Design of Tube

ANSI/API Standard 660 is used as a guideline when analyse and design the
tube. ANSI/API Standard 660 is the national adoption of ISO 16812:2002
Petroleum and gas industries Shell and tube heat exchangers which
specifies requirements and recommendations for design of shell and tube
heat exchanger (Thulukkanam, 2013, page 237).
Selection of Tube Material
Southwest Thermal Technology (2015) proposed that the tubing used in
the heat exchangers up to industries standard is low carbon steel.
However, copper, copper -nickel, stainless steel, Inconel, Hastelloy, or
titanium are also used. Thulukkanam (2013) also states that the tubes in
the heat exchangers must be able to withstand: the operating
temperature and pressure on both sides, thermal stress due to the
differential thermal expansion between the shell and the tube bundle, and
the corrosive nature of both the shellside and tubesides fluids.
Type of the material used to construct is Aluminium Brass (76 Cu 22 Zn - 2 Al). Lunsford (2006) states that brazed aluminium heat
exchangers have superior heat transfer capabilities and can be cost
effective for non-corrosive gases and liquids as compared with traditional
shell and-tube exchangers. Generally, aluminium has an excellent
corrosion resistance whereas copper has a good thermal conductivity
among metals. This kind of aluminium alloy can provide thermal
conductivity,

of

205 W /(mK )

which is highest among the material

used to construct heat exchanger (The Engineering Toolbox, n.d.).

Inner and outer diameter of tube

Tube size is classified by outside diameter and wall thickness
(Thulukkanam, 2013, page 230). Smaller diameter tubes yield higher heat
transfer coefficients but harder to clean (Thulukkanam, 2013, page 230).
The most popular outside tube diameter are

and

since

these size are most economical in most applications and give the best allaround performance (Thulukkanam, 2013, page 230). However, tubes of

(25.4 mm)

are normally used when fouling is expected since

smaller diameter tubes are not

(Thulukkanam, 2013, page 230).

suitable

for

mechanical

cleaning

H&C (2014) also suggest the normal tube wall thickness range from 12 to
16WG (from 0.109 inches to 0.065 inches thick).
Assume

thethickness of the tube=0.109 inches ,

Inner diameter of the tube=10.109=0.891 22.63 mm

Outer diameter , d o=125.4 mm

 Inner diameter , d i=0.891 22.63mm

Tube Length
The most convenient and economical exchanger for a given surface area is
small shell diameter and long tubes (Thulukkanam, 2013, page 231).
Standard length provided by TEMA standard RCB-2.1 are 96,120,144,196,
and 240 inch (Thulukkanam, 2013, page 232).
The tube length selected based on standard is 240 inch to maximise the
efficiency of the heat exchanger.

Tube Length , L=2406096 mm

References
Lunsford, K.M. (2006). Advantages of Brazed Heat Exchangers in the Gas
Processing Industry.
Retrieved
on
23rd
May
2015,
from
http://www.bre.com/portals/0/ technicalarticles/advantages%20of
%20brazed%20heat%20exchangers%20in
%20the%20gas
%20processing%20industry.pdf
The Engineering Toolbox. (n.d.). Thermal Conductivity of some common
Materials
and Gases. Retrieved on 23rd May 2015, from
http://www.engineeringto olbox.com/thermal-conductivity-d_429.html
H&C Heat Transfer Solutions Inc. (2014). Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchangers
Construction Details. Retrieved on 23rd May 2015, from
http://www.hcheattra
nsfer.com/shell_and_tube.html
Thulukkanam, K. (2013).