Air cooler, or air-cooled heat exchanger, is one of the most widely used equipments for petroleum refinery, petrochemical and chemical industries.
Design and manufacturing standard for petrochemical refinery air cooler:
★API 661 / ISO 13076 ( Air-cooled heat exchangers for general refinery service )
★ASME SECT.VIII Div.1
Operating principle for air cooler:
An air cooler consists of the primary following components
★ Finned tube bundle(s) for heat transfer surface
★ Fans that push or pull the ambient air
★ A mechanical driver and power transmission to run the fan
★ A plenum
★ A steel-made supporting structure
★ Header and fan maintenance platforms
★ Louvers and recirculation ducts (optional )
★ Ladder (optional )
★ Variable-frequency drive for temperature control and power (optional)
What kind of finned tubes are used to form the tube bundle?
★ “L” type fins
★ “LL” type fins
★ “KL” type fins
★ “DR” type fins
★ “G” type fins
Limiting temperature range for various types of fins:
| Fin bonding type |
Maximum design process temperature |
| Mechanically embedded fins |
400℃ (750°F) |
| Hot-dip gavalnized steel fins |
360℃ (680°F) |
| Extruded fins(aluminum fins) |
300℃ (570°F) |
| Footed fins(L) and overlap footed fins(LL) |
130℃ (270°F) |
| Knurled/aluminum fin, either L or LL |
200℃ (390°F) |
| Laser-welded fins |
＞400℃ (750°F)
(maximum should be agreed by purchaser)
|
| NOTE |
| Except where stated otherwise, the above limits are based on a carbon steel core tube and aluminum fins, different materials for the core tube and/or the fins may result in a different temperature limit. |
Petrochemical refinery air cooler site installation
Our workshop
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.
