Hairpin Heat Exchangers

Product Summary:

The best application of hairpin exchangers is when the combination of high thermal performance and compact footprint is needed.

When a large temperature cross exists between the process streams, the hairpin style is ideally suited. Due to the pure counter-current flow arrangement, even close temperature approach and/or high temperature ratio can usually be accomplished in a single unit where shells in series would be required for shell and tube design.

Differential thermal expansion is never a concern in a hairpin design since thermal expansion is taken up in the U bends. The minimum bend radius is large by design, which allows for easier cleaning. The hairpin dual tubesheet design handles high terminal temperature differences better than conventional shell and tube design.

When the tubeside process stream design pressure is high, special closure styles may be employed. Since the hairpin design is thermally more efficient than shell and tube, the design typically results in a smaller shell, so up front cost and overall weight is lower. The hairpin can be designed for even greater economy by employing a fixed tubesheet design when bundle removal is not required. Hairpin exchangers are well suited for large imbalance of flow on the shellside. For double pipe exchangers, long fins are used to achieve high thermal performance with minimal pressure drop. If the service requires a multi tube design, low pressure drop baffles can be utilized, which allow pure axial flow shellside.

In cyclic service, the separately gasketed closures are more leak resistant than competing shell and tube designs.

Manufacturer Info: ALCO Products has been a leader in the Hairpin Heat Exchanger Industry and has solved the industry's most demanding heat transfer problems.

ALCO products offers complete engineering and fabricating services to meet all of your heat exchanger needs from double pipe and multi-tube hairpin exchangers to shell and tube exchangers. Combining quality design, quality materials, and quality fabrication with personal service.

Product Detail:

Severe Service (SSMT)

The severe service closure employs the industry's most widely used separated head features. The shell side and the tube side closures are separately bolted through, making this design ideal for applications involving wide temperature and/or pressure differences between the shell and tube fluids.

Heavy Duty (HDMT)

The heavy duty closure offers both the economy of a single through bolted closure and the maintenance advantages of separately bolted closures. The center ring keeps the shell gasket seated during the removal of the tube head for inspection or service. The shell side can be tested without a special fixture being required.