Heat exchanger maintenance

The high costs of frequently repairing cryogenically cooled probes have prompted vendors to require or at least strongly suggest that their cooled probe customers purchase an annual probe plus heat exchanger maintenance contract for sums in excess of 25,000. 

Stacking heat exchangers so that the center line is higher than 5 m or more than three stacks high can be a problem for maintenance. If more exchangers are required, eg, four, then the exchangers must be stacked in two pair two bundles high, because the surface area exceeds that which can be fabricated into three bundles. 

The location of exchangers is the key to maintenance. Usually the back head is kept at a distance of about three meters from the piperack support columns. Access equipment must be able to get in and remove the sheU cover and flange head. Access area must also be provided to handle and remove the sheU cover usually located under the piperack. The tube-pulling or rodding-out area must be kept clear to allow access to the channel end. This space should be at least equal to the tube length and about two meters from the tube sheet location. Tube removal space should be allowed for but is not mandatory if grade-mounted heat exchangers are used and mobile maintenance equipment employed to pick up the entire unit and transfer it to the repair shop. 

Figure 12 shows the plan and elevation views of a process unit piping (9). A dmm is supported off the piperack. Heat exchangers are located far enough back from the support columns so that they are accessible and their shell covers can be removed. Pumps are located underneath the piperack, but sufficient room is provided for maintenance equipment to access the motors and to remove the pump if necessary. The motor is always oriented away from the process equipment and located on that side of the piperack. Instmment valve drops are shown supported from the columns. The instmment trays themselves mn on the outside of the support columns. Flat turns are only made from the outside position of the piperack. Nozzle-to-nozzle pipe mns are made whenever possible. Larger lines are located on the outside of the piperack. Connections to nozzles above the rack are made from the top... 

A flow diagram for the system is shown in Figure 5. Feed gas is dried, and ammonia and sulfur compounds are removed to prevent the irreversible buildup of insoluble salts in the system. Water and soHds formed by trace ammonia and sulfur compounds are removed in the solvent maintenance section (96). The pretreated carbon monoxide feed gas enters the absorber where it is selectively absorbed by a countercurrent flow of solvent to form a carbon monoxide complex with the active copper salt. The carbon monoxide-rich solution flows from the bottom of the absorber to a flash vessel where physically absorbed gas species such as hydrogen, nitrogen, and methane are removed. The solution is then sent to the stripper where the carbon monoxide is released from the complex by heating and pressure reduction to about 0.15 MPa (1.5 atm). The solvent is stripped of residual carbon monoxide, heat-exchanged with the stripper feed, and pumped to the top of the absorber to complete the cycle. 

The hairpin heat exchanger, unhke the removable bundle TEMA styles, is designed for bundle insertion and removal from the return end rather than the tubesheet end. This is accomplished by means of removable spht rings which shde into grooves machined around the outside of each tubesheet and lock the tubesheets to the external closure flanges. This provides a distinct advantage in maintenance since bundle removal... 

It is neeessary to understand the TDH and it s eomponents in order to make eorreet deeisions when parts of the system are changed, replaced, or modified (valves, heat exchangers, elbows, pipe diameter, probes, filters, strainers, ete.) It s neces.sary to know these TDH values at the moment of specifying the new pump, or to analyze a problem with an existing pump. In order to have proper pump operation with low maintenance over the long haul, the BF P of the pump must be approximately equal to the TDH of the system. 

A further detail of this study included sensitivity analysis for the area of heat exchangers, discount rate, and fuel cost. The results are listed in Table 3-8. Option 2, the turboexpander scheme, was selected in terms of energy and maintenance savings, as well as enhanced reliability, availability, and safety. 

Maintenance records also supply valuable rules for things such as heat exchanger tube velocity limitations for... 

Maintenance may be reduced due to elimination of water fouling characteristics which could require frequent cleaning of water cooled heat exchangers... 

For example, in the aforementioned heat exchanger example let us consider that water is used as a coolant at the rate of 120.0 gallons per minute (gpm) at a cost of 0.20/1000 gallons. Annual labor and maintenance is estimated to be 31,000/year. Hence,... 

SAIC Data Base Nudear Plant maintenance and repair records by system and component type selected basic event failure rates and unavailability Data mainly for pumps, valves, diesels, batteries, chargers, and heat exchangers 76. 

Figure 10-7C. The patented COMPABLOG welded plate heat exchanger is technologically advanced, compact, and efficient. The fully welded design (but totally accessible on both sides) combines the best in performance, safety maintenance, and capital/maintenance costs. (Used by permission Vicarb Inc., Canada, publication VNT-3110 1997.)...

Figure 10-9D. Assembly of components of Heliflow spiral heat exchanger. (Used by permission Graham Manufacturing Company, Bui. Operating and Maintenance Instructions for Heliflow . )...

The added capability of calculating unknown values based on measured inputs will greatly enhance the system capabilities. For example, the neither fouling factor nor efficiency of a heat exchanger can be directly measured. A predictive maintenance system that can automatically calculate these values based on the measured flow, pressure and temperature data would enable the program to automatically trend, log and alarm deviations in these unknown, critical parameters. 

The cost of electricity, other fuels, water, spare parts and operating and maintenance labour represents the greater part of the owning costs of a refrigeration system. It is probable that a small extra expenditure on some items, especially heat exchangers, will reduce running costs. 

Steam traps are automatic mechanisms that remove low heat-content air and condensate from the steam delivery system. The lack of steam traps or use of traps that fail to function properly leads to a gradual decline in heat-transfer efficiency, waterlogged heat exchangers, and water hammer (which may in turn result in ruptured pipes). When adequate maintenance of steam traps is neglected, this ultimately leads to a serious overall loss of operating efficiency. There are various types of steam traps, each designed for a specific function. Some common variations are discussed in the following sections. 

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