|
ALuminum EXchanger (ALEX)
 Single row type with steel tubes and aluminum fins.
The ALEX fin tubes were developed specifically for power station service and provide the following advantages:
Single tube row design.
GEA’s ALEX single row fin tube technology is a result of extensive research and development and actual field operating time of single row systems since 1977.
Durable tube and fin construction.
(50+ year service life.)
The ALEX fin tube is constructed with a carbon steel core tube with an aluminized outer coating that is bonded securely with the Aluminum/Aluminum Alloy fin material. These fin tube bundles are manufactured in tube “blocks” where fins from adjacent tubes are also bonded together, creating a light weight heat exchanger with high structural rigidity. The resulting tube bundles are completely self-supporting, thereby reducing the overall weight of steel structure required.
Lightweight heat exchanger.
The use of aluminum/aluminum alloy fin material results in a lightweight heat exchange system.
A-frameless design.
The high structural rigidity of the ALEX fin tube bundles, which are completely self-supporting, eliminates the need for A-frame steel members to support its weight. The bundles are set directly on the fan deck. Smaller capacity A-frames are required only for cell partition walls and monorail beam support.
Compact design with highest
extended surface ratio (> 123:1).
Due to the superior performance characteristics of the ALEX fin tube technology and very high extended surface ratio of 123 to 1 (highest in the industry), the air-cooled condenser results in an extremely compact design compared to multi-row systems.
Reduced ACC footprint/structure
and weight/foundations.
The use of the ALEX fin tube technology allows the use of longer tube lengths and higher K/D ratios than multi-row designs. This results in a more compact ACC with minimum plot area (footprint) requirements, reduced structure weight and smaller foundations.
Superior cleanability using
high-pressure water.
The straight fins (not corrugated) of the ALEX tube bundles facilitate external cleaning to avoid capacity degradation due to air-side fouling over time. GEA has developed a semi-automatic fin tube bundle cleaning system (FTCS) designed exclusively to thoroughly clean the external surface of the fin tubes.
Most-economical solution in
low-noise applications.
The heat transfer coefficient of the ALEX fin tubes is consistently high even at low air velocities across the heat exchanger surface, which will result in lower fan power compared to multi-row designs. The reduced fan power of the ALEX single row design also lowers the resulting noise from the fans. Therefore, GEA’s ALEX technology will be the most economical solution (lowest capital cost) in low-noise applications or when a high value is placed on fan power consumption.
|
