Sizing replacment condenser

[v8landy]

Hi

I am looking to replace our a heat exchnager we currently use as a condenser for a true condenser.

I am looking on the second-hand market, what information do I need to comair what I have to what I am looking for?

Thanks

 

[dcasto]

whats a true concensor? You'll need to do the heat balance and then do the old Q=U A deltaTlm. then look for exchangers with that area. Then once you find some in that area, look at the arrangement and run pressure drop calculations on each side if its acceptable. Since its a condensor, see if the exchanger nozzels can be arranged to allow for a liquid seal.

 

[EmmanuelTop]

v8landy,

It looks like you are exploring the second hand market very intensively these days - for both columns and heat exchangers.

Is this true condenser a total condenser, without noncondensables present in the system?

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

 

[v8landy]

Hi

Yes I am looking a lot in the second hand market a lot for both cost and recycling green side!

There are no noncondensables in the system.

 

[EmmanuelTop]

What is the service type? Flooded condenser or hot vapor bypass pressure control, what are you looking for?

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

 

[v8landy]

New terminology to me there! It is from a batch distillation process, via 15m packed column.

 

[rmw]

A truism that is said is that condensers are heat exchangers but heat exchangers aren't necessarily condensers. Condensers are designed with that purpose in mind and since most vapor streams have non condensables present the condenser has to be designed to accomodate that need. Heat exchangers that don't have air removal sections sometimes function adequately as condensers but then again, sometimes not.

If you need a condenser, go look for a condenser.

rmw

 

[v8landy]

OK then, we currently use a vertical "heat exchanger" of surface area 130m2, which achieves what we need.

If a "ture condenser" horizontaly mounted is more efficent, do I need one of a small area? If so how much smaller. Or do I just go for same size, given we would like to improve?

 

[zerosum]

Why are you making the assumption that a horizontal condenser is more efficient? I used to deal quite a bit with vertical reflux condensers, and when we wanted to increase condensation (speed up the process), we replaced them with many more, longer tubes still oriented vertically and had great results. And removing non-condensibles still was not a problem with the vertical orientation.