Air cooled heat exchangers are commonly used in industrial applications where a reliable source of water is not available as a cooling medium. Even if water is available, in some cases, air cooled exchangers are favored for economic or operational reasons – because dedicated cooling water circuits, pumps, water cooling systems and water conditioning systems add complexity and capital requirements, as well as operating and maintenance costs.
Air cooled heat exchangers are used throughout the entire oil and gas industry from
upstream production to refineries and petrochemical plants, under conditions including high pressure and temperature, as well as corrosive fluids and environments. Common applications include gas re-injection, gas lift and pipeline applications, cooling and condensing of hydrocarbon gases, and cooling of machinery oil and heavy hydrocarbons. Air cooled steam condensers are a special type of heat exchanger employed to condense steam at the exhaust end of steam turbines for both power generation and mechanical drive applications.
Air-cooled units have been successfully and economically used in liquid cooling for
compressor engine and jacket water and other recirculating systems, petroleum fractions, oils, etc., and also in condensing service for steam, high boiling organic vapors, petroleum still vapors, gasoline, ammonia, etc.
| Air cooled heat exchangers are commonly used in industrial applications where a reliable source of water is not available as a cooling medium. Even if water is available, in some cases, air cooled exchangers are favored for economic or operational reasons – because dedicated cooling water circuits, pumps, water cooling systems and water conditioning systems add complexity and capital requirements, as well as operating and maintenance costs. Air cooled heat exchangers are used throughout the entire oil and gas industry from upstream production to refineries and petrochemical plants, under conditions including high pressure and temperature, as well as corrosive fluids and environments. Common applications include gas re-injection, gas lift and pipeline applications, cooling and condensing of hydrocarbon gases, and cooling of machinery oil and heavy hydrocarbons. Air cooled steam condensers are a special type of heat exchanger employed to condense steam at the exhaust end of steam turbines for both power generation and mechanical drive applications. Air-cooled units have been successfully and economically used in liquid cooling for compressor engine and jacket water and other recirculating systems, petroleum fractions, oils, etc., and also in condensing service for steam, high boiling organic vapors, petroleum still vapors, gasoline, ammonia, etc. 1)When the fluid temperatures are relatively high 2) when water is extremely scarce or expensive 3) Where a maintenance problem results from the use of cooling tower water 4) Where the industrial process or plant design is simplified by its use 5) Where maximum heat loads occur during the winter months. Air cooled exchangers are extensively used for jacket water cooling of engine driven compressors, for steam condensing, and for gas and high temperature level cooling or condensing. |