Cooling Function

Stripped water exits the column bottom at 100-130°C after H₂S and ammonia removal. Following heat recovery with incoming feed, water requires additional cooling to 40-50°C for safe discharge to biological treatment, cooling tower systems, or process reuse. The cooler removes remaining sensible heat ensuring treated water meets facility temperature specifications and environmental discharge permits.

Design Configuration

Shell-and-tube construction with hot stripped water on tube side enabling cleaning access and cooling medium on shell side. Air-cooled units employ finned tube bundles with fans for locations prioritizing water conservation. ERGIL engineers coolers based on water flow rate, inlet temperature after heat recovery, target outlet temperature, and available cooling utilities with typical duties 1-15 MMBTU/hr.

Cooling Methods

Water-cooled exchangers using cooling tower water provide compact efficient design. Air-cooled units offer operation without additional water consumption suitable for arid regions. Material selection addresses residual contaminants and corrosion with stainless steel construction resisting chlorides, sulfides, and organic compounds in treated water service.

Material Selection

Stainless steel 316 construction resists corrosion from trace H₂S, ammonia, chlorides, and contaminants remaining after stripping. Carbon steel with protective coatings for less corrosive applications. Tube-side design facilitates cleaning addressing potential fouling from residual hydrocarbons or scale. Construction per ASME Section VIII standards with pressure ratings typically 50-200 psig.

Applications

Refinery sour water treatment systems cooling stripped water for wastewater plant feed, cooling tower makeup, or process reuse. Petrochemical facilities treating contaminated water. Gas processing plants handling produced water. Serves systems processing 50-5,000 GPM stripped water flows across refining and chemical operations.

Control Features

Temperature control modulates cooling water flow or air fan speed maintaining precise outlet temperature meeting discharge specifications. Prevents overcooling unnecessary for application requirements. Continuous monitoring ensures compliance with environmental permits or process requirements. Integration with stripper system controls optimizes overall water treatment.

Performance Benefits

Enables treated water reuse reducing freshwater consumption and discharge volumes. Protects downstream biological treatment from thermal shock. Meets environmental discharge temperature limits. Reliable operation with materials resisting corrosive service. Minimal maintenance beyond periodic inspection and cleaning.

Construction Standards

Design per ASME Section VIII or TEMA codes with materials suitable for stripped water service. Removable tube bundles enable maintenance. Hydrostatic testing validates integrity. Air-cooled units include structural supports and fan systems. Complete documentation with heat transfer calculations and material certifications.

ERGIL stripped water coolers deliver dependable final cooling ensuring treated water meets temperature specifications for discharge or reuse in refinery water management systems.