When the process does not specify the pressure drop at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger’s tube side, how is the pressure difference on both sides of the tube side partition in SW6 determined?

When designing or evaluating heat exchangers and no specific pressure drops at the inlet and outlet of the tube side are given, it is usually necessary to determine the pressure difference across the tube side partition by estimation or experience. Here are some common methods: 1. **Empirical estimation**: For certain standard operating conditions and types of heat exchangers, the pressure drop can be estimated empirically. Generally, in heat exchanger design, a typical pressure drop range is specified for the tube side. For example, in some common water or aqueous solution systems, the pressure drop in the tube side is typically set at around 1-2 bar ； For gas systems, it might be lower, such as 0.1–0.5 bar. 2. **Design specifications**: Refer to the relevant heat exchanger design specifications, such as TEMA (Tube and Shell Heat Exchanger Manufacturers Association) specifications or API (American Petroleum Institute) standards. These specifications may provide some recommended pressure drop values or calculation methods for design purposes. 3. **Calculation tools**: Using heat exchanger design software (such as HTRI or AspenTech’s design tools) can help perform more accurate calculations of pressure drop. These software programs typically perform calculations based on factors such as the flow properties of the materials, the piping configuration, pipe diameters, and heat exchange area. 4. **Trial calculation**: If conditions permit, a trial calculation method can be used – that is, by assuming a certain pressure drop value, a preliminary design is carried out based on this assumption, and then it is checked whether the design results meet the process and operational requirements. If it does not meet the requirements, the assumed pressure drop value can be adjusted and the design can be redone until the requirements are satisfied. Ensuring that the pressure drop across the tube side remains within acceptable limits is crucial for the proper operation of heat exchangers, as an excessive pressure drop increases the power required to pump the fluid and may affect the normal functioning of the process. In actual engineering design, if specific pressure drop requirements are not provided by the process side, the designer should consult with the process engineer to determine a reasonable pressure drop range and proceed with the design accordingly. If there is an opportunity to conduct actual measurements after the design is completed, adjustments and optimizations to the design can be made based on those measured data. .

I would like to ask if there is any standard available as a reference for 0.05 Mpa?

It’s just for show; if it’s not provided, it doesn’t count

This post was last edited by wanlirn on 2023-11-27 08:32. These two pressure differences represent the resistance losses calculated at the two tube sheet surfaces; for cooling water and similar fluids, the value is 0.05 MPa, while for other fluids it is 0.1 MPa. For fluids with higher viscosity, such as crude oil, it’s not possible to estimate these values accurately, as the resistance losses can be very high