Air Cooled Heat Exchanger Training Course

Introduction

Heat exchangers are essential components in the energy, process, petrochemical, and power industries. Their efficiency, design integrity, and maintenance play a vital role in ensuring optimal heat transfer and system performance. This comprehensive heat exchanger training course is designed to equip engineers, technicians, and maintenance professionals with the technical knowledge and operational insights required to effectively select, operate, and maintain various types of heat exchangers. Covering key technologies such as shell-and-tube (STHE), air-cooled (ACHE), and plate-type (PHE) heat exchangers, the course provides a deep dive into heat transfer principles, international standards, troubleshooting, and lifecycle performance optimization. Delivered through interactive sessions, real-world case studies, and practical workshops, this heat exchanger course ensures participants leave with actionable skills and confidence to enhance operational reliability. Participants will explore root cause analysis for common failure modes, learn to assess design criteria and performance parameters, and adopt industry best practices for inspection, maintenance, and integrity management.

Objectives

By the end of this heat exchanger design course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the design principles and selection criteria of different types of heat exchangers
• Analyze heat transfer and hydraulic performance parameters for optimized operation
• Apply international codes and standards for fabrication, inspection, and maintenance
• Identify operational problems such as fouling, corrosion, and pressure drop issues
• Perform performance monitoring, diagnostics, and root cause analysis
• Apply effective troubleshooting and maintenance techniques to enhance lifecycle efficiency

Training Methodology

This heat exchanger course will be delivered through a hands-on, workshop-based format, incorporating:

• Instructor-led Lectures: Covering theoretical principles and design guidelines
• Case Studies and Real-world Examples: Addressing operational issues and solutions
• Worked Examples and Exercises: For performance calculations and system troubleshooting
• Interactive Discussions: Facilitating experience sharing and technical problem-solving

Participants will have the opportunity to analyze real-life operational challenges, perform diagnostics, and develop strategic approaches to maintain high-performance heat exchanger systems across industrial applications.

Who Should Attend?

This heat exchanger training course is ideal for professionals responsible for the operation, maintenance, inspection, or technical management of thermal systems. It is especially beneficial for:

• Maintenance Engineers and Technicians
• Process Engineers and Supervisors
• Plant Operators working with heat exchanger systems
• Inspection and Reliability Personnel
• Plant Managers and Technical Managers in energy and process industries

Whether you are directly involved in heat exchanger operation or supporting maintenance planning and system integrity, this course will provide the practical expertise needed to manage thermal equipment effectively.

Course Outline

Day 1: Types and Applications of Heat Exchangers

• Heat Exchanger Types and Applications: Choice of Working Fluid
• Heat Transfer Fundamentals and Heat Transfer Rates
• Heat Exchanger Elements: Tube Bundles, Tube Sheets, Baffles and Nozzles
• TEMA Nomenclature of Shell & Tube Heat Exchangers (STHE)
• Air Cooled Heat Exchangers (ACHE) and Plate Heat Exchangers (PHE)
• Condensers, Evaporators and Reboilers

Day 2: Thermal and Hydraulic Design of Heat Exchangers

• Flow vs. Temperature Difference in STHE
• Thermal Specification of Heat Exchangers: Sizing and Rating
• Hydraulic Design of STE: Fluid velocity and Pumping Power Calculation
• Aerodynamic Design of ACHE: Sizing of Fans and Drive
• Sizing and Specifying of PHE Units: Compabloc Design     
• Workshop: Case Studies, Examples & Solutions

Day 3: Mechanical Design of Heat Exchangers

• Mechanical Design of Heat Exchangers
• Calculation of Basic Elements of STHE
• Piping Loads on Exchanger Nozzles
• Material selection and Construction of Heat Exchangers
• Fabrication Technologies of Heat Exchangers
• Workshop: Case Studies, Examples & Solutions  

Day 4: Operation and Maintenance of Heat Exchangers

• Fouling and scaling in tubes and shells: Problem Solutions and Remedies
• Inspection Techniques of Vital Elements of Heat Exchangers
• Corrosion & Erosion Reduction Techniques, Fitness for Service Analysis (FFS)
• Control in Operation: Tube Vibration & Troubleshooting
• Cleaning, Maintenance and Repair Techniques: Tube Plugging and Re-tubing
• Workshop: Case Studies, Examples & Solutions  

Day 5: Performance Enhancement and Optimisation of Heat Exchangers 

• Performance Monitoring and Testing
• Performance Validation
• Heat Transfer Augmentation Techniques
• Tubes with external and internal fins
• Heat Integration Basics: Pinch Technology
• Workshop: Case Studies, Examples and Solutions