A PROJECT WORK ON

EFFECTIVENESS OF
PRE-HEAT
EXCHANGERS
)
SUBMITTED BY
MOHAMMED ABDUL GHAFOOR
B-TECH 4TH YEAR (PETROLEUM
ENGINEERING)

EFFECTIVENESS OF
PRE-HEAT
EXCHANGERS

As part of Internship / Project Work to have an insight in to the Oil

Refinery carried out study on OFFECTIVENESS OF PRE-HEAT
EXCHANGERS.
Session: June-July (2015).
Internship / Project work carried .
Under the Guidance , Deputy Production Manager (DPNM) DHDS, IOCL.

ABSTRACT
The Preheat Exchangers are a series of heat exchanger trains in which the heat gets
exchanged between the feed and the hot reactants coming from the reactor 01 of the high
pressure section. The efficiency () of 25-E-02 and 25-E-04 can be increase up to the
designed conditions by using some enhancement technique on the tube side such as Finned
surface. In the above mentioned exchangers Over all heat transfer coefficient is usually
dominated by smaller hear transfer coefficient. Note that, the rate of heat transfer decreases
as a result of fouling as expected.
The decrease is not dramatic because of relatively low convection heat transfer coefficient.
The efficiency can be enhanced by proper maintenance of heat exchanger like proper
operation, Corrosion inhibitor, furnace firing control etc. The material used in the
construction of heat exchanger may be an important consideration in the selection of heat
exchanger. We may have to select expensive corrosion resistant materials such as stainless
steel or even titanium if we are not willing to replace low cost heat exchangers frequently.

INTRODUCTION:

In many process industries, it is frequent necessity to heat, cool, vaporize or condense various
fluid streams. Different types of heat exchangers are used for such purposes. A heat exchanger is
a device in which two fluid streams, one hot and another cold are brought into thermal contact in
order to effect transfer of heat from hot fluid to the cold. It provides a relatively large area of heat
transfer for a give volume of equipment.
A shell and the exchanger is most widely used heat exchanging equipment. We shall first
describe the constructional features of this type of heat exchanging equipment. This will be
discussed on a few types of heat exchangers which are frequently used in the chemical
processing plant as well as in the refrigeration, cryogenic, waste heat recovery, metallurgical and
metallic manufacturing applications. heat exchangers can be classified on the basis of contacting
techniques, constructions, flow arrangement or surface compactness.
Most of the heat exchangers are indirect type in which the hot and cold fluids are in thermal
contact but physically separated by a barrier such as tube wall, plate etc. in a direct contact unit
the fluids are brought in contact with upflowing air is a common example of direct heat
exchanger.

MODES OF HEAT TRANSFER:

Conduction
Convection
Radiation
CONDUCTION:
Flow of heat in a substance due to exchange of energy between the molecules having more
energy and molecules having less energy.

CONVECTION:
The transfer of energy from one region to another due to macroscopic motion in a fluid added to
the heat energy transferred by conduction is called Convection.
It is of two types,

Forced Convection- fluid motion caused by external agency.

Natural Convection- fluid motion occurs due to density variation caused by
temperature difference.

RADIATION:
All physical matters emits thermal radiations in the form of electromagnetic waves because of
vibration and rotational movement of the molecules and atoms which makes up the matter. The
rate of emission increases with increase in temperature level. No material medium required for
energy transfer to occur.

TYPES OF HEAT EXCHANGERS:

 DIRECT TRANSFER TYPE

STORAGE TYPE
DIRECT CONTACT TYPE
Direct transfer type in which the cold and hot fluid flows simultaneously through the device and
heat is transferred through a wall separating the fluids.

MAJOR COMPONENTS:

Tubes
Shells
Baffles
Nozzles
Tube Sheets
Expansion joints

Tubes:
The tube provides the heat transfer area in she and tube heat exchanger. One of the fluid flows
through the tube and the other flows through the shell along the outside of the tubes. The fluids
are brought in thermal contact through the tube wall. Both seamless and welded tubes are used
and a wide variety of materials including low carbon steel, stainless steel, nickel , copper, brass,
aluminum etc. are used. The choice of the tube is depend on the nature of the applications fined
tubes are sometimes used and the fin efficiency up to 90% may be attained.

Shells:
The shell is the enclosure and passage of shell side fluid. It has a circular cross section and is
made by rolling a metal of suitable dimension into a cylinder and welding along the length.
However, a section of a pipe of suitable thickness can be used as a shell if the diameter is not
large up to 60cm. the selection of the material is depends upon the corrosiveness of the fluid and
working temperature and pressure.

Tube Sheets:
The tube sheets are circular thick metal plates which hold the tube at ends. In the type of the
exchanger called fixed tube sheet are welded to the shell at the ends. The tubes are inserted into
holes of two tubes sheets. Perfect alignment of the holes is required; this is achieved by drilling
tube holes through the sheets fastened together for the purpose, particularly for the small
thickness tube sheets. The diameter of the tube hole is made up of slightly larger than tube
diameter.

Nozzles:
Small sections of pipes welded to the shells or to the channel which acts as the inlet or outlet to
the fluids are called Nozzles. The end of the nozzles is flanged to connect it to the pipe carrying a
fluid. The shell side inlet nozzle is often provided with an impingement plate it prevents the
impact of high velocity inlet fluid streams on the tube bundles. Such impact can cause the
erosion and cavitations of the tubes just in front of the nozzle and can also cause vibration of the
tubes.

PRE-HEAT EXCHANGERS IN DHDS UNIT

The Pre-Heat exchangers in the DHDS unit are used to exchange the heat from the reactor
effluents coming from the Reactor-01 and Reactor-02. The unit is divided into two sections (i.e.)
High Pressure Section and Low Pressure Section. The high pressure section consists of Pre-Heat
Exchangers, Reactors, Furnace, Air Coolers and High Pressure Separator.
After the feed pumps, 25-p-01A/B, The reactor gas-oil is divided into two lines and then mixed
with recycle gas hydrogen, coming from recycle compressor. Then, the gas oil feed is preheated
by reactor effluent in a series of heat exchangers before entering the reactor charge heater or
furnace (25-F-01) where heat is recovered from reactor effluents by feed (HC+H2Gas+H2S).
Mixed feed first enters the cold combined feed exchanger (25-E-04) and then hot combined feed
exchanger (25-E-02). In order to control the outlet temperature a cold feed line is bypassed in
between the two exchangers.
The two bed reactor support is separated by a quench section (gas distributor) mixing internals
and a vapor/liquid re-distributor tray and due to exothermic reactions taking place in reactor the
outlet temperature is more than the inlet temperature. The heat is recovered by a series of heat
exchangers
Hot combined feed exchangers 25-E-02
Stripper feed effluent exchangers 25-E-01, 25-E-03 and 25-E-05, heating stripper column
feed; a cold stripper by pass is foreseen to control the stripper column inlet temperature.

Cold combined feed exchangers 25-E-04, heating charge heater feed.

ARITHMATIC OPERATION OF PRE-HEAT

EXCHANGERS
Designed Parameters

 STRIPPER BOTTOM FEED EXCHANGER: [ 25-E-01]

The designed operating conditions of stripper bottom feed exchanger
Parameter

SHELL SIDE

TUBE SIDE

Flow rates
(kg/h)
Temp. oC

165000

160347

40o C, 74o C

118o C, 65oC

Density(kg/m3
)
Viscosity Cp

842.5

800

3.279

1.4195

Sp.Heat
Kcal/kg oC
Thermal Cond.
(k)

0.458

0.509

0.106

0.1005

Effectiveness ()= (tc2-tc1) / (th2-tc1)

= (74-40) / (118-40)
=0.435 (43.5) %

Capacity ratio

= (th1-th2) / (tc2-tc1)
= (118-65) / (74-40)
=1.558

Where th1= hot inlet temp at tube side

th2= hot outlet temp at tube side
tc1= cold inlet temp at shell side
tc2= cold outlet temp at shell side
Heat Duty (Qh) = m.Cp.T (for hot side)
= 160437x0.509x(118-65)
= 3892263.078kj/h
= 929873.16kcal/h
Heat Duty (Qc) = m.Cp.T
= 165000x0.458x (74-40)
= 2669380kj/h
= 613832.48kcal/h
Over all heat transfer coefficient with fouling factor at 0.0004
As we have calculated the inside and outside film heat transfer coefficients as hi
and ho.
H i = 1961.358 w/m2 C
Ho= 530216 w/m2 C
The over All heat transfer coefficient with fouling factor is written as
1/U= (1/ho) + Rd + (Ao/Am) x (ro-ri) / Kw + (Ao//Ai) x Rd+(Ao//Ai)x(1/hi)
1/U= 0.01725795 w/m2C,

Now,1/Ud0= (1/U)+Rd
= 57.994+0.0004
= 57.994w/m2 K

Operating Conditions:
SHELL SIDE
Flow rate kg/h
Operating temp oC
Density kg/m3
Viscosity Cp
Sp.heat kcal/kg oC
Thermal cond. K

TUBE SIDE

165000
43o C , 79.8oC
854
2.187
0.474
0.104

Effectiveness ()= (tc2-tc1) / (th2-tc1)

= (79.8-43) / (119-84.6)
= 048 (48%)

Capacity ratio

= (th1-th2) / (tc2-tc1)
= (119-84.6) / (79.8-43)
= 0.9347

Heat Duty (Qh) = m.Cp.T (for hot side)

= 160347x1.114x(119-84.6)
= 6144753kj/hr
= 1467999.6kcal/hr

160437
119oC , 84.6oC
790
1.114
0.495
0.102

Heat Duty (Qc)= m.Cp.T

= 165000x2.187x(79.8-43)
= 13729464kj/hr
3280009.556kcal/hr
Over all heat transfer coefficient with fouling factor at 0.0004 :
Now, Uo= 52.1704w/m2 K
Hi= 10992.15 w/m2 oC
Ho= 51.59 w/m2 oC
Ui=73.12w/m2 K

Designed parameters:
HOT COMBINED FEED ECHANGER [25-E-02]
SHELL SIDE TUBE SIDE
Flow rate kg/h
Temperature oC
Density kg/ m3
Viscosity Cp
Sp.heat kcal/kg oC
Thermal cond.(k)

78179
237, 340
666.5
0.295
0.644
0.0775

Effectiveness()= (tc2-tc1) / (th2-tc1)

= (340-237) / (368-237)
= 0.786 (78.6%)

90394
368, 301
623
0.2365
0715
0.072

Capacity ratio

= (th1-th2) / (tc2-tc1)
= (368-301) / (340-237)
= 0.6504

Heat Duty (Qh) = m.Cp.T (for hot side)

= 90394x0.715x(368-301)
= 4330324.57kj/hr
= 1034527.347kcal/hr

Heat Duty (Qc)= m.Cp.T ( for cold side)

= 78179x0.644x(340-237)
= 5346818.16kj/hr
= 1277370.672kcal/hr

Over all heat transfer coefficient with fouling factor is given as

Now,1/Ud0= (1/U)+Rd
= 52.1704w/m2 K
Hi= 10992.15 w/m2 oC
Ho= 51.59 w/m2 oC

Operating Parameters:
SHELL SIDE
Flow rate kg/hr
Temperature oC
Density kg/m3
Viscosity Cp
Sp.heat kcal/kg oC
Thermal cond.(k)

78179
189 oC, 345 oC
709
0.37
0.622
0.084

Effectiveness () = (tc2-tc1) / (th2-tc1)

= (314.5-189) / (363-189)
=71.8%

Capacity ratio

= (th1-th2) / (tc2-tc1)
= 0.8286

Heat Duty (Qh) = m.Cp.T (for hot side)

= 90394x0.742x(363-259)
=6975524kj/hr
= 1666473kcal/hr

TUBE SIDE
90394
363 oC , 259 oC
596
0.206
0.742
0.068

Heat Duty (Qc) = m.Cp.T (for cold side)

= 3615778Kj/hr.
=863820.30kcal/hr
Over all heat transfer coefficient with fouling factor as 0.0004,
Hi= 10103.15w/m2 oC
Ho= 40.98w/m2 oC
Uo= 52.170w/m2 K
Ui=59.87w/m2 K

Designed Parameters:
STRIPPER FEED BOTTOM EXCHANGER:[25-E-03]

SHELL SIDE TUBE SIDE

Flow rate kg/hr
Temperature oC
Density kg/m3
Viscosity Cp
Sp.heat kcal/kg oC
Thermal Cond.(k)

163621
54 oC , 191 oC
775
1.5965
0.5295
0.098

Effectiveness()= (tc2-tc1) / (th2-tc1)

= (191-54) / (242-54)
=0.728 (72.8%)

Capacity ratio

= (th1-th2) / (tc2-tc1)

159499
242 oC , 115 oC
746
0.233
0.580
0.091

=(242-115) / (191-54)
=0.927

Heat Duty (Qh) = m.Cp.T (for hot side)

= 159499x0.582x(242-115)
= 11789209.09kj/hr
= 2816476.92kcal/hr
Heat Duty (Qc) = m.Cp.T (for cold side)
=163621x0.5295x(191-54)
=11869312.7kj/hr
=2835613.926kca/hr

Over all heat transfer coefficient with fouling factor 0.0004,

Udo=56.4971 w/m2K
Hi=1814.94 w/m2 oC
Ho=57.368 w/m2 oC

Operating parameters:

SHELL SIDE

TUBE SIDE

Flow rate kg/hr

Temperature oC
Density kg/m3
Viscosity Cp
Sp.heat kcal/kg oC
Thermal cond.(k)

163621
42.2 oC, 176.6 oC
822
2.707
0.465
0.106

159499
220 oC , 108.6 oC
702
0.357
0.640
0.083

Effectiveness () = (tc2-tc1) / (th2-tc1)

= (176.6-42.2) / (220-42.2)
= 0.752 (75.2%)

Capacity ratio

= (th1-th2) / (tc2-tc1)
= 0.8288

Heat Duty (Qh) = m.Cp.T (for hot side)

= 163621x0.650x(220-108.6)
= 11611527.2kj/hr
= 2774028kcl/hr

Heat Duty (Qc) = m.Cp.T (for cold side)

= 159499x0.465x(176.6-42.2)
= 10195224.51kj/hr
= 2435669.16kcal/hr

Now, Over all heat transfer coefficient with fouling factor of 0.0004 is

Hi=1213.84w/m2 oC
Ho= 49.12w/m2 oC
Uo= 52.56w/m2 K
Ui=67.26w/m2 K

DESIGNED PARAMETERS:
COLD COMBINED FEED EXCHANGER:[25-E-04]
SHELL SIDE AND TUBE SIDE
Flow rate kg/hr
Temperature oC
Density kg/m3
Viscosity Cp
Sp.heat kcal/kg oC
Thermal cond.(k)

78179
76 oC , 237 oC
765.5
0.6325
0.5495
0.094

Effectiveness()= (tc2-tc1) / (th2-tc1)

= (237-76) / (270-76)
= 0.8298 (82.9%)
Capacity ratio

= (th1-th2) / (tc2-tc1)
= (270-156) / (237-76)
= 0.6956

Heat Duty (Qh) = m.Cp.T (for hot side)

= 90394x0.612x(270-158)
= 6195966.336kj/hr
= 1480234.04kcal/hr

90394
270 oC , 158 oC
712.5
0.480
0.612
0.087

Heat Duty (Qc) = m.Cp.T (for cold side)

= 78179x0.5495x(237-76)
= 6916457.04kj/hr
= 1652362.04kcal/hr
Over all heat transfer coefficient with fouling factor as 0.0004,
Udo= 49.50 w/m2 K
Hi= 9030.94w/m2 oC
Ho= 37.30 w/m2 oC
Operating parameters:

Flow rate kg/hr

Temperature oC
Density kg/m3
Viscosity Cp
Sp.heat kcal/kg oC
Thermal cond.(k)

78179
83.1 oC , 189 oC
822
1.895
0.477
0.104

Effectiveness ()= (tc2-tc1) / (th2-tc1)

= (189-83.1) / (240-83.1)
= 0.674 (67.4%)
Capacity ratio

= (th1-th2) / (tc2-tc1)
= 0.9726

Heat Duty (Qh) = m.Cp.T (for hot side)

= 90394x0.661x (240-137)
= 6154294.667kj/hr
= 1470279kcal/hr

90394
240 oC , 137 oC
674
0.309
0.611
0.08

Heat Duty (Qc) = m.Cp.T (for cold side)

= 78179x0.447x (189-83.1)
= 3700782.7kj/hr
= 884127.76kcal/hr
Over all heat transfer coefficient with fouling as 0.0004,
Hi= 9030.15w/m2 C
Ho= 37.30w/m2 C
Uo= 36.23w/m2 K
Ui=45.73w/m2 K
Designed parameters:
STRIPPER FEED EFFLUENT EXCHANGER: [25-E-05]

Flow rate kg/h

Temperature oC
Density kg/m3
Viscosity Cp
Sp.heat kcal/kg oC
Thermal cond.(k)

163621
191 oC , 243 oC
709
0.413
0.6175
0.0865

Effectiveness()= (tc2-tc1) / (th2-tc1)

= (243-191) / (301-191)
= 0.472 (47.2%)
Capacity ratio

= (th1-th2) / (tc2-tc1)
= (301-270) / (243-191)
= 0.5961

Heat Duty (Qh) = m.Cp.T (for hot side)

180787
301 oC , 270 oC
662.5
0.288
0.674
0.078

= 180787x0.674x (301-270)
= 3777363.57kj/hr
= 902423.32kcal/hr
Heat Duty (Qc) = m.Cp.T (for cold side)
= 763621x0.6175x (243-191)
= 5253870.31kj/hr
= 1255165.1kcal/hr

Over all heat transfer coefficient with fouling factor as Rd= 0.0004 is,
Udo= 11.494 w/m2K
Hi= 11836.054 w/m2 oC
Ho= 11.457 w/m2 oC

Operating parameters:
Flow rate kg/hr
Temperature oC
Density kg/m3
Viscosity Cp
Sp.Heat kcal/kg oC
Thermal Cond.(k)

163621
177o C, 220o C
728
0.016
0.594
0.090

Effectiveness () = (tc2-tc1) / (th2-tc1)

= (220-177) / (259-177)
= 0.524 (52.4%)
Capacity ratio

= (th1-th2) / (tc2-tc1)

18078
259oC , 140oC
651
0.02
0.688
0.076

= (259-140) / (200-177)
= 2.767
Heat Duty (Qh) = m.Cp.T (for hot side)
= 18078x0668x (259-140)
= 1480082.016kj/hr
= 353595kcal/hr
Heat Duty (Qc) = m.Cp.T (for cold side)
= 163621x0.594x (220-177)
= 4179207kj/hr
= 998423.17kcal/hr
Over all heat transfer coefficient with fouling factor of Rd= 0.0004 as;
Hi= 11296.13w/m2 oC
Ho= 10.135w/m2 oC
Uo=11.313w/m2 K
Ui=1306824w/m2 K

FACTORS EFFECTING RATE OF HEAT TRANSFER:

The thickness of the material of the tube

The temperature difference between the two inlet fluids
The thermal conductivity of the material of construction
The physical size of the exchangers and surface area of the tubes
The number of tube side passes and shell side passes through the exchanger.(these causes
turbulent flow which increases the heat transfer efficiency by giving more residence time
to the fluid in the exchanger
The type of flow, either co-current or counter current flow or the cross flow. In which the
counter current flow is very effective.
The choice and design of the exchanger depends upon process requirement ex: pressure
drop across the exchanger, heat transfer rate and type of fluid being used.
The temperature difference between the fluid. This is the driving force in heat exchanger
principles. The greater the temperature the greater the heat transfer
Fluid flow rate increases the heat transfer rate
The nature of the heat conducting materials. Some materials have a high conductivity
while others dont. this factor is in built in the design of the exchanger and choice of
material. It is governed by the design engineer before manufacturing
Surface area the larger the surface area of the conducting interfaces, the greater the heat
transfer rate

SCOPE OF THE WORK:

1. As it is known from the above points that the temperature difference between the two fluids
is the driving force in heat exchanger principles and the same have been seen in the Stripper
Bottom Feed Exchanger where there is a maximum difference between the two inlet fluids
than the designed specifications which increases the efficiency of this 25-E-01 & 25-E-03
exchangers by =43.5% to =48% i.e, almost 3.5% increase in the effectiveness of this
exchangers.

2. The same can be applied to Hot Combined Feed Exchanger 25-E-02 & Cold Combined
Feed Exchanger 25-E-04, In which Over all heat transfer coefficient Uo= Ho and also
Hi>>Ho. This shows that over all heat transfer coefficient in a heat exchanger is dominated
by the smaller heat transfer coefficient when the difference between the two values
(Hi>>Ho) is large. To improve the efficiency up to the designed specifications ( i.e),
=78.6% which is greater than the operating efficiency =71.8% of 25-E-02 and =82.% >
=67.4% of 25-E-04, we must use some enhancement technique on the tube side, such as
finned surface.

3. The inside and outside film heat transfer coefficient U and Ui is differ significantly in
25-E-01, 02, 03, 04 & 05 by 10-30%. This is because of considerable difference between
heat transfer surface areas on the inner and outer side of the tube. For tubes of negligible
thickness, the difference between the two over all heat transfer coefficient would be
negligible.
4. Some other causes of low heat transfer is because of Fouling , deposits of scale, dirt sand,
and/or other solid deposits on conducting surface. Coke formation in furnace tubes and
other causes of semi-blockage of tubes will drastically decrease efficiency in exchangers.
Such problems will leads to shut down for cleaning and possible replacement. Many of
these problems can be avoided by proper operation and fluid treatment, filtration,
corrosion inhibitors, furnace firing control etc.
5. The material used in the construction of heat exchanger may be an important
consideration in the selection of heat exchanger. A temperature difference of 50oC or
more between the tubes and the shell side will probably pose differential thermal
expansion problems and need to be considered. In case of corrosive fluid, we may have to

select expensive corrosion resistant materials such as stainless steel or even titanium if
we are not willing to replace low cost heat exchangers frequently.