Heat exchangers, baffles cleaning

For a horizontal heat exchanger, halfle cut can be horizontal or %xrtical. Horizontal baffle cut is usually used for clean single phase fluid. For dirty, condensing, or vaporizing fluid, vertical baffle cut is better, since it will not nap dirts or lu uid behind the baffle plates. 

The horizontal cut baffles are good for all gas-phase or all liquid-phase service in the shell. However, if dissolved gases in the liquid can be released in the exchanger, this baffling should not be used, or notches should be cut at the top for gas passage. Notches will not serve for any significant gas flow, just for traces of released gas. Liquids should be clean otherwise sediment will collect at the base of every other baffle segment and blank off part of the lower tubes to heat transfer. 

The closer the baffles are spaced the greater the turbulence and heat transfer. The pressure drop increases at close spacings but not in proportion to the increased transfer rate. However, spacings of less than 6 in. are seldom used because of the difficulty encountered in cleaning the outside of the tubes. Exchangers in use today have spacings of 2 to... 

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