇𝑠
where
Q = heat transferred per unit time (J・s−1 = W)
hS = film heat transfer coefficient on the outside (shell-side) of the tubes (W・m−2・K−1)
AO = heat transfer area outside (shell-side) of the tubes (m 2)
∆TS = temperature difference across the outside (shell-side) film (K)
2. Shell-side fouling coefficient
Heat transfer is usually impeded by surface deposits on the heat transfer surface (fouling). The
material deposited as fouling usually has a low thermal conductivity. Fouling is time dependent and
depends on the fluid velocity, temperature and many other factors. Fouling is difficult to predict and
allowances are usually based on experience. Design is based on an assumed value to be expected
after a reasonable period of time before the exchanger is cleaned. The heat transfer through the
resistance created by the outside (shell-side) fouling is quantified by a fouling coefficient given by:
 𝑄 = ℎ𝑆𝐹 𝐴𝑜 ∆𝑇𝑆𝐹
where
hSF = outside (shell-side) fouling coefficient (W・m−2・K−1)
∆TSF = temperature difference across the outside (shell-side) fouling resistance (K)

3. Tube wall coefficient

Heat transfer across the tube wall is described by the Fourier Equation1:
𝑑𝑇
𝑄 = −𝑘𝐴
𝑑𝑟
where
k = thermal conductivity of the tube wall material (W・m−1・K−1)
r = radial distance (m)
A = heat transfer area at radial distance r(m)
Consider an incremental thickness of tube wall dr with radius r as illustrated in Figure 15.3.
𝐴 = 2𝜋𝑟𝐿
where
L = tube length (m)
Substituting Equation 15.4 into Equation 15.3 and integrating:
𝑟𝑜 𝑇𝑜
𝑄 𝑑𝑟
− ∫ = ∫ 𝑑𝑇
2𝜋𝑘𝐿 𝑟𝐼 𝑟 𝑇𝐼
where
rO = outside tube radius (m)
rI = inside tube radius (m)
TO = outside surface temperature of the tube (◦C)
TI = inside surface temperature of the tube (◦C)
Integrating Equation 15.5 gives:
𝑄 𝑟𝑂
− ln ( ) = 𝑇𝑜 − 𝑇𝐼
2𝜋𝑘𝐿 𝑟𝐼
Thus
2𝜋𝑘𝐿
𝑄= ∆𝑇𝑤
𝑑
ln ( 𝑂 )
𝑑𝐼
Where
dO, dI = outside and inside tube diameters (m)
∆TW = temperature difference across the wall (K)
4. Tube-side fouling coefficient
The heat transfer through the resistance created by the inside (tube-side) fouling is given by:
𝑄 = ℎ 𝑇𝐹 𝐴𝐼 ∆𝑇𝑇𝐹

where
hTF = inside (tube-side) fouling coefficient (W・m−2・K−1)
AI = inside (tube-side) heat transfer area of tubes (m 2)
∆TTF = temperature difference across the tube-side fouling resistance (K)

5. Tube-side film coefficient

The heat transfer through the resistance created by the fluid on the inside (tube-side) of the tubes is given
by:
𝑄 = ℎ 𝑇 𝐴𝐼 ∆𝑇𝑇
where
hT = inside (tube-side) film heat transfer coefficient (W・m−2・K−1)
∆TT = temperature difference across the inside (tube-side) film (K)

The five resistances can be added. If ∆T represents the temperature difference between the bulk
temperature of the fluid on the outside and inside of the tubes, then the temperature differences across
the individual resistances can be added to give:

Rearranging Equation 15.10 gives:

If the overall heat transfer is written as:

where U = overall heat transfer coefficient based on the outside area of the tube (W・m−2・K−1), then
comparing Equations 15.11 and 15.12:

Table 15.1 lists typical values for the film transfer coefficients1–4. Table 15.2 gives typical values of fouling
coefficients1–4. Fouling is often quoted as a fouling factor. This is simply the reciprocal of the fouling
coefficient.
Table 15.1 Typical values for film transfer coefficients.

Table 15.2 Typical values of fouling coefficients.