Graphical tool for the preliminary design of compact heat exchangers

•Graphical design tool for the design of compact heat exchangers.•Graphical presentation of thermal length and hydraulic length.•Design space for the selection of geometrical parameters for design.•Application to the case of spiral heat exchangers and compablocs.

This paper shows the application of a graphical tool for the preliminary design of heat exchangers. The approach, originally developed for the case of shell and tube heat exchangers, is extended to the cases of spiral and welded compact exchangers. The tool depicts the design space where a number of combinations of geometrical parameters meet the heat duty and allowable pressure drops. The design space is the enclosed area between three curves: a curve that represents the specified heat duty and the curves that represent the pressure drop on the hot and cold streams. This representation gives the designer the overall view that allows him to reconcile design specifications with the selection of the unit for a given application. The methodology is demonstrated on case studies.