Trim cooler Design (flooded condensers)
Trim cooler Design (flooded condensers)
(OP)
Dear colleagues,
I am currently working in a project which includes a decrease in the operating pressure of the stripper in the hydrobon unit (hydrotreatment of naphthas).
Due to this decrease the temperature on top of the column will decrease too and the area of the aereocondenser at the top of the column won't be enough to achieve the desired temperature.
For this reason I am designing a new trim cooler that will use cooling water to achieve the current temperature before the liquid/gas separator. To avoid revaporization downstream the trim cooler will have to cool down both the vapour and the liquid stream.
The inlet current is 7.300 kg/h with liquid phase stream being 6.000 kg/h.
I have simulated it with Aspen EDR and the resultant heat exchanger will have to operate 40% flooded in order to cool the liquid phase stream.
To achieve and control the level of flooding in the trim-cooler two ideas come to my mind: Level control and dam bafles.
This is the first time that I design a trim-cooler but I have checked out the designs of other trimcoolers installed on the refinery and I have NOT seen any level control instrumentation or dam baffles.
Can anyone familiar with the design of trim coolers comment please?
Thank you.
I am currently working in a project which includes a decrease in the operating pressure of the stripper in the hydrobon unit (hydrotreatment of naphthas).
Due to this decrease the temperature on top of the column will decrease too and the area of the aereocondenser at the top of the column won't be enough to achieve the desired temperature.
For this reason I am designing a new trim cooler that will use cooling water to achieve the current temperature before the liquid/gas separator. To avoid revaporization downstream the trim cooler will have to cool down both the vapour and the liquid stream.
The inlet current is 7.300 kg/h with liquid phase stream being 6.000 kg/h.
I have simulated it with Aspen EDR and the resultant heat exchanger will have to operate 40% flooded in order to cool the liquid phase stream.
To achieve and control the level of flooding in the trim-cooler two ideas come to my mind: Level control and dam bafles.
This is the first time that I design a trim-cooler but I have checked out the designs of other trimcoolers installed on the refinery and I have NOT seen any level control instrumentation or dam baffles.
Can anyone familiar with the design of trim coolers comment please?
Thank you.





RE: Trim cooler Design (flooded condensers)
RE: Trim cooler Design (flooded condensers)
RE: Trim cooler Design (flooded condensers)
Obviously, you would have a continously downward sloping line from the existing air cooler exit to this new HX. And shellside baffles in this HX should be vertically oriented, if you have this HX lying horizontal. In most plants, there is no control on the water side - it runs with the water flow at design case flow at all times to minimise biofouling on the water-tubeside.
Since this is a partial condensor, you wont need to subcool or bleed any inerts to flare. What is the duty design margin you've allocated at this new unit to account for surges in vapor feed from the column?