Thermal Performance Assessment of Heat Exchangers In An Industrial Ethylene Production Facility

Abstract

This study provides a comprehensive performance assessment of three critical heat exchanger units (2-H-301, 3-H-601, and 3-H-501) within an industrial Ethylene production facility in the Ras Lanuf plant. Steady-state monitoring and direct data acquisition from operational equipment were conducted with subsequent data analysis performed using energy balance equations to quantify key thermal performance parameters. These parameters included overall heat transfer coefficients, heat duties, hot and cold fluid temperature and pressure ranges, capacity ratios, and effectiveness of each exchanger. Results reveal that the 2-H-2301 unit exhibits an overall heat transfer coefficient over 50% below the design specification and a heat duty exceeding 80% of the intended design. In the 3-H-901 unit, both heat duty and overall heat transfer coefficient were observed to fall over 75% below design standards, likely due to fouling, which adversely impacted effectiveness, capacity ratio, and the temperature profile of hot and cold streams. Conversely, the performance of the 3-E-401 exchanger was within acceptable limits, with the heat duty, hot-side temperature differential, and capacity ratio aligning closely with design expectations. These findings offer a rigorous qualitative performance evaluation of the heat exchangers, highlighting areas requiring operational optimization to maintain design efficiency within industrial polyethylene processes.