Identifying hiTRAN opportunities

Brief presentation,
what to look out for in
order to identify
hiTRAN enhancement
opportunities

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 1

 General considerations
• Retrofit application
• Geometry is determined

• New exchanger design

• More freedom to design optimum

• Single phase / two phase applications

• Single phase design with hiTRAN can be done
using hiTRAN.SP Software
• Two phase design cases have to be evaluated by
Cal Gavin ltd. This is generaly done free of
charge after submitting corresponding data.
(e.g.: TEMA sheets, HTRI file, EDR file)

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 2

 Tools for identifying opportunities

hiTRAN
standalone

hiTRAN
HTRI plug in
hiTRAN
EDR plug in

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 3

 hiTRAN in retrofit scenarious
Use hiTRAN to:
• increase duty
• achieve higher or lower output temperatures
• Increased throughput
• adapt to changed process conditions
(e.g. changed ambient temperature for air
coolers
• improve operability:
• turndown/transitions
• fouling
• Maldistribution

• re-use spare heat exchangers

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 4
 Where is hiTRAN applicable
- Retrofit cases
• Heat transfer generally controlled by tubeside
• Ideal tubeside Reynolds number 50 -5000
• Optimum tubeside viscosities for this Reynolds range
normally correspond to 2cP to 200 cP
• Enhancement available at higher Reynolds number –
less efficient
• Pressure drop available or modification possible to
reduce pressure loss

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 5

Importance of controlling heat transfer
In this example it is assumed:
- before retrofit constant plain tube coefficient of 200W/m2K
- after retrofit hiTRAN HTC of 1000 W?m2K
Scenarios with different shell side coefficients are evaluated
900
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
Overall heat transfer coefficient

800 = + + 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 + 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈

𝑼 𝒉𝒊 𝒉𝒐
700

600
[W/m2K]

500

400
Shell side controlled
300

200

100

0
10 100 1000 10000
Shell side heat transfer coefficient [W/m2K]

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 6

 Ideal tube side Reynolds range for hiTRAN

Optimum hiTRAN range

~50 < Re ~5000
often:
~ 2cP < viscosity ~<200cP

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 7

Enhancement outside the optimum operation range

Turbulent range:
enhancement still
substantial.
Usefull in case multipassing
is not possible

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 8

 Enhancement in deep laminar regime

experimental data show that hiTRAN can offer

enhancement down to Reynolds ~ 1

Depending on the flow velocity this

corresponds to bulk viscosities up to
1000cP

When calculating single phase cases

operating in Reynolds Range 0.1 < Re 10
with hiTRAN.SP software it is advised to
contact Cal Gavin ltd for further advise.

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 9

 Enhancement in turbulent regime
In turbulent flow hiTRAN offers
enhancement levels up to 4 times heat
transfer
Reminder plain empty tube turbulent flow

In general same enhancement can be

achieved with less additional pressure
drop by multi passing

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 10

 Enhancement in turbulent regime:
Target applications
In exchangers where single pass is only option

• applications with temperature cross

often applications with a close

temperature approach

• two phase applications

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 11

 Single pass: temperature cross
Temperature Cold stream outlet > hot stream outlet

Overall
temperature
cross

Possible in T When multi passing

Single-pass
Heat flow reversal
arrangement

L L

Often single pass with low velocities the only possibility

hiTRAN can be used to improve performance within pressure drop

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 12

 Single pass: two phase applications

Single pass requirement:

• Vertical thermosiphon reboiler

• Falling Film Evaporators

• Vertical tube side condenser

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 13

 Pressure drop available or modification
possible to reduce pressure loss
2 pass hiTRAN 8 pass plain
100 1
Reminder
0.8
heat transfer factor [-]

pressure drop [bar]

20 2
14* 0.6
10
2*
0.4
3.8 6.2m/s
1
1 pass hiTRAN
42passes 0.2
136 bar
0.3m/s 1.2m/s
8200
1 200 400
0
1600
10 100 1000 10000 100000
plain tube pressure drop
Re [-]
hiTRAN tube pressure drop

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 14

Removal of pass partition in revamp szenarious

In order to increase duty

within allowable tube side
Pressure drop

Removal of pass partitions

To reduce velocity

In this example:
taking out pass partitions from a 4 to 1 pass exchanger

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 15

Identification procedure –retrofit
• Rate the current performance using recognized
software e.g
HTRI X-suite, Aspen EDR

• Review heat resistances, Reynolds numbers, pressure

drop, geometry options

• Check hiTRAN htc and dP taking into account changes

in geometry

• Assess effect of hiTRAN tubeside htc on overall

performance

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 16

 Where to check in HTRI

Check in Xace or Xist whether

case is tube side or shell side
controlled

Check the calculated heat

transfer

Check existing pass

arrangement

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 17

 Where to check in HTRI

Check allowable
pressure drop

Often spare pressure

drop to be used for
enhancement

Check Reynolds number

If < 10000 often good candidate

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 18

Where to check in Aspen EDR

Check the calculated heat

transfer

Check in Aspen EDR whether

case is tube side or shell side
controlled

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 19

 Using hiTRAN.SP plug in detect suitable cases in
single case flow

plug-in for Aspen EDR

plug-in for HTRI V6

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 20

 hiTRAN Info button
Available in HTRI and Aspen EDR

Gives fast information whether

hiTRAN is usefull to use

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 21

 Graph explained

Exchanger operates in laminar flow regime

hiTRAN performance,
Much higher heat transfer
with pressure drop

Plain empty tube

performance,
Laminar flow no htc
increase with additional
passes

hiTRAN useful to use

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 22

 Graph explained
Exchanger operates in laminar and turbulent flow

hiTRAN performance:
much higher heat transfer
with pressure drop

Plain empty tube

performance,
Laminar and turbulent flow

hiTRAN useful to use

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 23

 Graph explained
Exchanger operates in turbulent flow regime

hiTRAN performance higher for

similar tube pass but pressure
drop penalty when multipassing

hiTRAN useful to use in

case
Single pass design is
required.
Plain empty tube performance, If not designer can
turbulent flow htc increase with
additional passes
make use of additional
heat transfer by
multipassing

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 24

 Other design considerations
• Plot space and weight is restricted

• Stability in transition region

• Longer operation under certain fouling conditions

• In Vertical heat exchangers where the tube side is

cooled
• Performance problems due to mal distribution in
tube bundle

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 25

 Reminder: Stability in transition region
Stable and predictable operation with hiTRAN in transition region

12x
6x

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 26

Reminder:
j-factor after 2500 mm of empty pipe and 1000 mm of 200 lpm insert
In Vertical heat exchangers where the tube side is cooled
100
Empty Pipe Horizontal
Empty Pipe Vertical
downflow
Empty Pipe Vertical
upflow 2
820W/m2K
200 lpm Horizontal
200 lpm Vertical
downflow
200 lpm Vertical
upflow 2
Experimental
j-factor

10 200W/m2K
260W/m2K

hiTRAN 88W/m2K

49W/m2K
When using hiTRAN:
plain 38W/m2K
No difference between horizontal
empty And vertical orientation
1
100 1000

Reynolds Number

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 27

 Performance problems due to mal
distribution in tube bundle

In case the tube side frictional pressure drop compared to the

Nozzle pressure drop is very low:

dp nozzle > 80% of tube side frictional pressure drop

Possibility of fluid mal distribution

In tube bundle with impact on
Performance

Use of hiTRAN increase frictional pressure

drop and fluid distribution

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 28

 Two phase flow
applications

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 29

Reminder: Typical good applications- condensing
• Condensing mixture with large range or in presence
of non-condensable

• Condensers often single-pass - frictional pressure

loss very small

• Suitable for partial installation to reduce pressure drop

• In situation where increased sub cooling or

desuperheating is needed

• Optimising new designs

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 30

Reminder: Typical applications for reboilers

• Viscous liquids with long subcooled

regions

• Operation under vacuum conditions

• Low temperature driving forces

• Exchangers showing flow instabilities

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 31

 Post dryout,
Mist flow

Vapourisers Annular and mist

annular
Heat transfer
coefficient

hiTRAN® is applied to:

 Mitigate mist carry over
 When using the Insert droplets are hold up and
exposed to higher heat transfer

 To control film boiling

 Improved heat transfer in the

superheated region

For example, LNG/LPG vapourisers

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 32

 Evaluation of cases free of charge
contact

idealy with HTRI or Aspen EDR case files

© Copyright Cal Gavin 2010 www.calgavin.com Page 33