Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers

View of the inside of a shell and tube heat exchanger shows
the tubes through which one of the transfer fluids passes.

Automobiles are part of the backbone of modern society, for both personal and commercial use. While being familiar everyday objects, they also contain systems which need to be constantly maintained and in-sequence to ensure the safety of both the machine and the driver. One of the most essential elements of car ownership is the understanding of how heat and temperature can impact a car’s operation. Likewise, regulating temperature in industrial operations, which is akin to controlling heat, is a key process control variable relating to both process operation and operator safety. Since temperature is a fundamental aspect of both industrial and consumer life, heat management must be accurate, consistent, and predictable. Many devices have been developed for the transfer of heat from one substance to another, with myriad applications throughout modern society.

A common design of heat exchangers used in the oil refining and chemical processing industries is the shell and tube heat exchanger. A pressure vessel, the shell, contains a bundle of tubes. One fluid flows within the tubes while another floods the shell and contacts the outer tube surface. Heat energy conducts through the tube wall from the warmer to the cooler substance, completing the transfer of heat between the two distinct substances. These fluids can either be liquids or gases. If a large heat transfer area is utilized, consisting of greater tube surface area, many tubes or circuits of tubes can be used concurrently in order to maximize the transfer of heat. There are many considerations to take into account in regards to the design of shell and tube heat exchangers, such as tube diameter, circuiting of the tubes, tube wall thickness, shell and tube operating pressure requirements, and more. In parallel fashion to a process control system, every decision made in reference to designing and practically applying the correct heat exchanger depends on the factors present in both the materials being regulated and the industrial purpose for which the exchanger is going to be used.

Schematic of shell and tube heat exchanger

The industrial and commercial applications of shell and tube heat exchangers are vast, ranging from small to very large capacities. They can serve as condensers, evaporators, heaters, or coolers. You will find them throughout almost every industry, and as a part of many large HVAC systems. Shell and tube heat exchangers, specifically, find applicability in many sub-industries related to food and beverage: brewery processes, juice, sauce, soup, syrup, oils, sugar, and others. Pure steam for WFI production is an application where special materials, like stainless steel, are employed for shell and tube units that transfer heat while maintaining isolation and purity of a highly controlled process fluid.

Shell and tube heat exchangers are rugged, efficient, and require little attention other than periodic inspection. Proper unit specification, selection, and installation contribute to longevity and solid performance.

Analynk Wireless manufactures wireless connectivity solutions for industrial applications and process control. Making cable free connections among process control equipment and instruments, across the room, across the property, across the globe.

Water Quality Analysis – Constituent Survey Part 3

Water quality is of great concern to electric power generating
operations, as well as other industrial operations

What we know as “water” can consist of many non-H2O components in addition to pure water. This three part series has touched on some of the constituents of water that are of interest to various industrial processors. The first installment reviewed dissolved oxygen and chloride. The second article covered sulfates, sodium, and ammonia. 

To conclude the three part series on water quality analysis in process control related industrial applications we examine silica, another element which in sufficient quantities can become a confounding variable in water for industrial use. In natural settings, silica, or silicon dioxide, is a plentiful compound. Its presence in water provides a basis for some corrosion-inhibiting products, as well as conditioners and detergents. Problems arise, however, when high concentrates of silica complicate industrial processes which are not designed to accommodate elevated levels. Specifically, silica is capable of disrupting processes related to boilers and turbines. In environments involving high temperature, elevated pressure, or both, silica can form crystalline deposits on machinery surfaces. This inhibits the operation of turbines and also interferes with heat transfer. These deposits can result in many complications, ranging through process disruption, decreased efficiency, and resources being expended for repairs.

The silica content in water used in potentially affected processes needs to be sufficiently low in order to maintain rated function and performance. Silica analyzers provide continuous measurement and monitoring of silica levels. The analyzers detect and allow mitigation of silica in the initial stages of raw material acquisition or introduction to prevent undue disruption of the process. Additionally, a technique called power steam quality monitoring allows for the aforementioned turbine-specific inhibition – related to silica conglomerates reducing efficacy and physical movement – to be curtailed without much issue. The feedwater filtration couples with a low maintenance requirement, resulting in reduced downtime of analytic sequences and a bit of increased peace of mind for the technical operator.

While silica and the other compounds mentioned in this series are naturally occurring, the support systems in place to expertly control the quality of water is the most basic requirement for harvesting one of the earth’s most precious resources for use. As a matter of fact, the identification and control of compounds in water – both entering the industrial process and exiting the industrial process – demonstrates key tenets of process control fundamentals: precision, accuracy, durability, and technological excellence paired with ingenuity to create the best outcome not just one time, but each time.

Analynk Wireless manufactures wireless connectivity solutions for industrial applications and process control. Making cable free connections among process control equipment and instruments, across the room, across the property, across the globe.