Heat exchanger system and method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchangers in LNG liquefaction processes face challenges with differential condensation of multi-component refrigerants, leading to reduced heat exchange performance and increased size requirements due to low velocity and separation of vapor and condensate components, making it difficult to design efficient heat exchangers for large industrial applications.
Innovation Solution
The use of high finned tubes within a shell heat exchanger design promotes better mixing and turbulence in two-phase flows, enhancing integral condensation and heat exchange performance by increasing flow velocity and improving phase mixing, thus preventing differential condensation and increasing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If conventional low finned tube heat exchangers are used, then the heat exchanger size is reduced, but differential condensation occurs leading to reduced heat exchange performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fin geometry parameters by using high finned tubes with increased fin height and optimized fin spacing. This parameter modification increases the heat transfer surface area and enhances turbulence in the refrigerant flow, thereby improving heat exchange performance while avoiding differential condensation issues that occur in conventional low finned tube designs
Solution Approach 2:
The high finned tube design creates dynamic flow patterns by inducing stronger turbulence and mixing in the two-phase refrigerant flow. This dynamic flow behavior prevents the separation of vapor and condensate components, maintaining effective heat transfer throughout the condensation process and eliminating the performance degradation seen in static, low-velocity conventional designs
2Productivity
If the shell size is increased to accommodate low velocity flow, then differential condensation is reduced, but the heat exchanger size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the geometric parameters of the tubes by implementing high finned tube designs with optimized fin dimensions and spacing. These parameter changes increase the effective heat transfer area and enhance flow turbulence, allowing the system to achieve high condensation efficiency in a more compact shell size without requiring the large volume needed by conventional low velocity flow designs
3Productivity
If high finned tubes are used, then heat exchange performance and mixing are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The high finned tube design segments the heat transfer surface into multiple fin structures that can be manufactured as standardized components. This segmentation allows for modular assembly and simplifies the manufacturing process by enabling mass production of identical finned tube sections, thereby reducing overall manufacturing complexity despite the enhanced performance requirements
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The high finned tube design improves heat exchange performance, allowing for better handling of turn-down cases and increased condensation efficiency, reducing the size and weight of heat exchangers while maintaining or exceeding the heat duty of conventional designs, and providing a cost-effective solution for LNG liquefaction processes.
Implementation Method 1
The use of high finned tubes within a shell heat exchanger design promotes better mixing and turbulence in two-phase flows
Implementation Method 2
indirect heat exchangers can be used in refrigeration cycles to allow a refrigerant to exchange heat with the ambient air or cooling water
Implementation Method 3
The system is for instance a heat exchanger included in the liquefaction process, for instance in the pre-cool or main cooling loops of a liquefaction process for liquefied natural gas
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a heat exchanger system and a method of using the heat exchanger system for heating, cooling or condensing a gaseous multiple component process stream comprising at least one hydrocarbon. The heat exchanger system comprises: —a shell having at least one first inlet and at least one first outlet defining a flow path for a first process fluid, and at least one second inlet and at least one second outlet defining a flow path for a second process fluid; —a number of parallel tubes arranged in the shell between the first inlet and the first outlet, each tube having an outer surface being provided with a multitude of plate fins extending radially outward from the outer surface; the first flow path extending along the outer surface of the tubes, and the second flow path extending through the tubes. The multiple component process stream may comprise two or more components selected from the group of methane, ethane, propane, and nitrogen. The heat exchanger may be used to cool or condense a mixed refrigerant, comprising one or more hydrocarbons, in a process for the liquefaction of natural gas.