AIR COOLED HEAT EXCHANGER
This is One of the heat exchanger kinds. It is often used in the process, power, steel, and other industries is the air cooled heat exchanger. This form of heat exchanger is utilized when a process system produces heat that needs to be removed since it is not needed locally. The direct cooling of different process fluids by ambient air is the primary purpose of these heat exchanger. These heat exchangers are sometimes referred to as fin-tube heat exchangers, air fin fan coolers, air coolers, or air coolers.
ADVANTAGES OF AIR COOLED HEAT EXCHANGER
The primary benefit of Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers (ACHE) is their extremely low operating and maintenance costs.
Air Coolers are a “green” solution to cooling towers and shell and tube heat exchangers. Due to the water lost to drift and evaporation, they do not need an additional water supply. where a cooling medium like water is not readily available.
They are often employed when the outlet temperature exceeds the maximum anticipated ambient air temperature by more than around 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Although they can be employed with lower approach temperatures. And they are frequently more expensive when compared to water-cooled and cooled by a cooling tower.
COMPONENTS OF AIR COOLED HEAT EXCHANGER
The following are the main elements of an air-cooled heat exchanger.
- heat transfer surface bundles, either one or more.
- A fan or blower is used to move air.
- A mechanical driver and power transmission to power the fan or blower.
- the plenum.
- structural support.
- platforms for header and fan maintenance.
- Recirculation conduits and optional louvres.
- For temperature control and power savings, an optional variable-pitch fan hub or variable-frequency drive is available.