Air-Cooled Heat Exchanger Design per API 661 / ASME Appendix 13

Air-cooled heat exchangers are commonly used when process heat must be rejected without relying on cooling water. For pressure equipment designers, these units introduce specialized mechanical design requirements, especially when rectangular headers are involved.

COMPRESS includes air-cooled heat exchanger design capabilities for rectangular headers using ASME Section VIII, Division 1, Appendix 13 with API 661 requirements. This allows engineers to model, analyze, and document air-cooled heat exchanger headers directly inside COMPRESS as part of a complete pressure vessel design workflow.

Air-Cooled Heat Exchanger designed in COMPRESS

Design Rectangular Header Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers in COMPRESS

Air-Cooled Heat Exchanger Materials in COMPRESS

Appendix 13 Design Features in COMPRESS

COMPRESS streamlines Appendix 13 design by allowing engineers to work directly through the Design Requirements pane. Instead of relying on separate dialogs, users receive immediate feedback on required thicknesses and design requirements as inputs are entered.

Supported functionality includes Figure 13-2(a) configurations (1), (7), (8), (9), and (10), along with support for tubesheet grooves and plugsheet counterbores through the Multidiameter Hole Pattern dialog. Material selection follows the active material scheme, while individual header plates can still be changed using the Air Cooled Heat Exchanger Materials dialog.

For projects with matching inlet and return headers, the Identical Headers option reduces duplicate data entry. COMPRESS also includes the option to define the stay-to-end plate welds to be full penetration, allowing the end plate short side length to be reduced to the maximum compartment height inside the end plate calculations when stay plates are present.

Apply API 661 Requirements

When API 661 requirements need to be considered, COMPRESS provides the option to apply API 661 requirements. This can be enabled in the Code Requirements section of the Specification Sheet Data pane or set as a default under Set Mode Options > Defaults > Appendix 13.

By combining Appendix 13 calculations, API 661 considerations, material control, header configuration options, and calculation reporting in one environment, COMPRESS helps pressure vessel engineers produce consistent air-cooled heat exchanger designs with less manual effort.

API 661 Report in COMPRESS

Increase Your Capabilities With COMPRESS

Efficient Modeling Simplify heat exchanger design with a guided workflow and built-in ASME and TEMA code compliance. Design Conditions Simplify complex heat exchanger design by allowing multiple operating conditions to be evaluated simultaneously, including true MAWP determination. Tube Bundle Streamline tube bundle replacement by modeling and analyzing only the bundle without recreating the full exchanger. Multiple Codes Supports multiple ASME and TEMA code editions, automatically applying the correct allowable stress values for each. Flange Design Automate complex flange analysis by accounting for shared bolting, governing loads, and iterating conditions to determine accurate MAWP. FEA for Expansion Joints Integrated FEA for TEMA expansion joints, enabling fast, automated analysis with minimal setup and optimized performance. Lift Lugs for Channels Enable lift lug design directly on exchanger subassemblies, eliminating the need to recreate components in separate files. ASME Reports Generate comprehensive, easy-to-navigate ASME calculation reports covering all design and hydrotest conditions. ASME Reports Generate comprehensive, easy-to-navigate ASME calculation reports covering all design and hydrotest conditions. ASME PCC-1 Appendix O Evaluate bolted joints per PCC-1 Appendix O, determining optimal bolt stress and torque while ensuring gasket, bolt, and flange integrity. Automated Drawings The Codeware Interface is an Autodesk Inventor add-in that generates drawings and solid models from COMPRESS designs Efficient modeling of heat exchanger in COMPRESS Heat exchanger mates Heat Exchanger tube bundle modeled in COMPRESS Heat exchanger multiple code editions Flange design in COMPRESS Finite Element Analysis in COMPRESS Heat exchanger report snippet PCC-1 Appendix O Heat exchanger drawing from Codeware Air Cooled Heat Exchanger designed in COMPRESS

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