The self-cleaning heat exchanger technology offers the possibility of revamping existing vertical conventional severely fouling heat exchangers into a self-cleaning configuration. These possibilities are particularly interesting for severely fouling reboilers, evaporators and crystallizers. In general, the requirements for the majority of revamps can be summarized as follows:
- The same process conditions should be maintained.
- The connections to the column or flash vessel should be maintained.
- The installed pumps should be used.
- The existing channels should be re-used where possible.
- The revamp must be carried out within the available space.
- Input Client Case
Collect all required process conditions (i.e. flow, temperatures and cooling/heating medium) and layout and dimensions of the current heat exchanger (i.e. tube diameter and length, number of tubes and heat exchanger location and orientation).
- Revamping potential assessment
Conduct an assessment (i.e. layout and dimensions) to evaluate the possibility to convert the current heat exchanger into a self-cleaning configuration.
- Test at Client Site
A test is required to determine the overall heat transfer coefficient and to demonstrate the zero-fouling performance. The test will be performed at the client site and at client conditions taken into account the tube diameter and length of the full scale unit (current heat exchanger) and a flow in 1 tube at ΔT and ΔTlog. During this test particle size, bed porosity and flow are optimized. For this test our proprietary single tube test unit is used.
- Design Full-Scale Unit
Output is a design of the required modifications to convert the current heat exchanger into a self-cleaning heat exchanger with optimized fluidized bed parameters.
- Project realization
The detailed engineering, manufacturing, erection and commissioning of the self-cleaning heat exchanger.
