A short introduction on finned tube air cooled heat exchanger:
Finned tube air cooled heat exchanger (or air cooler ) is a kind of heat exchange equipment in which the ambient air is used as the cooling medium, and the motored fan forces the air to cross the fin tube, so that the high-temperature process fluid in the tube is cooled or condensed.The air cooler unit is composed of three basic parts, including finned tube bundle, fan and frame, as well as auxiliary parts such as louver, maintenance platform and ladder.Using natural air as cooling medium saves precious water resources, reduces the discharge of industrial sewage and protects the natural environment.
Air-cooled heat exchangers are widely used throughout the oil and gas industry, petrochemical plants, fertilizer plants, offshore oil exploration, oil refinery, under high pressure and high temperature working conditions, as well as corrosive fluids and environments.
Configuration of finned tube air cooled heat exchanger:
How are the finned tube air coolers constructed?
Typically, one set of finned tube air-cooled heat exchanger comprises a finned-tube bundle with rectangular box headers on both ends of the tubes. Circulating ambient air is provided as cooling medium by one or more motored fans. Usually, the air blows upwards through a horizontal tube bundle. The fans can be either forced or induced draft, depending on whether the air is pushed or pulled through the tube bundle. So we can also call an air cooler as “forced drafted air cooler” or “induced drafted air cooler”. The space between the fan(s) and the tube bundle is enclosed by a plenum chamber which directs the air. The whole assembly is usually mounted on legs or a pipe rack made of steel.
Two draft types of finned tube air-cooled heat exchangers:
A. Forced draft air-cooled heat exchanger
B. Induced draft air-cooled heat exchanger
Advantages of finned tube air-cooled heat exchangers:
·Using ambient air as the cooling medium, saving precious water resources and reducing waste discharge to the environment.
·Adding fins to tubes increases the heat transfer area, enhancing heat transfer efficiency.
·Tube bundles are designed into modular structure, convenient for transportation and assembly.
·Continuous and stable supply of ambient air, low noise during operation.
·Air causes no corrosion to the fins and tubes, insuring long service life of the equipment.
FAQ
Q1: What is an air cooler?
A1: An air cooler, also known as an air cooler, is a heat exchanger that uses air as a cooling medium to cool warm air to the desired temperature. Its working principle is that the warm fluid inside the tube exchanges heat with the air outside the tube through the tube wall and fins, thereby achieving cooling and condensation effects.
Q2: What are the main components of an air cooler?
A2: The air cooler is mainly composed of pipes, brackets, and fans. Warm fluid flows inside the tube, while air blows outside the tube. The control section includes heat transfer tubes, tube boxes, side beams, and crossbeams, etc
Q3: What are the main applications of air coolers in?
A3: Air coolers have a wide range of applications, mainly concentrated in industrial settings that require efficient heat dissipation and have certain limitations on water resources. For example, in the power system, in the petrochemical industry, in the metallurgical industry, and in the aerospace industry.
