Heat Exchanger Types and Selection

In order to achieve optimum process operations, it is essential to use the right type of process
equipment in any given process. Heat exchangers, commonly used to transfer energy from one fluid
to another, are no exception.

The selection of the proper type of heat exchangers is of critical importance. Selecting the wrong
type can lead to sub-optimum plant performance, operability issues and equipment failure.

The following criteria can help in selecting the type of heat exchanger best suited for a given process:

 Application (i.e. sensible vapor or liquid, condensing or boiling)

 Operating pressures & temperatures (including startup, shutdown, normal & process upset
conditions)
 Fouling characteristics of the fluids (i.e. tendency to foul due to temperature, suspended
solids ...)
 Available utilities (cooling tower water, once through cooling water, chilled water, steam, hot
oil...)
 Temperature driving force (i.e. temperature of approach or cross and available LMTD)
 Plot plan & layout constraints
 Accessibility for cleaning and maintenance
 Considerations for future expansions
 Mechanical considerations such as: 1) material of construction; 2) thermal stresses (during
startup, shutdown; process upset and clean out conditions); 3) impingement protection

Shell-and-tube heat exchangers accounts for more than 50% of all heat exchangers
installed. However, in many cases, there are more attractive alternatives in terms of cost and energy
recovery. Any time a heat exchanger is being replaced, the opportunity should be taken to re-assess
if the type used is best for the given process. Operating changes since initial installation as well as
advancements in the field of heat transfer may point towards a different type as being optimal.

Heat Exchangers Types

Shell & tube heat exchangers

Baffle types
Segmental baffles
Double segmental baffles
No-tube-in-window (NTIW) baffles
Rod baffles
EM baffles
Helical baffles
Tube Enhancements
Twisted tubes
Low finned tubes
Tubes inserts (twisted tapes, Cal Gavin)

Compact type heat exchangers

Plate & frame heat exchangers (gasketed, semi-welded, welded)
Spiral
Blazed plate & frame
Plate-fin heat exchanger
Printed circuits

Air-cooled heat exchangers

Heat Exchangers Selection

Past experience, is always the best place to start to guide the selection of heat exchanger
types. Understanding the reasons behind both successes and failures will lead to better equipment
selection.

When comparing different types of heat transfer equipment, one must take into consideration the total
cost of the equipment which includes:

1. purchase cost
2. installation cost
3. operating cost (pumping, fan…)
4. maintenance cost
In order to make the best selection, it is important to have some knowledge of the different types of
heat exchangers and how they operate. The tables below offer the advantages and disadvantages
of common types of heat exchangers. They can be used to arrive at a type that is best suited for a
given process.

Shell & tube heat exchangers

Advantages
Widely known and understood since it is the most
common type
Most versatile in terms of types of service
Widest range of allowable design pressures and
temperatures
Rugged mechanical construction - can withstand
more abuse (physical and process)
Disadvantages
Less thermally efficient than other types of heat
transfer equipment
Subject to flow induced vibration which Can
lead to equipment failure
Not well suited for temperature cross conditions
(multiple units in series must be used)
Contains stagnant zones (dead zones) on the
shell side which can lead to corrosion problems
Subject to flow mal-distribution especially with
two phase inlet streams

Compact Heat Exchangers

Advantages
Low initial purchase cost (plate type)
Many different configurations are available
(gasketed, semi-welded, welded, spiral)
High heat transfer coefficients (3 or more times
greater than for shell & tube heat exchangers,
due to much higher wall shear stress)
Tend to exhibit lower fouling characteristics due
to the high turbulence within the exchanger
True countercurrent designs allow significant
temperature crosses to be achieved
Require small footprint for installation and have
small volume hold-up
Disadvantages
Narrower rage of allowable pressures and
temperatures
Subject to plugging/fouling due to very narrow
flow path
Gasketed units require specialized opening and
closing procedures
Material of construction selection is critical since
wall thickness very thin (typically less than 10
mm)

Air Cooled Heat Exchangers

Advantages
Attractive option for locations where cooling
water is scarce or expensive to treat
Well suited for cooling high temperature process
streams (above 80oC when using cooling water
should be avoided)
Low maintenance and operating costs (typically
30-50% less than cooling water)
Disadvantages
High initial purchase cost
Require relatively large footprint
Higher process outlet temperature (10-20 oF
above the ambient dry bulb temperature)
Finned tube heat exchangers have tubes with extended outer surface area or fins to
enhance the heat transfer rate from the additional area of fins. Finned tubes or tubes
with extended outer surface area enhance the heat transfer rate by increasing the
effective heat transfer area between the tubes and surrounding fluid. The fluid
surrounding finned tubes maybe process fluid or air.

Types of Finned Tubes

Longitudinal Fins

Figure 1 - Longitudinally finned tube in heat

exchanger

Longitudinal fins on a tube are best suited for applications where the flow outside
the tubes is expected to be streamlined along the tube length, for example double
pipe heat exchangers with highly viscous fluid outside the finned tube.

Longitudinal fins on a tube run along the length of the tubes. The cross sectional
shapes of longitudinal fins can be either flat or tapered. For different cross sectional
geometries, various correlations are available in the literature to evaluate the heat
transfer coefficients on outer side of the tubes.

Transverse Fins

Figure 2 - Transversely finned heat exchanger

tube
Transverse fins are normally used for gas flows or turbulent flows and for cross flow
type exchangers or shell and tube heat exchangers. For air coolers, tubes with
transverse fins are best suited.

Transverse fins are hollow metal discs spaced from each other and fitted along the
length of the finned tubes. The transverse fin discs can be flat or tapered. Heat
transfer coefficients on the surface of the fin depend on the fin disc geometry and
are available in the literature in the form of correlations.

Design of finned tube heat exchangers

To finned tube heat exchangers for enhanced heat transfer area, heat calculation of
required heat transfer area and optimum spacing of tubes to create the required
surface area are two parts of the problem.

Heat transfer coefficients at surfaces inside and outside the tubes are calculated
using experimentally determined correlations. The heat transfer efficiency of fins is
calculated using correlations. Different sets of correlations are available for
calculation of fin heat transfer efficiencies of longitudinal and transverse fins. The fin
area multiplied by fin heat transfer efficiency and added to bare tube area, gives the
effective outer heat transfer area. Overall heat transfer coefficient is obtained by
adding the heat transfer resistances evaluated at outer and inner surface areas of the
tube. For outer area, value of the effective area is used. Finally the total heat transfer
area required and hence required number, length etc. of tubes is calculated.

Effect of number of tubes on the outer fluid flow is checked for changes in fluid
velocity. If velocity of outer fluid changes significantly, the heat transfer coefficients
and required tube area is reevaluated. Thus in a few such iterations, optimum
arrangement of finned tubes, to obtain the desired heat transfer area can be
determined.

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