CONTINUOUS
ON-LINE CLEANING/
FLUIDIZED BED HEAT EXCHANGERS
Advanced Heat Transfer Technologies
offers a Product Profile for the self-cleaning
Fluidized Bed Heat Exchanger
(FBHX) |
We
hope that this page of our web-site will serve to familiarize
you with the
FBHX and it's operating principles and design characteristics
enroute
to consideration of a Test Unit operation at your facility.
| The APEX 2000, an Advanced Process Enhancement eXchanger, utilizes proven FBHX Technology to provide a cost-effective and timely solution to severe heat exchanger fouling problems. |
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Operating Principles of the APEX 2000 - FBHX
The severe fouling liquid is supplied to the inlet channel at the base of the APEX 2000 heat exchanger where a proprietary flow distribution system provides uniform distribution of liquid and particles throughout the internal tube-side surface of the tube bundle. The solid particles, which are maintained in a fluidized state, exert a polishing or scouring effect on the tube walls. Continuous agitation of the liquid boundary layer adjacent to the tube wall results in high levels of turbulence and non-declining heat transfer coefficients at relatively low velocities. The scouring action at the tube wall removes tube-side deposits at an early stage, which are then discharged through the outlet channel. The particles are disengaged from the liquid after a significant velocity reduction in the outlet channel and returned to the inlet channel through one or more downcomer tubes where the cycle is repeated. |
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Design Characteristics and Operating Parameters
Solid Particles - Material, Size and Shape
Selection
- glass or ceramic beads(spheres) for inorganics
- 2 to 3 mm cut metal wire (cylinders) for typical CPI applications
Critical Design Parameters
and Heat Transfer Performance
- design fluidization velocities of from .8 to 2.0 ft/sec
- tube-side film coefficients of from 1600 to 2500 BTU/hr - ft2 - F
Pumping Power, Footprint
and Headroom
- pressure drop across FBHX equal or slightly higher
- FBHX requires smaller footprint and greater headroom (20-50 ft)
Wear of Tubes and Particles
- there has never been a reported instance of an FBHX tube failure
- only one "worst case scenario" of particle weight loss
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Whenever the conventional approach involves
the installation of redundant stand-by exchangers,
with excess surface and a short-term cleaning cycle,
the FBHX offers an exceptional opportunity to increase
on-stream time, annual production and profit at the"bottom-line".
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Exceptional Opportunities for Process Improvements
When properly integrated with existing process designs
and various heat transfer systems, which may
be subject to debottlenecking or up-grading
to achieve an increased increment of capacity,
the FBHX Technology offers an opportunity
to drastically increase on-stream reliability
while concurrently reducing production costs.
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Rental of APEX 2000 Test Units for on-site evaluation of a specific application
IF you are facing severe heat exchanger fouling problems
. AND have made the decision to TAKE ACTION
to ELIMINATE FOULING, you may want to consider
one of the APEX 2000 Test Units which
are available on a lease basis. These short
term, low budget test units are offered to
provide for an on-site evaluation of a specific
application of the FBHX Technology. |
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