Practical Considerations in Heat Exchanger Design and Use

Discussion of the detailed anatomy of the heat exchanger and the methods to devise analysis-aided designs have been the primary focus of the material presented up to this point in the book. The evolution of a high quality design, however, requires the interplay of practical considerations with mathematical analysis. The designer must give sufficient thought and consideration to practical matters such as integration of the equipment in the available plant space, equipment maintenance, in-service inspection, handling, and repair. While the equipment design specification prepared by the owner/user seeks to serve the function of familiarizing the designer with the overall plant needs, the breadth and depth of information found in the “specs” varies considerably. The material provided in this chapter is aimed to provide the designer with an overview of these “trans-design” topics. Engineers engaged in specification development, and plant personnel responsible for heat exchanger inspection and maintenance, will also find the information presented here useful in their work.