Fin Fan Cooler Tube Bundle
An Fin Fan Cooler Tube Bundle is the primary heat transfer component of an Air-Cooled Heat Exchanger (ACHE). It consists of a series of tubes—usually enhanced with fins to increase surface area—connected to headers that direct the flow of process fluids.
- Power plants – turbine & generator cooling
- Oil & gas – compressor, LNG, and pipeline station cooling
- Petrochemical & refining – process fluid cooling & condensing
- Chemical & metallurgy – process heat exchange
- Data centers & industrial HVAC – dry cooling solutions
Fin Fan Cooler Tube Bundle Manufacturer by Datang
Introduction
An fin fan cooler tube bundle is the primary heat transfer component of an Air Cooled Heat Exchanger (ACHE). It consists of a series of tubes—usually enhanced with fins to increase surface area—connected to headers that direct the flow of process fluids.For air cooling installations, in order to transmit thermal energy from an internal fluid to the ambient air, air coolers are the appropriate solution. Datang supplies replacement beams for chemical, refining or steel plants.
The heat exchange takes place through the finned tubes, which can be attached, extruded, type G, L, KL or LL. The tubes can be made of carbon steel or stainless steel depending on the nature of the fluid to be cooled. The fins are generally made of aluminium, but can also be made of copper or steel with galvanization.
Common Tube & Fin Types
| Fin Type | Description | Max Temperature |
| Extruded | Fin is rolled out from an outer aluminum muff; provides best corrosion protection for the base tube. | ~285°C |
| G-Type (Embedded) | Fin is mechanically locked into a shallow groove plowed into the tube surface. | ~400°C |
| L/LL/KL-Foot | Fin is wrapped around the tube with a foot that covers the surface; cost-effective and easy to manufacture. | ~130°C to 250°C |
| HFW (High Frequency) | Fins are spirally welded to the base tube; extremely rugged for heavy industrial use. | High (Material dependent) |
Aluminium has the advantage of being light and not very sensitive to fouling. Galvanized steel offers a long service life. Whatever the type of boxes, with caps, welded, or dismountable, Datang makes the batteries that will allow your installation to recover its original performances.
A tube bundle is an assembly of tubes, headers, side frames and tube supports. Usually the tube surface exposed to the passage of air has extended surface in the form of fins to compensate for the low heat transfer rate of air at atmospheric pressure and at a low enough velocity for reasonable fan pow consumption.
An fin fan cooler tube bundle consists of the following components:
· One or more bundles of heat transfer surface
· An air-moving device, such as a fan, blower, or stack.
· Unless it is nature draft, a driver and power transmission to mechanically rotate the fan or blower.
· A plenum between the bundle or bundles and the air-moving device.
· A support structure high enough to allow air to enter beneath at a reasonable rate.
· Optional header and fan maintenance walkways with ladders to grade.
· Optional lovers for process outlet temperature control.
· Optional recirculation ducts and chambers for protection against freezing or solidification of high pour point fluids in cold weather.
· Optional variable pitch fan hub for temperature control and power savings.
1.Fan 2. Fan ring 3. Plenum 4.Nozzle 5. Header 6. Tube bundle 7.Drive assembly 8. Column support 9. Inlet bell
Typical components of an air-cooled heat exchanger
Advantages of Air-Cooled Heat Exchanger Tube Bundles:
Waterless Cooling: Utilizes air for heat exchange, eliminating the need for a water source or water treatment system.
Expanded Heat Exchange Area: Leverages a finned structure to increase the heat exchange surface area of a single tube by 10 to 20 times.
Low Maintenance: Prevents scale accumulation and external biological corrosion on the tubes, thereby reducing cleaning frequency.
Operational Adaptability: The structural design accommodates high-pressure (35 MPa) and high-temperature (400°C) operating environments.
Standardized Design: Complies with standards such as API 661, facilitating modular transportation and installation.
Applications
Refining and Petrochemicals: Used in hydroprocessing units, atmospheric and vacuum distillation units, catalytic cracking units, and other facilities to cool crude oil, refined products, reaction products, etc. Examples include: air-cooled tube bundles in residue hydroprocessing units.
Air Compressor Systems: Serve as intercoolers and aftercoolers to cool compressed air (e.g., components for compressors from brands such as Atlas Copco and Ingersoll Rand).
Power Industry: Used in the condensing systems of air-cooled steam turbines (both indirect and direct air-cooling configurations).
Extended Surface Fin Types Available
● L-foot fin (basic embedded fin, economical and widely used for general-purpose cooling)
● Overlapped L-foot fin (LL type): provides better corrosion resistance by overlapping fin foot over the tube surface
● Embedded G-fin: fins mechanically embedded into the tube surface for improved thermal contact and durability
● Knurled L-foot fin (KL type): uses a knurled surface on the tube to enhance mechanical bonding between fin and tube
● Extruded fin: formed by extruding aluminum over the tube for maximum corrosion resistance and strength, ideal for harsh environments
● Bimetallic finned tubes: e.g., aluminum fins on carbon steel or stainless steel tubes, combining thermal conductivity with structural or corrosion benefits
● Custom fin materials and geometries available upon request
Optional Configurations
● Compliance with ASME and API 661 standards
● Forced Draft or Induced Draft fan arrangements
● Horizontal or Vertical air flow design
● Smart Controls (temperature sensors, variable speed fans)
● Explosion-Proof, Low-Noise, or Marine-Grade Designs
● Dry/Wet Hybrid System for Enhanced Performance in high ambient temperatures
● Custom painting & corrosion protection
Header Types Available
● Plug-type header (for compact or low-cost design)
● Removable cover plate header (for easy inspection and maintenance)
● Removable bonnet-type header (for higher-pressure applications with external access)
● Manifold-type header (for multi-pass or special flow arrangements)
Air Fin Cooler Tube Bundle Water Pressure Test
An air fin cooler tube bundle water pressure test uses water as the medium. Water is injected into the equipment and pressurized to test the equipment’s sealing and pressure-bearing capacity.
Pressure testing is crucial for the safe operation of air coolers. It allows for the timely identification and resolution of equipment problems, such as leaky seals and insufficient pressure-bearing capacity. Failure to identify and address these issues can lead to equipment failures and even accidents. Therefore, pressure testing is not only a test of equipment performance but also a safeguard for industrial safety.
Air Cooler Tube Bundle
Applicable Applications and Features: Suitable for all applications. The tube bundle is placed horizontally, with a 3° or 1% inclination to prevent condensate from accumulating in the tubes.
Advantages: Simple structure, easy installation, and relatively uniform distribution of hot fluid within the tubes and air outside.
Disadvantages: Requires a larger footprint, and greater flow resistance within the tubes than with inclined top tubes.
Fin Fan Cooler Tube Bundle Air Pressure Test
An air pressure test on an air cooler uses gas as the medium. Pressure testing tests equipment performance by applying pressure. Strictly following operating procedures ensures the safety and reliability of the process and results.
Pressure testing is essential after equipment installation or maintenance. It helps verify the equipment’s sealing and pressure-bearing capacity, ensuring that safety incidents such as leaks or ruptures do not occur during operation.
Nondestructive Magnetic Particle Testing of Air Cooler Tube Bundle
Nondestructive magnetic particle inspection of air coolers uses magnetic particles as a detection medium to observe defects in air coolers.
Magnetic particle inspection has a sensitivity that can detect discontinuities as narrow as 0.1μm. By combining multiple magnetization methods, magnetic particle inspection is virtually unaffected by workpiece size and geometry, and can detect defects in all directions.
Fin Fan Cooler Tube Bundle Package
Payment Terms:T/T, LC
Delivery: 15-30 days after payment
Marking: Standard + Steel Grade + Size + Heat No + Lot No
Package: Iron frame packing boxes and the desiccants are put into each package for continental transportation as well. or as required
Fin Fan Cooler Tube Bundle Application
Scenario: During the refining process, the high-temperature oil and gas (approximately 100°C-150°C) discharged from the top of the fractionating tower needs to be condensed into liquid for separation.
Application: Installation of large carbon steel air-cooled tube bundles.
Function: Using fans for forced ventilation, the high-temperature oil and gas is condensed into gasoline and diesel components.
Advantages: Compared to water cooling, it avoids the generation of sulfur-containing wastewater, and the tube bundle uses bimetallic finned tubes, which effectively resist corrosion from sulfides in oil and gas.
Scenario:Within long-distance natural gas transmission pipelines, the gas temperature rises sharply—potentially exceeding 80°C—after being boosted by a compressor. The gas must be cooled down before it can proceed to the next stage of compression or enter the transmission pipeline.
Application: High-pressure stainless steel air-cooled tube bundles.
Function: To rapidly cool the compressed, high-temperature natural gas down to a temperature range of 40°C to 50°C.
Key Advantages: Features a high-pressure-resistant design (capable of withstanding pressures exceeding 10 MPa) and eliminates the need to construct extensive circulating water systems in water-scarce regions, such as deserts.
Scenario: Large-scale coal-fired power plants situated in arid regions, where the exhaust steam—having passed through the steam turbine to generate power—must be condensed back into water for recovery.
Application: Massive bundles of flattened elliptical air-cooling tubes, typically arranged in triangular or “A-frame” configurations.
Function: To directly condense the low-pressure steam discharged from the steam turbine.
Key Advantages: Compared to traditional wet cooling towers, these systems achieve water savings of 70% to 80%, thereby completely resolving the issue of water usage constraints faced by power plants.
Scenario: In the coal-to-methanol process, the synthesis reaction is exothermic; the resulting high-temperature gas mixture requires cooling to facilitate the separation of liquid methanol.
Application: Multiple parallel-connected bundles of high-frequency welded spiral-finned tubes.
Function: To cool the synthesis gas—which exceeds 200°C—down to ambient temperature.
Key Advantages: The tube bundles can be fabricated from corrosion-resistant alloys, enabling them to withstand the complex chemical composition of the media encountered in coal chemical processes; furthermore, their modular design facilitates convenient online cleaning and maintenance.
Specific Cases: Centralized air supply systems in steel mills, shipyards, or large-scale manufacturing facilities.
Function of Tube Bundles: To cool the high-temperature air generated during the multi-stage compression process, thereby ensuring that downstream equipment is not damaged by overheating.
Advantages: Simple maintenance, making them particularly well-suited for workshops with high dust levels (especially when utilizing easy-to-clean fin types).
Scenario: After geothermal steam has driven a steam turbine to generate electricity, the discharged low-pressure exhaust steam must be condensed to maintain the required vacuum level.
Application: Aluminum-magnesium alloy finned tube bundles treated with anti-corrosion coatings.
Function: To condense geothermal steam containing trace amounts of corrosive minerals.
Key Advantages: Geothermal water often contains high concentrations of minerals; consequently, using water-cooling methods would lead to severe scaling and clogging issues. Air-cooled tube bundles completely circumvent this problem while also eliminating wastewater discharge, thereby protecting the geological environment.
Related Product
Fin Fan Cooler Tube Bundle FAQs
A: The fin fan cooler tube bundle can be customized. We can produce it according to your drawings, and we can sign a confidentiality agreement for your patented products. For more information, please contact us.
A: Always a pre-production sample,before mass production;always final inspection before shipment.
Inspection & Guarantee Certificate is supplied with shipment, and the Third Party Inspection is available.
A: One year after shipping.
A: We have workshop can supply all parts of the air cooler tube bundle, and 90% of spare parts can be distributed to any
place in the world within one week!
A: We can arrange for experienced engineers to provide online video guidance on product installation and train your staff on equipment operation and maintenance.
A: We have many professional and technical personnel, more competitive prices and better after-dales service than other companies.
A: Datang has high frequency resistance welding finned tube production line 18, extruded finned tube equipment 30, laser welding finned tube production line 2, wound finned tube production line 12. The annual capacity can reach 100,000 tons, the specification φ 18-273mm finned tube, according to the customer requirements of the standard production, service has exceeded 3000+ enterprises.