Hair Pin
(Double Pipe)
Heat Exchangers
Heat Exchangers Baher Elsheikh – March 2022
Hair Pin Heat Exchangers
Hair Pin Heat Exchangers: A hairpin heat exchanger can be described as a single-pass shell-and-tube (double
pipe) unit that has been folded in half to give it a hairpin appearance. It is a type of shell and tube heat exchanger
Main standards: API 663 & PIP VESH001, in addition to TEMA and ASME BPVC
Shell side Fluid In
Tube side Fluid in
Tube side Fluid Out
Name gained from shape
Removable Cover hair pin Exchanger similarity of Hair pin
Shell side Fluid Out
Stacked skid Bundle during fabrication Removable bundle type Hair Pin Heat Exchanger
Heat Exchangers Baher Elsheikh – March 2022
Main Components of Hair Pin Heat Exchangers
Tie Rods
Shell side
nozzle Tubesheet
Baffles
Tubes
Tube side
Shell Nozzles
Rear Closure
Shell
Support Shell side Front Closure
Support nozzle
Heat Exchangers Baher Elsheikh – March 2022
Advantages of Hair Pin Heat Exchangers
Pure counter flow permits close temperature approach and temperature cross
High thermal performance and compact footprint as compared to traditional
shell and tube heat exchangers
As it is a U-tube design, metallic expansion joints are not required to absorb
the differential expansion between the service channel and the product
channel
Can be designed as fixed tubesheet or with removable bundle for easy
maintenance
Heat Exchangers Baher Elsheikh – March 2022
Hair Pin Heat Exchangers Front Closures
Non Removable Bundle Separated Closure Common Closure
• Low Cost • Shell side and tube side closures are • Single bolted closure design. Ideal for
• Fixed tubesheet separately bolted through, ideal for applications involving low design
• Not suitable for dirty service applications involving wide temperature or pressure differences
• Poor maintainability temperature or pressure differences between the shell and tube side fluids
• Less prone to leaks (less flanged between the shell and tube side fluids • Removable bundle, better
connections) (>220oC & 70 bar) maintainability compared to fixed
• Cyclic Service tubesheet.
• Hydrogen service
Heat Exchangers Baher Elsheikh – March 2022
Hair Pin Heat Exchangers Rear Closures
4
1
Cast Closure Fabricated Closure Welded Closure
1) shell return bend housing 5) bundle or element assembly
2) shell return housing assembly 6) return bend housing gasket
3) shell return housing end flange 7) return bend housing bolting
4) shell pipes
Heat Exchangers Baher Elsheikh – March 2022
Removable Bundle Hair Pin Heat Exchangers
Removable Bundle Hair Pin Heat Exchangers
Option-1
Common closure
Change the configuration of the end U bend + one of those two
1 2 configuration
cover to be removable flanged assembly
Option-2
Separated closure
Heat Exchangers Baher Elsheikh – March 2022
Tube Thickness
Minimum Recommended wall thickness of tubes
Tube Material Minimum Wall
Thickness
Carbon steel, low-alloy material (max. 9 % chromium), aluminum, and 2.11
aluminum alloy
Copper and copper alloys 1.65
High-alloy [austenitic, ferritic, and austenitic / ferritic (duplex)] steel and 1.473
other nonferrous materials
Titanium 1.067
Heat Exchangers Baher Elsheikh – March 2022
Tube Battern
Triangular pitch (30 deg) and rotated triangular (60 deg)
accommodates more tubes and produces high flow turbulence is
better for heat transfer and surface area per unit length (greater
tube density)
Square pitch is needed for mechanical cleaning, so it is preferred Rotated
Triangular 30°
for dirty service applications Triangular 60°
TEMA R-2.5 Tube Pitch shall be spaced minimum center to center
of 1.25 tube OD, when the mechanical cleaning is specified, lanes
of 6.4 mm (0.25 in) shall be provided
Rotated
Square 90°
Square 40°
TEMA RCB-2.4
Heat Exchangers Baher Elsheikh – March 2022
Tube Pattern
Triangular Square
30° 60° 90° 45° Rotated
Rotated
Applicable shell Low fouling tendency due to the No limitation
side fluid difficulty of mechanical cleaning Rotated
Triangular 30° Triangular 60°
Pressure Larger than square Smaller than triangular
drop(Shell side)
Larger than Smaller than Smaller than rotated Larger than
rotated triangular square square
triangular
Heat Transfer Higher than triangular Lower than triangular
coefficient (shell Rotated
Square 90°
side) Square 40°
Heat Exchangers Baher Elsheikh – March 2022
Tube-to-Tubesheet Joints
Expanded
Process of expanding a tube to a fully plastic state into contact with tube hole that
creates residual interface pressure between the tube and tubesheet
Strength Welded
Weld design strength is equal to or greater than the axial tube strength
Can be Full strength Weld or Partial Strength Weld
Full Strength Weld: in which the design strength is equal to or greater than the axial
tube strength
Partial Strength Weld: in which the design strength is based on the mechanical and
thermal axial tube loads that are determined from the actual design conditions
Seal Welded
Weld is used to supplement an expanded tube to tubesheet joint to ensure leak
tightness
Heat Exchangers Baher Elsheikh – March 2022
