Does a heat exchanger require a pressure vessel?
Thread Content
We have several shell-and-tube heat exchangers used for condensing alcohol; alcohol vapor is present in the tube side, and a vacuum pump is used to remove it. The shell side is cooled by circulating water. Is this type of heat exchanger considered a pressure vessel? Is it necessary to obtain a pressure vessel certificate?
Consider the medium and operating conditions? Temperature? Pressure? Gas phase volume!
It depends on your pressure, medium, and volume
The working pressure is less than 0.1 MPa, so there is no need to register it as a pressure vessel.
Many similar operating conditions have been tested; none are of this type. However, it is recommended that manufacturers refer to GB151 and the relevant requirements of pressure vessel codes when designing and manufacturing. If the water content on the gas side is low, an internal finned heat exchanger can be considered, as it achieves a better rate of condensation and recovery before the pump.