Finned Tube----Air Cooled Heat Exchanger Manufacturers

Finned Tube----Air Cooled Heat Exchanger Manufacturers

An air cooled heat exchanger also that cools a circulating fluid within finned tubes by forcing ambient air over the exterior of the tubes. When cooling both fluids and gases, there are two sources readily available, with a relatively low cost, to transfer heat to air and heat to water. The process system generates heat which must be removed, but for which there is no local use. To avoid overheating due to friction and the combustion process keep the engine components must be cool.The excess heat is carried away by the water/glycol coolant mixture. Air-cooled heat exchanger do not require any cooling water from a cooling tower. They can be used with closer approach temperatures, but often become expensive compared to a combination of a cooling tower and a water-cooled exchanger.

The applications for air cooled heat exchangers cover a wide range of industries and products, however generally they are used to cooler gases and liquids when the outlet temperature required is greater than the surrounding ambient air temperature.

Air Cooled Heat exchangers components:

• 1. One or more coil with heat transfer surface
• 2. Air moving device, normally a fan
• 3. A driver and speed reduction device
• 4. Plenum between the coil and the fan to direct air across the surface area
• 5. Supporting structure
• 6. Guards for rotating equipment & protection of the coil area
• 7. Optional louvers for outlet process temperature control

Air Cooled Heat Exchangers Types:

Air Cooled Heat Exchangers can be built in several configurations, normally controlled by the power available, the installation and customer preferences. The most common type of air cooler is the horizontal coil with horizontal fan and vertical air flow

• 1. Forced Draft The most economical and most common style air cooler, the forced draft ACHE, uses axial fans to force air across the fin tube bundle. The fans are positioned below the bundle thus not exposing the mechanical sections to the hot exhaust airflow. The forced draft air cooler also simplifies future plant expansion by providing direct access to bundle for replacement. Structural disassembly is not required.
• 2. Induced Draft The second most economical and most common style air cooler is the induced draft ACHE. This design uses axial fans to pull air across the fin tube bundle. The fans are positioned above the bundle thus offering greater control of the process fluid and bundle protection due to the additional structure. Lower noise levels at grade are another benefit. The induced draft air cooler does require some structural disassembly if bundle replacement is required.

Air Cooled Heat Exchanger Application

• 1. Turbine lube oil coolers
• 2. Recirculation and shoe-box air cooled heat exchangers
• 3. Turbine intercoolers
• 4. Forced and induced draft air cooled heat exchangers
• 5. Unique customizations
• 6. Hydrocarbon process and steam condensers
• 7. Large engine radiators
• 8. Natural gas and vapor coolers
• 9. Combustion pre-heaters
• 10. Flue gas re-heaters
• 11. Lethal service
• 12. Crude Oil Refineries
• 13. Petrochemical
• 14. Chemical Plants.

Air Cooled Heat Exchanger Advantages

Light weight easier handling More surface area per square feet of heat exchanger More fins per inch can be incorporated on entire tube length Lower air resistance, resulting in less power to deliver the requires C.F.M. Reduction in number of tubes for given B.T.U. transfer per rate area, resulting in fuel saving

Design factors of Air Cooled Heat Exchangers

Normally many soultions are given these factors for optimized economic designs.

• 1. Tube diameter
• 2. Tube length
• 3. Fin pipe height
• 4. Number of tube rows
• 5. Number of passes
• 6. Face area
• 7. Horsepower availability
• 8. Plot area

Key Words: Fin Tube, Finned tubes, fin pipes, Air Cooled Heat Exchanger