TABLE OF CONTENTS In this chapter, we consider some of the techniques that are used in the analysis of industrial heat-exchange equipment. Of the many types of commercially available heat exchangers, the discussion will be limited to two, namely, the double pipe exchanger and the shell-and-tube exchanger. The double pipe is the simplest type of heat exchanger, while the shell-and-tube is the most widely used type of exchanger in the chemical process industries. For information on other types of heat-transfer equipment, the reader is referred to Refs. [1 3], as well as Chapter 12.
Heat-exchanger calculations can be divided into two distinct categories, namely, thermal and hydraulic calculations on the one hand and mechanical design calculations on the other. Thermal and hydraulic calculations are made to determine heat-transfer rates and pressure drops needed for equipment sizing. Mechanical design calculations are concerned with detailed equipment specifications, and include considerations such as stress and tube vibration analyses. In this chapter we will be concerned with thermal calculations only. Hydraulic calculations are considered in subsequent chapters, as is software that performs mechanical design calculations.
Heat-exchanger problems may also be categorized as rating problems or design problems. In a rating problem, one must determine whether a given, fully specified exchanger will perform a given heat-transfer duty satisfactorily. It is immaterial whether the exchanger physically exists or whether it is specified only on paper. In a design problem, one must determine the specifications for a heat exchanger that will handle a given heat-transfer duty. A rating calculation...
