PTQ Q1 2023 Issue

+R wall

Figure 1 Photographs of shellside hydrocarbon fouling build-up on heat transfer tubes

As heat release progresses, the shellside heat transfer rate declines:

Overall heat transfer rate clean - U clean =

1

1

OD

+

+ R wall

H shellside

ID * H tubeside

Heat release curve along with water plus hydrocarbon condensate formation example (as follows):

Fouled heat transfer rate - U fouled =

1

1 U clean

+ OAFF

The tubeside heat transfer rate is generally a straight- forward calculation of forced convection in the turbulent flow:

Design or working heat transfer rate - U working = Heat released Area * LMTD

10,000 12,000 14,000 18,000 16,000 20,000

100 120 140 180 160 200

Hotside

Coldside PPH HC liquid (RHS)

PPH Water (RHS)

PPH Non condensible gas (RHS)

0 6,000 4,000 2,000 8,000

0 60 40 20 80

0

2,000,000

4,000,000

6,000,000

8,000,000 10,000,000 12,000,000 14,000,000 16,000,000 18,000,000

Heat release (Btu/hr)

Figure 2 Heat release 30,000 pph mass flow rate (at 200 mm Hg abs for illustration only)

60

PTQ Q1 2023

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