AIR FIN COOLERS

What are Air fin coolers

Air fin coolers are heat transfer equipment used for
removing heat from process fluid to the atmosphere
for:
 Cooling or

 Condensing ( by removing latent heat of

vaporization) or
 Partial condensing

The Air fin cooler assembly consists of

 Tube bundle for process fluid flow and heat transfer

 Fan assembly for providing air flow to remove heat

 Mechanical components
Tubes, tube supports
Inlet & outlet header boxes ( tube sheet , plug sheet)
Header plugs with gaskets
Side covers, air seals
Plenum and plenum covers
chimneys
Steam coils
Drive unit:
Fan assembly
Motor and Gear box/ belting, vibration switches
 Materials of construction
 Tubes and headers with header plugs:
Carbon steel
Killed CS - H2 and wet H2S services
Chrome-Moly steels
Stainless steels
 Fins:

Aluminium
 Structures, plenum, fan rings, tube supports

Structural CS with galvanizing

 Gaskets: plain metal gaskets
Types of arrangement of fan
General arrangement
Types of arrangement of fan
 Types of drafts
FORCED DRAFT:
 Fan is placed below bundle

 Low HP

 Possibility of recirculation of hot air

 Easy accessibility to motors

 Lesser air distribution compared to induced draft.

 The forced draft air cooler also simplifies future

plant expansion by providing direct access to
bundle for replacement. Structural disassembly is
not required
Forced Draft
INDUCED DRAFT

 Better draft and hot air is not recirculated

 Poor accessibility for maintenance
 Fins protected
 Higher HP
 Lower noise level
 The induced draft air cooler does require some
structural disassembly if bundle replacement is
required
INDUCED DRAFT
 Drive /plenum types

M
G M

M
Transition plenum Box type plenum
 Types fan and fan drives
FIXED PITCH
Pitch can be varied only on stoppage, cheaper
VARIABLE PITCH
Automatic controlled. Save power , better contol, costly
FAN DRIVE:
Belt driven
Gear box driven
MOTOR:
Fixed speed: moderate control
Variable speed: better temp control, cost, save power
Purpose of Tube to Tubesheet
joint
 To join tubes and tubesheet and keep the
tubes structurally stable and support the
skeleton assembly under design conditions.
 To prevent intermixing of shell and tube
sheet fluids.
 To take care of Longitudinal, Compressive,
Mechanical and Thermal axial loads coming
on tubes.
Types of tube-tubesheet joint
Expanded joint
Expanded tube joint is the
tube to tube sheet joint
achieved by mechanical or
explosive expansion of the
tube into the tube hole in
the tubesheet.
Types of tube-tubesheet joint
Strength weld is one in which the design strength of the
weld is greater than or equal to the maximum allowable
axial tube strength. A strength weld shall be designed
to transfer all of the longitudinal, mechanical and
thermal axial loads in either direction from the tube to
the tubesheet as well as provide tube joint leak
tightness.
Types of tube-tubesheet joint
Seal weld is used to supplement an expanded tube joint
to ensure tube joint leak tightness.
Recommended to use for following cases where
1. intermixing of shell and tube side fluid causes safety hazards.
2. Lethal fluids are used.
 Tube to tube sheet joint
parameters
 Tube MoC, hardness
 Tube sheet MoC, hardness
 Groove shape
 Cleanliness of tube and tubesheet
 Type of expander, torque values
 Amount of expansion
4-5% for SS
7-8% for CS
10-12% for old tubes re-used
Bundle types
Header types
 Removable bonnet header
 Easy cleaning
 Easy access to tubes
 Header only or tube sheet
can be replaced
 Gasket is big and uniform
tightening is reqd
 Design for long flanges is
difficult for high
temperatures and pressures
 Removal of piping for
opening
Removable cover plate header
 Easy cleaning
 Easy access to tubes
 Gasket is big and uniform
tightening is reqd
 Design for long flanges is
difficult for high
temperatures and
pressures
 Plug type header
 Easy cleaning of tubes
 No long flanges and long
gaskets
 Selected tubes can be
attended
 High pressure design
possible
 Good for H2 service
 Header cleaning is difficult

SPLIT TYPE HEADER

 Finning types
Embedded ( G type)
Helical groove is cut on tube & fins are wound
Displaced groove metal is forced on each side of fin
Extruded type:
Fins are extruded from outer Aluminium tube
Footed (L) type
Fins are tension wrapped over the tube
Each fin butts against the adjacent fin
BIMETALLI
"G" "L" WRAP-
C
EMBEDDED ON/
EXTRUDED
Maximum
300°C/570° 400°C/750° 120°C/250°
working
F F F
temperature:
Atmospheric
corrosion Excellent Poor Acceptable
resistance:
Mechanical
Excellent Acceptable Poor
resistance:
Price index: 125 105 100
 Fin types

•. 

                                       
 Routine checks of fin coolers
Tube bundle:
Check for any visual leaks from tubes or header plugs
Check louvres for operability
External fouling / bowing of tubes
Drive unit:
Vibration of fans
Check belting for cracks/ looseness
Check fan blades for deflection
Check hubs for any cracks
Check all fasteners
Lubrication
 Header arrangement types
D type:
Low pressure drop
Uneven two phase
Even single phase
Piping unsymmetrical

E type
Better symmetry
Better even flow in two phase
Slightly higher pressure drop
 Header arrangement types
C type:
High pressure drop
Best even distribution
Costly but very symmetrical
 Control of fin fan coolers

1. Manually operated louvers.

2. Electrically or pneumatically operated louvers.
3. Pneumatically actuated automatic variable-
pitch fans.
4. Variable-frequency fan drives.
5. Warm-air recirculation systems for
freezing/pour point control in cold climates.
6. Steam coils.
 Relevant standards
API 661
API 632- Winterisation
API 631- Noise measurement
ANSI: B1.1 threads
ASNI: B16.5 - flanges
AISC standards - structures
AGMA for gear boxes
ASTM standards for tubes
NACE standards for particular services
 Design guidelines as per API
661
 Collection of process data
 Bundle design temp = 343 max which shall be 28+ maximum process
fluid temp
 Design pressure = as per client or inlet pressure + 10% + 25 psi
 Calculation of heat transfer coefficients ( air side & process side).
Consider fouling factors also.
 Arrive at No of tubes and rows
 Select tube length, thickness, OD, pitch as per API guidelines
 Select headers . For differential temp> 110 deg, use split header only
 Select drive unit
 Louver selection as per specific requirements
 Steam coil selection based on calculations
 Design parameters required
Process stream flow rate
Process fluid chemical and physical properties
Inlet outlet temperatures
Air side and Process side fouling factors
Inlet pressure and allowable pressure drop
Environment conditions
Design variables:
Air flow rate --> fan capacity
Air outlet temperature/ flow rates
Tube Nos/ rows/ passes
 Key fabrication steps
 Material Identification (Pressure parts)
 Tube manufacture
 Finning
 Welding of header box and nozzles
 Review of WPS / PQR / Welder Qualification
 NDT of header box/ nozzles
 Stage and Final Inspections
 Tube Mock-up Assembly
 Tube expansion / seal welding
 Testing
 Painting
 Documentation
 Packing / Protection / Despatch
 Various Testing / Examinations
Used
 Visual Examination
 Dye Penetrant Examination
 Magnetic Particle Examination
 Radiographic Examination
 Ultrasonic Examination
 Check Tests (Chemical, Mechanical, Special Tests)
 Tests for determining pullout load ‘Fr’ value
 Pneumatic Tests
 Hydraulic Tests
 Special Tests (IGC, NACE related, Hardness, Eddy
Current Testing, Helium Leak test Etc.)
 Pre-shipment checks
 Problems:AFC tube bundle
Tube Internal Fouling:
Indications of fouling:
High process outlet temperature
Higher power consumption of fans
Depends on: process stream properties, corrosion products,
process stream components, coke fines etc
External fouling: Because of external dust/ soot
Tube bowing: flow maldistribution , fouling
Plug header gasket leak:
Improper plug
Damaged threads: mechanical / corroded
Improper tightening
 Problems:AFC tube bundle-contd
Tube Leak: Corrosion
Impurities / corrodants in the stream ( Cl-, NH3, H2S, S )
Under deposit corrosion
Erosion -> high velocity/ turbulence/ erodants
Operating beyond operating windows
Improper wash water system
Roll leak:
In adequate expansion
Bad grooves in tube sheet
Thermal shocks
Fouling and resultant severe tube bowing
Poor design ( high differential temperature )
 Maintenance activities
 Identify leak type and location: hydrotesting
 Attend leak :
– Nozzle gasket leaks - tighten or replace gasket
– Plug gasket leak- re-tighten or replace plug or
replace gasket
– Retubing
– Plugging ( 5% per pass) - taper plug / “J” plug with
welding of tube sheet hole
– re-expansion of tube sheet joint/ re-welding
 Cleaning of tubes as per requirements
 Install new bundles/ shell as per requirement
 Timely modifications in shell side/ tube side as per
CTS/CES/FDC/Licensor requirements
 Steps of retubing
 Cut tube and clean the tube sheet holes thoroughly
 Do mock up test at workshop
 Select the required % expansion for retubing -CES
 Measure tube OD, ID and tube sheet hole diameters.
 Insert the tubes. Set 3 mm max projection outside tube
sheet. Then expand the tubes by expander tool.
 Measure final expanded ID. Calculate the % expansion.
 7-8% for CS, 4 to 5% for SS and non ferrous
 Expansion in % will be the following x 100

(Tube ID after expn-tube ID before expn-Tube hole dia+tube OD)

( Tube OD- Tube ID before expan )
Factors affecting performance /
Reliability
Fouling of bundle
Leaks - gasket leaks or tube leaks
Tube bowing
Flow maldistribution
Process upsets ( flow , temp, pressure)
Wash water system problems
Fan vibrations
Blade problems
Drive unit / transmission unit problems
Ambient conditions
 Inspection activities
 Maintain history (of failures, reliability issues)
 Recommend repair, replacement based on
inspection findings
 Recommend insurance spares
 Resolve corrosion, other degradation issues
through TRIPOD
 Pre-order requirements
 Vendor survey
 Enlistment
 Monitoring performance
 Appraise purchase department
 Review technical bids
 Cost of Air fin coolers
 Size / type of bundle, drive unit, transmission
 Material of construction
 Type of tube to tube sheet joints
 Inspection, NDT requirements based on severity of
service
 Imported / indigenous
 Location of Manufacturer vs. user
 Quantity, lead time
 Some Manufacturers
INDIAN
 GEA Energy systems

 GEI Hannon

FOREIGN
 GEA BTT -France

 OLMI - Italy