Air Fin Cooler Tube Bundle

An air fin cooler tube bundle is the core heat exchange unit of an air cooler (air cooler). It consists of multiple finned tubes arranged in a specific pattern, achieving cooling or condensation of the high-temperature fluid inside the tubes through airflow. Its structural design directly affects heat exchange efficiency and equipment performance.

Core Components of an Air Fin Cooler Tube Bundle

Finned Tubes

The basic heat transfer element, consisting of a base tube (copper, steel, or aluminum) and external fins (aluminum or copper) joined by winding, welding, or expansion processes. Fin shapes (such as corrugated or serrated) can enhance air turbulence and improve the heat transfer coefficient by 15%-20%.

Tube Sheet/Tube Plate

Connects the two ends of the finned tubes, forming a continuous flow channel and fixing the tube spacing. Round tube sheets are commonly used in high-pressure scenarios, while square boxes are often used in air coolers to connect multiple rows of tube bundles.

Frame
Supports the entire tube bundle, ensuring structural stability.

I. Core Applications of Air Fin Cooler Tube Bundle

1. Industrial Process Cooling

As the core heat transfer component of air coolers, the air fin cooler tube bundle is widely used in petrochemical, power generation, and metallurgical industries. For example, in oil refineries, it cools high-temperature oil from 120°C to below 60°C through forced air convection, replacing traditional water cooling systems and reducing water consumption.

2. Adaptability to Special Environments

For water-scarce or highly polluted areas, the air fin cooler tube bundle uses corrosion-resistant materials (such as 316L stainless steel) and a dustproof fin design, allowing it to operate stably in desert or high-salt coastal environments with a lifespan of over 15 years.

II. Five Major Technological Advantages of Air Fin Cooler Tube Bundle

1. Energy Saving and High Efficiency

By increasing the fin surface area (common fin-to-tube ratio of 10:1 to 20:1), the heat transfer efficiency is increased by 3-5 times compared to bare tubes, and energy consumption is reduced by 30%-40%.

2. Environmentally Friendly and Water-Saving

Compared to water-cooled systems, air coolers require no circulating water, saving up to 50,000 tons of water per unit annually.

3. Low Maintenance Costs

The modular tube bundle design supports partial replacement, reducing maintenance time by over 50% and eliminating the need to deal with scale buildup.

4. Flexible Configuration

The tube bundle can be designed as a single-pass, multi-pass, or U-shaped tube to adapt to different fluid conditions. For example, a 2-pass design is suitable for pressure-drop sensitive media, while a 4-pass design is suitable for high-temperature and high-pressure scenarios (pressure range: 0.5-6.4MPa).

5. Long Lifespan Design

When using a composite structure of aluminum fins and carbon steel tubes, the resistance to sulfide corrosion is improved by 70%, resulting in a service life exceeding 12 years in sulfur-containing oil and gas environments.

III. Comparative Analysis of Air Fin Cooler Tube Bundles with Other Cooling Technologies

Taking the power industry as an example, the key parameters of air fin cooler tube bundles and water-cooled towers are compared as follows: