Air Cooler
Air cooler units differ from other heat exchangers in that they use circulated air instead of liquid as the cooling agent. These units typically consist of fin-tube bundles with a header box attached to each end, which are supported horizontally by a steel frame or structure.
In a single-pass arrangement, the inlet nozzles are situated at the top of the header box, while the outlet nozzles are located at the opposite end and mounted on the bottom of the header box. On the other hand, in a double pass arrangement, the outlet nozzles are placed at the same end as the inlet nozzles. To increase the surface area, additional passes can be added or more units can be installed and placed side by side.
Single-Pass Air Cooler
Double-Pass Air Cooler
Air is circulated through the use of multi-blade propeller-type fans that provide either forced or induced drafts. These fans can be equipped with either adjustable-speed or variable-pitch blades. The pitch of the fan blades can be altered to modify the air-flow rate, which in turn compensates for any fluctuations in air temperature, whether it rises or falls.
Air coolers are typically installed near the equipment they serve to allow for piping flexibility and easy maintenance. They can be supported at ground level, on top of structures, or above pipe racks - however, the most common installation is above the pipe rack. The tube bundle bank can be supported by steel legs provided by the air cooler vendor or by extending the pipe rack or structure columns to the underside of the bank.
Air cooler vendors usually provide header boxes and motor access platforms. Ladders are also included to ensure safe and easy access to the coolers. The images below illustrate different types of air cooler support and platform configurations, including column-supported, leg-supported, fixed platform, and traveling platform arrangements.
When designing an air cooler configuration, the plant layout designer needs to consider the source of the supporting column. The comparison sketches below show that arrangement A, which is developed by the contractor, allows for changes to the platforming and pipe support loading late in the project without affecting the air cooler vendor’s scheduled delivery dates to the job site. However, in arrangement B, any such late changes would require the air cooler vendor to redesign the support legs or platform, resulting in delays in delivery and extra costs. Therefore, it is crucial to carefully consider the design of the air cooler configuration to minimize any potential disruptions or delays during the project.
Leg Supported (by Vendor) and Pipe Rack Supported (by Contractor) Air Coolers
The tube bundle bank can be supported by steel legs provided by the air cooler vendor or by extending the pipe rack or structure columns to the underside of the bank.
Ref: Foster Wheeler Italiana Lesson Notes
You can be read the blog for “Air Cooler Piping” by clicking over it. The blog is about the Piping Design and Piping Stress Analysis.
A Piping Stress Engineer is essential in the design and analysis of piping systems, ensuring that these systems can handle operational stresses and forces. Piping systems are crucial to industries such as oil and gas, power generation, and chemical processing. The engineer’s role is to ensure the safety, reliability, and efficiency of these systems under various conditions.