CONDENSER

DESIGN DESCRIPTION
The shell and tube condenser is used to condense the vaporized
Hexane from the evaporator. Custom engineering capabilities and application
oriented features ensure a shell and tube condenser that is a perfect match
to ones requirements.
BASIS FOR SELECTION
Shell and Tube Condenser will be used. The advantage of shell and
tube condenser is that, it allows use of hexane that will be recovered
because mixing of the condensate with the condenser cooling water is
avoided.
MATERIALS OF CONSTRUCTION
The material of construction is carbon steel based from Plant Design
and Economics for ChE, Peters and Timmerhaus.
DATA AND ASSUMPTIONS
1. Amount of entering vapor containing hexane is 515 kg. (Based on
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

material balance)
Temperature of feed is 70 C (158 F). (Based on experimentation)
Temperature of cooling water is 29 C. (84.2 F)
Temperature of condensate is 25 C. (77F)
Temperature of exiting water is 40 C. (104F)
Heat required is 52,375.5 kJ.

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
1. Condenser coefficient ranges from 250-500 Btu/h-ft2-F for coolers
using water (from Plant Design and Economics by Peters, page 406).
2. Consider 1-in pipe diameter and 4-ft long pipe.
3. Water is the cooling medium used for the condenser.

4. The filling capacity is 80%.

5. The safety factor for condenser is 15% (from Plant Design and
Economics for Chemical Engineers, 5th edition, Peters and
Timmerhaus)
6. Consider the condenser to be 2 pass for economic purposes.
7. The tube length minimum may vary from 1.2 m to 1.8 m long (from
Perrys Chemical Engineering Handbook, 8th ed.,page 111-112)
8. Tube layout is a triangular pitch for easy cleaning (from p.703 of Plant
Design and Economics by Peters).
9. For tube pitch, use 1.25 times the tube diameter for economic reasons
(from p.703 of Plant Design and Economics by Peters).
10.
Tube clearance should not be less than of the tube diameter
(from p.703 of Plant Design and Economics by Peters).
11.
Material of construction is carbon steel. (from Plant Design and
Economics by Peters and Timmerhaus, pg. 448, Table 10-4)

DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
1. Heat transfer Area
2. Capacity
3. Diameter
4. Height
5. No. of Tubes
6. Tube Pitch
7. Tube Clearance
8. Bundle Diameter
9. Bundle Diameter Clearance
10.
Shell Diameter

DESIGN CALCULATIONS
1. Heat Transfer Area
Q = U A T
Where U = 250 Btu/hr-ft2-F
T = Tm =

T 2 T 1
ln T 2/ T 1

( 84.277 )(1581 04)

ln(8 4.477)/(1581 04)

Tm =

Tm = 23.55F
52,375.5
A = 250 (23.55)

= 8.90 ft2 (Heat Transfer Area)

2. Capacity
Density of Hexane = 0.6548 g/cm3 = 40.88 lb/ft3
V = 515/40.88 = 12.60 ft3
For a safety factor of 15%
12.60(1.15) = 14.49 ft3 = 0.41 m3
Capacity = 0.50 m3
3. Diameter
V=

D2 L
4

: L = 1.5D
2

14.49 =

D (1.5 D)
4

D = 2.31 ft = 0.70 m
Use 0.70 m for shell diameter.
4. Height
H = L = 1.5(2.31)
L = 3.46 ft = 1.06 m
Use 1.1 m for shell height
5. No. of tubes

A tube diameter of 0.019 or 0.0254 m (1 in.) is the most common for shell and tube heat
exchanger (from p.703 of Plant Design Economics by Peters).
Using 1in diameter, 12 BWG and 4 ft long pipe from appendix 6 of McCabe and Smith,
5th Edition,
Di = 0.782 in.
Using Equation: A = rLn, where n is the number of tubes
0.782
2

12
1 ft
( 3. 46 ft ) n

8.9 ft 2=
n = 25.12 tubes, Use 26 tubes
6. Tube Pitch
From p.703 of Plant Design and Economics by Peters and Timmerhaus, tube pitch for
economic reasons is maintained between 1.25-50 times the tube diameter and tube
clearance should be not less than of the tube diameter. Minimum no less than 0.0048
m
Tube Pitch = 1.25 x tube diameter
= 1.25 x 0.0254
= 0.03175m
7. Tube Clearance
Tube Clearance = 0.03175 0.0254
= 0.00635 m
8. Bundle Diameter

271/0.249

D b=1660 mm
Values are taken from the table from Chemical Engineering by Coulson and
Richardson, 6th ed.

9. Bundle Diameter Clearance

BDC = 10 mm
10.

Shell Diameter
Ds=D b+ BDC =39452.99mm+ 10 mm=39462.99 mm

Safety factor:
D s=1.15 39462.99mm=45382.44 mm
Use: 46 m