Debottlenecking of Heat Exchanger Networks by Using Twisted Tube Heat Exchangers (Part 2)

In this paper, the novel technology of “twisted tube heat exchanger” has been introduced. Using available correlations for heat transfer and pressure drop from literature, an algorithm for the rapid designing of heat exchangers with twisted tubes has been developed. The performance of this exchanger is roughly twice better than the conventional ones. With the consideration of relative advantages of twisted tube bundles, the potential benefits for the application of this technology in grass root and retrofit design of heat exchanger networks has been investigated. Analyzing a basic crude preheat train data for the minimum heat transfer area required by application of twisted tube heat exchangers in a debottlenecking study approves the potential benefits of this technology.