Experimental tube-side pressure drop characteristics of FLNG spiral wound heat exchanger under sloshing conditions

In order to study the operation reliability of spiral wound heat exchangers (SWHEs) applied in floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) offshore platforms, an experimental device of dual mixed refrigeration (DMR) and a six-DOF (degree of freedom) sloshing platform are constructed. The effects of yawing, pitching, heaving and surging motions on the pressure drop characteristics of SWHE are analyzed experimentally at different sloshing angles, periods and amplitudes. The results show that pressure drop characteristics of gas-phase mixed refrigerant are influenced much more significantly under sloshing conditions, compared with feed gas and liquid-phase mixed refrigerant. In addition, heaving and pitching motions have a larger influence on tube-side pressure drop characteristics than surging and yawing, under the same conditions.