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Problem
The following task is to examine by means of a rating whether this heat exchanger delivers the
required performance and that the pressure loss (tube as well as shell side) does not exceed 0.5
bar.
CC-THERM is required here besides CHEMCAD Steady State to solve the problem.
CC-THERM is an add-on program and comprises the rigorous simulation of heat exchangers.
CHEMCAD Steady State already offers the possibility to simulate heat exchangers through a
simple energy and mass balance. However, a heat transfer coefficient is not calculated, and the
construction parameters are not taken into consideration.
CC-THERM offers rigorous calculations of the following heat exchanger types: tubular, plate and
twin tube heat exchangers and air coolers.
It is possible to select between the design of a new and the rating of an existing heat exchanger.
With the rating of a heat exchanger, the construction data (e.g. number of tubes, tube
dimensions, number of baffle plates, etc.) of the heat exchanger are already known. This way, it
is possible to check whether the required output can be achieved with the available heat
exchanger for a specified substance mixture.
The heat exchanger is designed and calculated in accordance with international standards: TEMA,
ASME, DIN or British Standard.
For the simulation at hand, the IAPWS-IF97 steam table is used as thermodynamic model for the
enthalpy calculation. A thermodynamic of mixing is not required because the only available
component is water. Therefore, the simplest model (ideal Raoult's law, VAP) is chosen. Table 2
summarizes the most important simulation data.
Table 2: Summary of the simulation data
Units Components Thermodynamics Feed streams Unit operations
k
Common Water K: VAP, H: IAPWS Hot: 1 heat exchanger;
SI
= 130 2 feeds;
= 2,7 2 products
=0
= 50 3 /
Cold:
= 10
= 1,5
= 20 3 /
In addition, the hot flow is to have an outlet temperature in excess of 80 C, and the cold flow an
outlet temperature of 90C.
First, the flow sheet is generated with CHEMCAD Steady State and the feed streams defined as
stated in table Table 2 (see Figure 2).
The heat exchanger can be specified via different parameters in the settings window (Figure 3).
Amongst other parameters, the heat exchanger surface A and the heat transfer coefficient k can
be defined, from which the process data of the outlet flows is calculated afterwards. Further
settings options (e.g. statement of temperature, steam content, minimum temperature
difference) are also possible.
In Utility Option, the required mass flow of one of the feed streams can be calculated in
dependence on the other and the set parameters. The stream flow and the view of the calculated
results are defined in the menu item Misc. Settings.
For this simulation, the outlet temperature of the cold flow is defined. According to the task, this
should be at least 90C. A temperature of 95C is specified. One statement is sufficient for the
simulation of a simple heat exchanger.
The simulation is started. This leads to the results shown in Figure 4. Both flows have an outlet
temperature of approximately 95C, which means that the condition stating that the hot stream
should not be cooled down below 80C is fulfilled.
After selecting the tubular heat exchanger, the module first asks which feed stream is supposed
to flow through the heat exchanger in the tubes first (Figure 6), and - if not already selected -
which heat exchanger in the flow sheet is concerned. In this example, the hot process water flows
in the tubes.
Afterwards, CHEMCAD generates the Q-T diagram (Heat Curve, Figure 7). This is generated with
11 data points (pre-setting). It is also possible to choose between concurrent and countercurrent
in the settings window "Heat Curve Parameters".
The Q-T diagram already shows whether a phase change occurs inside the heat exchanger. With
a pure component system, it can be expected that the temperature will no longer increase in the
case of a phase change, so that the curves will become horizontal. In the examined diagram, this
results in the Q-T diagram displayed in Figure 8. There is no phase change. It is also possible to
read the output temperatures to be expected. The data used in the diagram originates from the
previously generated heat exchanger simulation using the CHEMCAD Steady State module.
After confirming with "OK", the next window for the general settings of the heat exchanger opens
automatically (Figure 9). In Calculation mode, it is possible to choose between the design or the
rating case. The calculation basis for the geometric details is selected in TEMA class/standard .
Different international standards are available for this purpose. The TEMA standard R (Tubular
Exchanger Manufacturers Association Type R) is preset.
In Modeling Methods (Figure 10) the calculation methods, e.g. for laminar or turbulent flows, can
be adapted if required.
The next settings window opens automatically after confirmation. The geometric data of the heat
exchanger is defined in more detail in the following. Details of the tube bundle are entered first
(Figure 11).
In the case of rating, all entry fields can be edited. In the case of design, the number and length
of the tubes are calculated and therefore cannot be edited. CHEMCAD already contains pre-set
focused on process simulation
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values for a tubular heat exchanger. The dimension of the tubes is 3/4 inch. However, all values
can be overwritten manually.
The geometric data of the heat exchanger is entered as stated in Table 1. The pre-set values, such
as the tube sheet thickness, are applied accordingly.
The shell settings screen opens next (Figure 12). Besides stating the shell diameter, it is also
possible to enter whether several heat exchangers are to be connected in parallel or in series.
The nozzles can be specified in the subsequent window (Figure 13). Pre-set values are also
available here, that can be adapted manually if required. The nozzle diameter is 0.1 m for the
tube side and 0.15 m for the shell side.
Geometric dimensions and alignments of the baffle plates can be set in the next window (Figure
14). If no values are provided, CHEMCAD calculates these with the CC-THERM calculation
algorithm.
There are eleven baffle plates in the stated heat exchanger, which cover 70% of the cross section.
Therefore, the free cross section in the shell is 30%. CHEMCAD calculates the spacing of the baffle
plates automatically.
Figure 15: Settings window for the geometric spaces in the heat exchanger
Once all settings have been completed, the main menu of the tubular heat exchanger is
displayed in CC-THERM (Figure 18).
The rigorous simulation of the heat exchanger with the previously entered data is performed
with the command Calculate. The results of the calculation can be viewed in View Results. It is
also possible to have the results exported to Excel or as a text file. The desired report section can
be selected in Select Reports and afterwards generated with Generate Reports (Figure 19).
Optimization approaches
It is also possible to design a heat exchanger in CHEMCAD. It is not necessary to know any
construction data for this purpose. Merely the desired heat output or the desired outlet
temperatures must be specified. The construction and the geometric data is calculated in design
mode.
Another optimization approach would be to investigate to what extent the heat exchange
deteriorates if the tubes inside the heat exchanger become clogged and must be welded shut.
Closing off the tubes would be one possibility to prevent the evaporation on the cold side in the
above example by reducing the heat exchanger surface. Another question would be how many
tubes may fail at most while still achieving the required performance. The simulation with a
reduced number of tubes can be performed and the influence on the heat output examined with
CC-THERM. In addition, the sensitivity analysis and SQP optimization tools available in CHEMCAD
can be used to examine various parameters and scenarios.
In the field of heat recovery, a heat exchanger with bypass construction is frequently used. If heat
recovery is not possible in the summer, the hot waste gas, for example, is directed past the heat
exchanger via the bypass. A bypass can be simulated in CHEMCAD e.g. with the help of controllers
so that different operation scenarios can be quickly examined.
CC-THERM can be used for other types of heat exchangers (plate and twin tube heat exchangers
and air coolers) in the same way. These procedures are contained in further tutorials.
focused on process simulation
Page 15 of 16
Are you interested in further tutorials, seminars or other solutions with CHEMCAD?
Then please contact us:
Mail: support@chemstations.eu
Phone: +49 (0)30 20 200 600
www.chemstations.eu
Author: Lisa Weise