BRAZED ALUMINIUM PLATE-FIN HEAT EXCHANGERS

(AMENDMENTS/SUPPLEMENTS TO ISO 15547-2:2005)

DEP [Link]-Gen.

January 2010

DESIGN AND ENGINEERING PRACTICE

This document is restricted. Neither the whole nor any part of this document may be disclosed to any third party without the prior written consent of Shell Global
Solutions International B.V., The Netherlands. The copyright of this document is vested in this company. All rights reserved. Neither the whole nor any part of this
document may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, reprographic, recording or otherwise)
without the prior written consent of the copyright owner.
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PREFACE

DEP (Design and Engineering Practice) publications reflect the views, at the time of publication, of:
Shell Global Solutions International B.V. (Shell GSI)
and/or
Shell International Exploration and Production B.V. (SIEP)
and/or
other Shell Service Companies.
They are based on the experience acquired during their involvement with the design, construction, operation and
maintenance of processing units and facilities, and they are supplemented with the experience of Shell Operating Units.
Where appropriate they are based on, or reference is made to, international, regional, national and industry standards.
The objective is to set the recommended standard for good design and engineering practice applied by Shell companies
operating an oil refinery, gas handling installation, chemical plant, oil and gas production facility, or any other such
facility, and thereby to achieve maximum technical and economic benefit from standardization.
The information set forth in these publications is provided to Shell companies for their consideration and decision to
implement. This is of particular importance where DEPs may not cover every requirement or diversity of condition at
each locality. The system of DEPs is expected to be sufficiently flexible to allow individual Operating Units to adapt the
information set forth in DEPs to their own environment and requirements.
When Contractors or Manufacturers/Suppliers use DEPs they shall be solely responsible for the quality of work and the
attainment of the required design and engineering standards. In particular, for those requirements not specifically
covered, the Principal will expect them to follow those design and engineering practices which will achieve the same
level of integrity as reflected in the DEPs. If in doubt, the Contractor or Manufacturer/Supplier shall, without detracting
from his own responsibility, consult the Principal or its technical advisor.
The right to use DEPs is granted by Shell GSI, in most cases under Service Agreements primarily with Shell companies
and other companies receiving technical advice and services from Shell GSI or another Shell Service Company.
Consequently, three categories of users of DEPs can be distinguished:
1) Operating Units having a Service Agreement with Shell GSI or other Shell Service Company. The use of DEPs
by these Operating Units is subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the relevant Service
Agreement.
2) Other parties who are authorized to use DEPs subject to appropriate contractual arrangements (whether as part
of a Service Agreement or otherwise).
3) Contractors/subcontractors and Manufacturers/Suppliers under a contract with users referred to under 1) or 2)
which requires that tenders for projects, materials supplied or - generally - work performed on behalf of the said
users comply with the relevant standards.
Subject to any particular terms and conditions as may be set forth in specific agreements with users, Shell GSI
disclaims any liability of whatsoever nature for any damage (including injury or death) suffered by any company or
person whomsoever as a result of or in connection with the use, application or implementation of any DEP, combination
of DEPs or any part thereof, even if it is wholly or partly caused by negligence on the part of Shell GSI or other Shell
Service Company. The benefit of this disclaimer shall inure in all respects to Shell GSI and/or any Shell Service
Company, or companies affiliated to these companies, that may issue DEPs or require the use of DEPs.
Without prejudice to any specific terms in respect of confidentiality under relevant contractual arrangements, DEPs shall
not, without the prior written consent of Shell GSI, be disclosed by users to any company or person whomsoever and
the DEPs shall be used exclusively for the purpose for which they have been provided to the user. They shall be
returned after use, including any copies which shall only be made by users with the express prior written consent of
Shell GSI. The copyright of DEPs vests in Shell GSI. Users shall arrange for DEPs to be held in safe custody and Shell
GSI may at any time require information satisfactory to them in order to ascertain how users implement this
requirement.
All administrative queries should be directed to the DEP Administrator in Shell GSI.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I INTRODUCTION 5
1.1 SCOPE 5
1.2 DISTRIBUTION, INTENDED USE AND REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS
5
1.3 DEFINITIONS 5
1.4 CROSS-REFERENCES 5
1.5 SUMMARY OF CHANGES 5
1.6 COMMENTS ON THIS DEP 6
PART II GENERAL 7
1.1 DESIGN RULES 7
1.2 DOCUMENT SUBMITTALS 7
1.3 PRESSURE DESIGN CODE 7
1.4 GENERAL PLATE-FIN HEAT EXCHANGER INFORMATION 7
1.5 SCOPE OF SUPPLY 7
1.6 UNITS OF MEASUREMENT 7
1.7 EQUIPMENT NUMBERING 8
PART III BASIC REQUIREMENTS 9
1 THERMAL AND HYDRAULIC DESIGN 9
1.1 SCOPE 9
1.2 INFORMATION SPECIFIED BY THE PRINCIPAL 9
1.3 PRESSURE DROP 9
1.4 INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY THE MANUFACTURER 9
1.5 OPTIMISATION OF PLATE-FIN HEAT EXCHANGER GEOMETRY 9
1.6 THERMOSYPHON REBOILER 10
1.7 STRAINER 10
1.8 TWO-PHASE FLOW INLET DISTRIBUTORS 11
1.9 DESIGN MARGINS 11
2.0 MECHANICAL DESIGN 11
2.1 GENERAL 11
2.2 DESIGN PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE 12
2.4 LOAD CASES 12
2.5 ALLOWABLE STRESSES 12
2.6 SUBMERGED PLATE-FIN HEAT EXCHANGERS 13
2.7 HEADERS 13
2.8 NOZZLE CONSTRUCTION 13
2.9 NOZZLE LOADS 13
2.10 VENTS AND DRAINS 13
2.11 THREADED CONNECTIONS 14
2.12 INSTRUMENT CONNECTIONS 14
2.13 SUPPORTS 14
2.14 PIPING 14
2.15 GASKETS 14
2.16 COLD BOX DESIGN 15
2.17 INSULATION 16
2.18 FIRE PROTECTION 17
2.19 PLATE-FIN HEAT EXCHANGER RELIEF SCENARIOS 17
2.20 SAFETY/RELIEF VALVE NOZZLE CONNECTIONS 17
2.21 SPARE AND REPLACEMENT PARTS 17
PART IV AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS TO ISO 15547-2 18
2. TERMS AND DEFINITIONS 18
3 GENERAL 18
4 PROPOSAL INFORMATION REQUIRED 18
5 DRAWINGS AND OTHER DATA REQUIREMENTS 18
6 DESIGN 19
7 MATERIALS 22
8 FABRICATION 22
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9 INSPECTION AND TESTING 23

10 PREPARATION FOR SHIPMENT 25
ANNEX C PLATE FIN HEAT EXCHANGER DATASHEETS 26
PART V REFERENCES 27
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PART I INTRODUCTION

1.1 SCOPE
This DEP specifies requirements and gives recommendations for the design and fabrication
of vacuum brazed aluminium plate-fin heat exchangers.
Part IV of this DEP provides amendments and supplements to ISO 15547-2:2005.
This is a revision of the DEP of the same number dated December 2007; see (1.5)
regarding the changes.

1.2 DISTRIBUTION, INTENDED USE AND REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS

Unless otherwise authorised by Shell GSI, the distribution of this DEP is confined to Shell
companies and, where necessary, to Contractors and Manufacturers/Suppliers nominated
by them.
This DEP is intended for use in oil refineries, chemical plants, gas plants, exploration and
production facilities, and supply/distribution installations.
When DEPs are applied, a Management of Change (MOC) process should be
implemented; this is of particular importance when existing facilities are to be modified.
If national and/or local regulations exist in which some of the requirements may be more
stringent than in this DEP, the Contractor shall determine by careful scrutiny which of the
requirements are the more stringent and which combination of requirements will be
acceptable with regards to the safety, environmental, economic and legal aspects. In all
cases the Contractor shall inform the Principal of any deviation from the requirements of
this DEP which is considered to be necessary in order to comply with national and/or local
regulations. The Principal may then negotiate with the Authorities concerned, the objective
being to obtain agreement to follow this DEP as closely as possible.

1.3 DEFINITIONS
The Contractor is the party that carries out all or part of the design, engineering,
procurement, construction, commissioning or management of a project or operation of a
facility. The Principal may undertake all or part of the duties of the Contractor.
The Manufacturer/Supplier is the party that manufactures or supplies equipment and
services to perform the duties specified by the Contractor.
The Principal is the party that initiates the project and ultimately pays for its design and
construction. The Principal will generally specify the technical requirements. The Principal
may also include an agent or consultant authorised to act for, and on behalf of, the
Principal.
The lower-case word shall indicates a requirement.
The capitalised term SHALL [PS] indicates a process safety requirement.
The word should indicates a recommendation.

1.4 CROSS-REFERENCES
Where cross-references to other parts of this DEP are made, the referenced section
number is shown in brackets.
Other documents referenced by this DEP are listed in (Part V).

1.5 SUMMARY OF CHANGES

The previous edition of this DEP was dated December 2007. The only non-editorial
changes made in this revision have been to indicate process safety requirements by the
use of the capitalised term "SHALL [PS]".
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1.6 COMMENTS ON THIS DEP

Comments on this DEP may be sent to the DEP Administrator at standards@[Link].
Shell staff may also post comments on this DEP on the Surface Global Network (SGN).
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PART II GENERAL

1.1 DESIGN RULES

The design, engineering and fabrication of vacuum brazed aluminium plate-fin heat
exchangers shall be based on this DEP.
In the event of conflict between documents relating to an order, the following hierarchy shall
apply:
1. The purchase order;
2. This DEP;
3. ISO 15547-2.
In the event of any conflict, the Principal shall be consulted.

1.2 DOCUMENT SUBMITTALS

See Part IV, Annex C.

1.3 PRESSURE DESIGN CODE

Plate-fin heat exchangers SHALL [PS] be considered to be pressure vessels.
Unless otherwise specified by the Principal, the pressure design code shall be ASME VIII
Division 1, as amended/supplemented by DEP [Link]-Gen.
NOTE: ASME VIII Division 1 Appendix 13 deals with non-cylindrical vessels and is therefore particularly
relevant to plate-fin heat exchangers.

1.4 GENERAL PLATE-FIN HEAT EXCHANGER INFORMATION

General background information on plate-fin heat exchangers can be derived from the
standards of the brazed aluminium plate-fin heat exchanger manufacturer’s association
(ALPEMA) at [Link]

1.5 SCOPE OF SUPPLY

Unless otherwise specified, the scope of supply shall be as specified on the data/requisition
sheets. The Manufacturer shall include all special features necessary for reliable and safe
operation. These should include, where applicable, adequate means of control, as specified
by the Principal, to cope with the specified variations in operating conditions.
With regard to safety and reliability, unspecified but self-evident conditions may occur
during start-up, shutdown, power failure or interruption of the process flow. These
conditions shall be reflected in the Principal’s plate-fin heat exchanger data sheets and
SHALL [PS] be taken into account by the Contractor.

1.6 UNITS OF MEASUREMENT

The SI unit system has been applied in this DEP but, where considered necessary, the
metric sizes are followed by their US Customary equivalents in brackets.
Care shall always be taken to indicate whether absolute pressure or gauge pressure is
intended. The unit of pressure should be qualified as bar (abs) or bar (ga), whichever is
applicable.
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1.7 EQUIPMENT NUMBERING

Plate-fin heat exchangers shall be identified by a specific equipment number and in
accordance with DEP [Link]-Gen.
Equipment consisting of two or more heat exchangers connected in series or parallel and
performing a common duty is termed a unit. In such cases, the unit as a whole is identified
by the specific equipment number, and each heat exchanger within the unit is separately
identified by the addition of a capital letter in alphabetical progression, e.g. E-101-A,
E-101-B, E-101-C, etc.
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PART III BASIC REQUIREMENTS

1 THERMAL AND HYDRAULIC DESIGN

1.1 SCOPE
Because plate-fin heat exchangers are proprietary designs, the Manufacturer shall be
totally responsible for the performance design of the heat exchanger.
The performance design of a plate-fin heat exchanger can be checked with reasonable
accuracy using the Aspen MUSE program. Manufacturer’s fin data sheets shall include F
and J factors for all fin types proposed by the Manufacturer. This information is required to
enable the Principal to evaluate the Manufacturer’s design and shall be included. If
required, the Principal is prepared to consider entering into a secrecy agreement
concerning this information.

1.2 INFORMATION SPECIFIED BY THE PRINCIPAL

The Principal shall specify the heat transfer duty, allowable pressure drop, flow rates,
compositions and physical properties of the fluids passing through the heat exchanger. If a
number of operating cases and design conditions are specified the Manufacturer shall
select the most stringent case so that all design conditions are met.
If fluids may contain mercury, a mercury removal system shall be considered and the
Manufacturer shall be consulted. For certain applications the Manufacturer may be able to
develop a mercury tolerant plate-fin heat exchanger design.
The Manufacturer shall notify the Principal if insufficient information has been supplied to
satisfactorily design the plate-fin heat exchanger.

1.3 PRESSURE DROP

For potentially fouling systems, as advised by the Principal, the pressure drop for the clean
plate-fin heat exchanger shall be restricted to 90 % of the specified maximum allowable
value.
In calculating the pressure drop, losses shall include all those occurring in nozzles,
headers, bends, fittings, manifolds, distribution and thermal sections.
The pressure drop for any upstream strainer shall be additional to the stated plate-fin heat
exchanger pressure drop.
For two-phase streams, the pressure drop shall include frictional, static head and
acceleration components.

1.4 INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY THE MANUFACTURER

The Manufacturer shall provide completed data/requisition sheets and outline drawings for
the Principal’s review. This shall include sufficient information for the Principal to assess the
thermal and hydraulic performance of the unit.
The Manufacturer SHALL [PS] indicate any start-up or shutdown operation limitations in the
operations manual.

1.5 OPTIMISATION OF PLATE-FIN HEAT EXCHANGER GEOMETRY

Within the mechanical, thermal and hydraulic constraints detailed in the requisition, the
Manufacturer shall optimise the design of the plate-fin heat exchanger by selecting suitable
geometry to balance the following objectives:
 Minimise cost;
 Minimise size and weight.
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The effective heat transfer surface area of a passage shall exclude the portion in its own
distributor section, as well as that heat transfer surface which is opposite the distributor
finning of primary counter-flow streams.
The design of the plate-fin heat exchanger shall consider the effects of longitudinal
conduction.
The design of the plate-fin heat exchanger shall consider the actual stacking plan and the
effects of heat transferred by conduction between non-adjacent layers.
The design of the plate-fin heat exchanger shall ensure uniform flow distribution along the
entire width of each passage and among the numerous passages of individual streams.
Plate-fin heat exchanger distribution fins shall be of a proven design to minimize
maldistribution.
Part IV clause (4.7) provides additional information on fin selection.

1.6 THERMOSYPHON REBOILER

For thermosyphon reboilers, the Manufacturer shall check the fluid dynamics (piping
configuration, equivalent length) of the thermosyphon reboilers and inform the Principal or
Contractor if the results of the calculation of the actual situation deviate from the
requirements specified in the data/requisition sheets.
For vaporizing streams provided by thermosyphon action, including submerged plate-fin
heat exchangers in a vessel, the effective mean temperature difference shall consider the
effect of boiling point elevation due to the liquid static head.
The reboiler outlet piping shall be routed vertically from the reboiler to the column with only
one 90° elbow and one horizontal part.

1.7 STRAINER
The flow channels in a plate-fin heat exchanger are relatively small and the free flow area
between the fins depends on the fin type.
Because of these small flow channels there is a risk of particulates present in the process
streams accumulating and blocking them in the inlet region, resulting in loss of available
heat transfer area and increased pressure drop. If particulates are likely to be present in the
process stream, upstream straining of the process stream is required. The Principal shall
provide the strainer.
In general the Manufacturers tend to design plate-fin heat exchangers with fin types such
that the recommended upstream strainer would require a maximum strainer size of 177 m
(80 Tyler mesh). Such a strainer is required for commissioning to prevent construction
debris (mill scale, rust, welding electrodes etc.) from accumulating in the plate-fin heat
exchanger. Even "clean" streams, e.g. streams containing particles < 177 m and/or having
no fouling tendency behaviour, would benefit from permanent strainers, as such streams
may contain particulates due to process upsets or incorrect operation of upstream
equipment.
The Principal should consider the use of readily serviceable strainers if regular cleaning is
anticipated/required, such as ‘bucket-type’, ‘Y-type’, ‘wedge wire’ or ‘duplex’ strainers.
Duplex strainer designs allow continuous filtration of the process stream while one filter is
being cleaned.
A pressure differential measuring device should be installed, typically with a range of
0.1 bar to 0.5 bar, across the strainer to give an indication of strainer fouling build-up as the
collapse of the filter would pass additional debris into the plate-fin heat exchanger. The
design pressure of the strainer filter element should be between 5 bar (ga) and 10 bar (ga)
to avoid collapse of the filter if any debris is collected. Furthermore, the design of the
strainer shall be such that it can withstand a reversed flow condition.
Part IV clause (4.5) provides additional information on strainers.
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1.8 TWO-PHASE FLOW INLET DISTRIBUTORS

To ensure effective distribution of two-phase flows at the inlet to a plate-fin heat exchanger,
a separator may be used upstream of the plate-fin heat exchanger to separate liquid and
vapour. The liquid and vapour streams may then be introduced via separate flow paths into
the plate-fin heat exchanger.
The design of the separator vessel shall be included in the scope of the Manufacturer. For
the final design the layout of the separator vessel and the liquid static head to be used for
the design shall be reviewed by the Principal and agreed with the Manufacturer.
Other alternatives for properly distributing the two-phase flow into the plate-fin channels
may be proposed by the Manufacturer only if they have proved successful in operation in
similar plate-fin heat exchanger designs. The design of alternative two-phase flow
distributors shall be reviewed and approved by the Principal.
The Manufacturer shall also guarantee the performance of the distribution system at 50 %
turndown from the normal flow rates for all operating cases unless a higher turndown
requirement has been specified.

1.9 DESIGN MARGINS

A minimum of 10 % excess surface area shall be provided in addition to the heat transfer
surface area required to satisfy the specified thermal duty requirements using the clean
overall heat transfer coefficient, unless any specified fouling margin already accounts for
more than 10 % of the total heat transfer resistance. This minimum 10 % margin is required
to ensure that the plate-fin heat exchanger design is flexible enough to accommodate
potential variations in the heat exchange duty, e.g. unexpected fouling, inaccuracies in
process modelling and fluid characterisation.

2.0 MECHANICAL DESIGN

2.1 GENERAL
The mechanical design shall be based on the design conditions specified. If a number of
operating cases and design conditions are specified, the Manufacturer shall select the most
stringent case so that all design conditions are met.
In addition to the design operating condition(s), the Principal SHALL [PS] specify all
operating conditions that might impose significant stresses on the plate-fin heat exchanger.
This shall consider any alternative operating cases, turndown operation, upset operation
cases (with particular attention to cases where a stream’s flowing condition may change or
cease abruptly), and the process control philosophy being applied to the plate-fin heat
exchanger.
In a mercury resistant plate-fin heat exchanger design, the Manufacturer shall take into
account the effects of aluminium metallurgy as well as the mechanical details of plate-fin
heat exchanger drainability. If 5000-series aluminium alloys are used, the Manufacturer
SHALL [PS] include a proven method of heat treatment to eliminate grain boundary
precipitation and prevent sensitization to mercury induced cracking. The Manufacturer shall
provide details of the special provisions to be taken.
All pressure containing parts shall be considered in the plate-fin heat exchanger design
including headers, nozzle compensations, nozzles, manifold(s) and the plate-fin heat
exchanger block itself.
The two outermost layers in the plate-fin heat exchanger shall be dedicated to the fluid with
the highest design pressure.
All materials of construction for vessels, piping, heat exchangers and supports shall be
aluminium or aluminium alloy and shall be fully weldable. If economical, other appropriate
materials, such as low Temperature Carbon Steel or 304L stainless steel may be used for
vessels/supports. All materials shall be specified on the equipment data requisition sheets.
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Structural integrity shall be considered in the design, application of standards and codes
and fully demonstrated in the design documentation.
The maximum design pressure of a particular fin may be based on either its burst pressure
or the calculation in accordance with ASME VIII Division 1 Section UG-101. If the burst
pressure method is utilized a minimum safety factor of 5 shall be used.

2.2 DESIGN PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE

The effect of the temperature profile through the plate-fin heat exchanger shall be taken
into account in the design because this may have a significant consequence on the "mean
metal temperature" as well as on the stresses within the plate-fin heat exchanger.
Aluminium and the various aluminium alloys all have an upper design temperature limit,
e.g. Alloy 5083 has a maximum design temperature of 66 °C according to ASME VIII
Division 1.
All pressure parts (plate-fin heat exchanger, manifolds, piping) installed inside a cold box
shall be designed for full vacuum, to permit vacuum drying.
2.3 DESIGN CONDITIONS AND CALCULATIONS
The Manufacturer shall provide calculations to the code requirements for:
 Brazed bonded block internals;
 Block-to-block joints;
 Headers;
 Nozzles and compensation;
 Nozzles under local loads;
 Supports and lifting lugs;
 Pressure testing.

2.4 LOAD CASES

The mechanical design of the plate-fin heat exchanger, if applicable, SHALL [PS] take into
account the following loads acting individually or in combination:
 Pressure loads;
 Reaction forces at nozzles and supports, including start-up, shut-down and
emergency;
 Depressurising conditions;
 Loads due to seismic, wind or other motion;
 Snow, impact and blast loads;
 Loads associated with installation at site.
The Principal shall specify which load cases will be applicable and the methods for
calculating the magnitudes of the loads for the Manufacturer to apply to the plate-fin heat
exchanger design.
If the Principal specifies that operation will subject the equipment to any pressure or
thermal cyclic loading including start-up, shutdown, cycles over life, blowdown etc.,
additional analysis shall be considered by the Manufacturer. In determining whether or not
additional analysis is required, reference may be made to experience with comparable units
operating under similar conditions. In the absence of applicable service experience the
Manufacturer shall perform additional analysis by means of e.g. Finite Element Analysis to
show that the plate-fin heat exchanger will be able to sustain this loading during its service
life.

2.5 ALLOWABLE STRESSES

The maximum allowable design stresses shall be taken from the pressure design code and
shall be based on the final material condition.
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2.6 SUBMERGED PLATE-FIN HEAT EXCHANGERS

Any plate-fin heat exchanger that will be submerged in a cryogenic liquid, e.g. an internal
column reboiler or a plate-fin heat exchanger in a vessel, should be free of any enclosed
spaces in which liquid could entern and become trapped, e.g. through a porous weld.
If the plate-fin heat exchanger will be installed in a vessel, the vessel shall be designed in
accordance with DEP [Link]-Gen. In such cases a transition joint is required to
connect the aluminium plate-fin heat exchanger nozzles to the (low temperature) carbon
steel or stainless steel vessel.

2.7 HEADERS
The minimum required thickness for fluid headers shall be as specified in Table 1.
Table 1 Mimimum required thickness for fluid headers
Header diameter Minimum thickness
 1200 mm 6 mm
> 1200 mm 8 mm

Headers shall be sufficiently thick to provide the required reinforcement for openings and
nozzle loads.
Headers shall contain no longitudinal welds other than the header-to-block joints
All reinforcement pads or rings on cryogenic equipment shall be leak tested via a ¼” NPT
tapped tell-tale hole, which shall be plugged with rubber plug prior to shipment.

2.8 NOZZLE CONSTRUCTION

The nozzle construction shall be in accordance with the pressure design code.
Typically the nozzle diameter approaches that of the header; therefore set-on nozzles are
typically used to insure good weld accessibility.
Nozzles which protrude beyond the inside contour of the header shall be self-venting or
draining by notching at their intersection with the high or low point of the cylinder. If
separate vent and drain connections are used, they shall be flush with the inside contour of
the header.
Nozzle welds shall be subjected to 100 % radiographic examination.
The minimum nozzle size shall be DN 50, except for the venting and draining of the
block-to-block joints and dummy/blinder-off plate-fin heat exchanger passages.

2.9 NOZZLE LOADS

The nozzles and headers shall be designed for a minimum of two times the external loads
as specified in ISO 15547-2.

2.10 VENTS AND DRAINS

Plate-fin heat exchanger layers should be arranged so that there are no major undrained
and unvented areas.
Where necessary, adequate vents and drains shall be provided to permit complete purging
or drying-out of the plate-fin heat exchangers and pipework. Heat exchanger cores shall be
self-venting and self-draining wherever possible. Drain connections shall be provided at low
point of the cores where the cores are not drained by the main nozzles. If a plate-fin heat
exchanger is placed in a cold box, the drain and vent lines shall be made external to the
cold box casing.
The vent and drain sizes shall be at least DN 40 x DN 25 (reducer).
All vent and drain connections shall be flanged and provided with a blind flange.
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The location of all vents and drains shall be agreed with the Principal prior to fabrication.
All the vents and drains of plate-fin heat exchangers shall be indicated on the relevant
Process Engineering Flow Schemes.

2.11 THREADED CONNECTIONS

Threaded connections shall not be used.

2.12 INSTRUMENT CONNECTIONS

If required, temperature instrument and pressure gauge connections shall be specified on
the data/requisition sheets. The Principal and Manufacturer shall agree on the location and
type of connection for each particular application.

2.13 SUPPORTS
The plate-fin heat exchanger shall be provided with supports. These supports shall be
designed to withstand seismic, wind, blast, transportation and the applicable loads referred
to in (2.4).
Plate-fin heat exchanger supports shall be provided with sufficient oversize or slotted holes
to accommodate any change in block dimensions or block position under operating or upset
conditions and during start up and shut down.
If required, the Manufacturer shall provide details of the loads generated on the plate-fin
heat exchanger supports due to the dead weight of the plate-fin heat exchanger plus any
loads resulting from externally applied forces and moments.

2.14 PIPING
All piping shall be designed and constructed in accordance with DEP [Link]-Gen.
All piping shall be aluminium or aluminium alloy except where an aluminium/stainless steel
transition joint is made to connect aluminium piping to stainless steel piping.
The design of manifolds and headers shall minimize the number of pockets where
condensate or non-condensables could accumulate. Vent and drain lines shall be provided
for such pockets as outlined in (2.10).
Flanged connections inside the cold box are not allowed.
For connecting aluminium to stainless steel piping within the cold box, the Manufacturer
shall provide aluminium to stainless steel transition joints. Piping transition joints between
stainless steel and aluminium shall be of one of the following makes unless otherwise
agreed by the Principal:
 Thevenet-Clerjounie
 Tube Turn
 Asahi
Transition joints shall be equivalent in pressure, bending and fatigue strength to the weaker
of the piping materials being joined.

2.15 GASKETS
The selection of gaskets shall be in accordance with the appropriate piping class of the
connecting piping (see DEP [Link]-Gen. or DEP [Link]-Gen., as applicable).
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2.16 COLD BOX DESIGN

2.16.1Cold box structural design
The cold box structure shall be designed for setting on installed foundations and shall be
shop-fabricated with all internals braced for shipment where necessary. All structural steel
used within the cold box shall be in accordance with DEP [Link]-Gen. and
DEP [Link]-Gen. and shall be suitable for any operating temperatures below 0 °C to
which they may be exposed.
Support members for vessels or plate-fin heat exchangers operating down to –46 °C shall
be made of stainless steel or low-temperature carbon steel. For operating temperatures
below –46 °C the support members shall be made of stainless steel.
The cold box shall be an all welded construction and weatherproof.
Bolted entrance manways shall be provided in the cold box at platform levels and in areas
where entrance may be required for inspection and maintenance. The minimum free
dimension in all directions of bolted access panels shall be 600 mm.
Items that require periodic maintenance shall be accessible from the outside of the cold
box and may be located within a separate, internal, readily accessible, rock wool insulated
compartment (valve house). These items shall be kept to the absolute minimum and
specifically indentified by the Manufacturer.
The layout of equipment and piping within the cold box shall consider the minimum
distances between components operating at different temperatures, and between different
components and the cold box casing as necessary to limit process heat leakage. In no
case shall the equipment be located within 200 mm of the cold box casing.
Provisions shall be made for thermal expansion and contraction at exchanger supports and
between cores, stream headers and piping for all anticipated operating conditions including
start-up, shut-down and all possible transient conditions including any upset conditions.
The cold box shall be provided with an air space below the floor to provide adequate air
circulation to prevent frost heave of the foundations.
Cold box side panels shall be a minimum of 3 mm sheet material. Floor and roof panels
shall be a minimum of 6 mm plate material.
The top of the cold box shall be designed for a minimum superimposed load of 5 kN/m2 of
uniformly distributed load.
Support members that are subject to torsion shall be fabricated to form closed (box)
sections.
Cold box internals shall be supported from the cold box structure and not from the casing.
The cold box roof shall be provided with a handrail on all sides of the cold box. The
handrail may be removed for shipment. The Manufacturer shall provide ladder access to
the cold box roof.
2.16.2Piping
Manufacturer supplied interconnected piping SHALL [PS] be designed, fabricated,
inspected and tested in accordance with ASME B31.3 and shall be stress analysed. All
operating cases including start-up, shutdown and transient operating conditions shall be
considered.
The Manufacturer shall be responsible for the stress analysis of piping between anchor
points within the cold box.
The Principal shall be responsible for the stress analysis of piping penetrating the cold box
wall through flexible connections up to the first anchor point inside the cold box. The
Manufacturer shall submit piping isometrics to the Principal for use in the pipe stress
analysis.
 DEP [Link]-Gen.
January 2010Page 16

2.16.3Safety
The cold box steel casing shall be protected by relief valves against underpressure due to
removal of the box insulation (e.g. Perlite) and against overpressure due to process stream
leakage or malfunctioning in the nitrogen purge control system.
The cold box SHALL [PS] be provided with roof vents and safety relief devices.
The safety relief device on the top of the cold box shall be sized for the maximum purge
flow based on the nitrogen supply system.
The cold box shall be equipped with a low-pressure alarm to indicate inadequate purging of
the cold box.
The cold box shall be equipped with hydrocarbon detection equipment in the purge outlet
line and in the bottom of the cold box to detect leakage of hydrocarbons inside the cold
box. The Manufacturer shall supply two sample point connections on the cold box.
There shall be no flanges and screwed fittings within the cold box and all internals shall be
welded to minimise the possibility of leakage.
The nitrogen purge system shall be designed to ensure the uniform distribution of nitrogen
to all areas of the cold box. The purge header shall be affixed to the cold box floor, and
shall be double wrapped with fibreglass cloth to prevent insulation from plugging the
distribution holes. The design of the nitrogen purge system shall be provided to the
Principal for review.
2.16.4Lifting and Handling
The cold box shall be designed so that all equipment in the box is adequately supported in
the horizontal shipping position and in the normal vertical (as erected) position. Any
supports installed specifically for transportation shall be coloured yellow and uniquely
identified.
These temporary supports shall not be welded and shall be removed after cold box
installation on site.
2.16.5Painting
The cold box shall be delivered with a coating on the inside and outside. Painting shall be
in accordance with DEP [Link]-Gen.

2.17 INSULATION
2.17.1Plate-fin heat exchangers in a cold box
Filling the cold box with expanded materials, such as rock wool or Perlite granules usually
insulates plate-fin heat exchangers. The materials are heat resistant and fireproof.
Although the Perlite granules are not allowed according to DEP [Link]-Gen.; they are
allowed for the insulation of plate-fin heat exchangers in cold boxes.
Dryness of the insulation shall be maintained by purging with a dry inert gas such as
nitrogen, having a dewpoint lower than the lowest operating temperature in the plate-fin
heat exchanger.
If the cold box is Perlite insulated, this shall be done in accordance with an installation
procedure agreed between the Principal and Manufacturer. Insulation shall be applied after
all cold box internal inspections and tests have been completed and the cold box has been
installed in its permanent location.
The Manufacturer shall inform the Principal of the specification and quantity of Perlite
required. The Perlite delivery is not a part of the scope of the Manufacturer.
For the connections required for Perlite filling/emptying of the cold box refer to
(Part IV 6.8.11).
 DEP [Link]-Gen.
January 2010Page 17

2.17.2Plate-fin heat exchangers not in a cold box

Plate-fin heat exchangers that are not assembled into a cold box are insulated in
accordance with DEP [Link]-Gen.
The Principal shall specify the thickness of insulation to be applied to the plate-fin heat
exchanger external surfaces, the type of insulation clips required for attachment of the
insulation, and the required nozzle standout beyond the insulation.
2.17.3Plate-fin heat exchanger in a vessel
If the plate-fin heat exchanger will be installed in a vessel, the insulation requirements for
the vessel shall be in accordance with DEP [Link]-Gen.
2.17.4Insulation between supports
If the beams onto which the plate-fin heat exchanger is to be mounted are not in the
Manufacturer’s scope of supply and there is a substantial difference between the plate-fin
heat exchanger operating temperature and ambient, such as in cryogenic service, a
‘heat-break’ is required between the mating faces of the plate-fin heat exchanger support
and the Principal’s support to avoid any heat-inleak and the formation of frost spots. The
Manufacturer shall select the heat-break material, such as ‘Pierrite’, ‘Micarta’ or equivalent
heat-break, and the thickness depending on the operating conditions. Wooden blocks as
heat-break are not allowed.
If the plate-fin heat exchanger is mounted into a cold box, a heat-break is required at the
junction between the plate-fin heat exchanger support and the support beam. The use of
two heat-breaks in series (one between the plate-fin heat exchanger and the support beam
and one between the support beam and the cold box) requires the approval of the
Principal.

2.18 FIRE PROTECTION

Fire protection SHALL [PS] be in accordance with DEP [Link]-Gen. and
DEP [Link]-Gen.

2.19 PLATE-FIN HEAT EXCHANGER RELIEF SCENARIOS

If a plate-fin heat exchanger requires a relief device, the relief rate SHALL [PS] be based
on the requirements specified in DEP [Link]-Gen. The Manufacturer shall assist the
Principal with the relief valve calculations where necessary.

2.20 SAFETY/RELIEF VALVE NOZZLE CONNECTIONS

Flanges for safety/relief valve nozzles shall have a minimum rating of ASME Class 300.

2.21 SPARE AND REPLACEMENT PARTS

Spares and replacement parts shall be in accordance with DEP [Link]-Gen.
 DEP [Link]-Gen.
January 2010Page 18

PART IV AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS TO ISO 15547-2

This Part IV gives amendments and supplements to ISO 15547-2: 2005.

For ease of reference, the clause numbering of ISO 15547-2 has been used throughout
Part IV of this DEP. Clauses of ISO 15547-2 that are not mentioned shall remain valid as
written.

2. TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

2.7 Add new clause:
Very toxic substance
Refer to definition in DEP [Link]-Gen.

3 GENERAL
3.1 Replace this clause with:
Plate-fin heat exchangers SHALL [PS] be considered to be pressure vessels.
Unless otherwise specified by the Principal:
 The pressure design code shall be ASME VIII Division 1, as
amended/supplemented by DEP [Link]-Gen.
NOTE: ASME VIII Division 1 Appendix 13 deals with non-cylindrical vessels and is therefore
particularly relevant to plate-fin heat exchangers.

 The cold box structural steel shall be designed according to DEP [Link]-Gen.

4 PROPOSAL INFORMATION REQUIRED

4.1 Replace this clause by:
The Vendor shall complete all information in accordance with Annex C of this DEP.
4.5 Add to this clause:
Plate-fin heat exchangers require upstream strainers, but these are normally not in the
scope of the Vendor.
The strainer shall be designed to remove particles that exceed 30 % of the nominal fin
height and fin gap. If serrated fins are fitted, the fin gap shall be taken as 50 % of the fin
gap.
4.7 Add new clause:
If particulates such as pipe scale or molecular sieve dust could enter the plate-fin heat
exchanger, the Purchaser shall specify on the equipment data requisition sheets that the
use of serrated fins is not allowed. Refer to (Part III 1.7).

5 DRAWINGS AND OTHER DATA REQUIREMENTS

5.1.2 Add to this clause:
All bolted joints shall be tightened uniformly and in a diametrically staggered pattern.
If the use of bolt tensioning equipment is anticipated in the design stage, due attention shall
be given to the clearance required to accommodate the tensioning tools.
5.1.6 Replace this clause by:
The Vendor shall provide welding procedures and weld maps for approval to the Purchaser.
5.1.8 Replace this clause by:
The Vendor shall provide details of the applicable calculations for review to the Purchaser.
 DEP [Link]-Gen.
January 2010Page 19

5.1.9 Add to this clause:

The Vendor shall check whether Finite Element Analysis calculations are required,
depending on the plate-fin heat exchanger process and mechanical design information
provided by the Purchaser.
5.2.2 Replace this clause by:
The Vendor shall retain for at least 10 years records that confirm compliance of the material
and fabrication with the requirements of this part of ISO 15547.

6 DESIGN
6.2 Replace this clause by:
The Purchaser shall specify a maximum design temperature and minimum design metal
temperature for each individual stream in the plate-fin heat exchanger.
6.3 Add to this clause:
The Principal SHALL [PS] specify the design pressure and temperature for each stream
through the heat exchanger separately (refer to DEP [Link]-Gen.). The possibility of
exposure to system pressure waves, similar to e.g. water hammer, shall be taken into
account.
6.4 Thermal stresses
Replace this clause by:
6.4 Thermal stresses
6.4.1 In addition to the design operating condition(s), the Purchaser SHALL [PS] specify all
operating conditions that could impose significant stresses on the plate-fin heat exchanger.
This shall consider any alternative operating cases, start-up and shutdown, turndown
operation, upset cases (with particular attention to cases where a stream’s flowing
condition might change or cease abruptly), and the process control philosophy being
applied to the plate-fin heat exchanger.
The Purchaser shall specify which streams would be subject to cyclic or frequently
repeated temperature fluctuations.
If a number of design cases and conditions are specified the Vendor shall select the most
stringent case so that all design cases and conditions are met.
The Vendor shall notify the Purchaser if insufficient information has been supplied to
satisfactorily design the plate-fin heat exchanger.
6.4.2 The ability of a plate-fin heat exchanger to withstand pressure cycling, at a constant
operating temperature, can be proven by accelerated cycle testing of a representative
exchanger, e.g. a full cross section with full-size headers or by (finite element) calculations.
The design life shall be determined in accordance with ASME VIII Division 2.
6.4.3 Although pressure cycling is a well-understood and predictable phenomenon, the thermal
cycling behaviour of a plate-fin heat exchanger is still not a well-understood and
predictable phenomenon. A thermal cycling rate of 1 °C per minute is therefore generally
considered acceptable, and a 2 °C to 3 °C per minute thermal cycle rate has been
satisfactorily achieved.
6.4.4 Composite blocks should not normally be used in any form of cyclic operation. Composite
blocks are plate-fin heat exchanger cores welded together and connected by a common
header in order to build the required thermal capacity if this is limited by the Vendor’s
method of manufacture.
 DEP [Link]-Gen.
January 2010Page 20

6.4.5 Where it is important to minimise thermal stresses, the layer arrangements should be
optimized to give the lowest possible temperature differentials. If composite blocks are
used, the layer distribution shall be chosen to minimize temperature discontinuities across
the welded core joint during operation. The Vendor shall inform the Purchaser if any
additional stress analysis, e.g. Finite Element Analysis, is deemed necessary to guarantee
the mechanical design.
6.7 Components
6.7.2 Replace this clause by:
The plate-fin heat exchanger shall be provided with two earthing bosses.
The Vendor shall ensure that an electrically continuous path is provided between the
plate-fin heat exchanger block and the earthing bosses. In a cold box it is important to
ensure an electrically continuous path through the unit, bearing in mind that there are
usually two thermally insulated heat breaks between each plate-fin heat exchanger and the
outside structure.
6.8 Connections
6.8.1 Add to this clause:
All piping connections shall be either flanged or butt-welded.
6.8.4 Replace this clause by:
All boltholes for flanged connections shall straddle centrelines.
Studded connections are not allowed.
6.8.5 Add to this clause:
Stub pipes used for nozzle connections are normally seal welded with closures for
transport. The Vendor shall provide sufficient length of stub pipes to allow easy connection
to plant piping: after cutting the closures in case the vendor will not prepare the ends of
nozzles.
6.8.6 Add to this clause:
Aluminium flanges for nozzles shall be welded neck raised face flanges with an ASME
class of at least 300 in accordance with ASME B16.5 or ASME B16.47, and shall only be
used when the piping mating flange is also of aluminium material. Aluminium flanges
against stainless steel flanges shall not be used. Pressure/Temperature limits for
aluminium flanges shall be as stated in ASME B31.3, Appendix L where applicable, or
determined in accordance with the ASME VIII Division 1 Appendix 2 calculation procedure.
The standard flange thickness shall be increased as required to achieve acceptable stress
levels.
Carbon or Stainless Steel flanges shall be in accordance with ASME B16.5 or
ASME B16.47. Stainless steel lapjoint flanges on aluminium stub ends require the
Purchaser’s approval.
6.8.7 Replace this clause by:
Inactive areas in plate-fin heat exchangers, such as dummy layers and blocked layers
(refer to Part IV 9.3), shall be ventable and drainable.
In composite blocks, the space enclosed by the core-to-core welding of the plate-fin heat
exchanger shall be ventable and drainable by means of tubing to safe location. If a plate-fin
heat exchanger is installed inside a cold box, the vent and drain lines shall be routed ouside
the cold box.
6.8.9 New clause:
If space is limited, the use of special header/nozzle configurations could be required. The
use of these special header/nozzle configurations like the tangential nozzle and integral
nozzle/header requires the approval of the Purchaser. Refer to Figure 1 for this type of
nozzle/header configuration.
 DEP [Link]-Gen.
January 2010Page 21

Tangential nozzle Integral nozzle

Figure 1 Typical nozzle/header configurations
6.8.10New clause:
Cold box piping penetrating the casing shall be firmly anchored to the cold box to withstand
the internal and external piping reactions without overstressing the internal components.
Alternatively, if required for piping flexibility, flexible penetrations with suitable expansion
joints may be used. Flexible penetrations shall provide a frost-free seal for retention of the
internal cold box pressure while permitting piping movement. The Vendor shall submit the
design of all flexible penetrations for approval by the Purchaser.
6.8.11New clause:
Cold boxes shall at least be provided with the following connections:
 As a minimum a manway shall be provided at grade of the cold box and on the
cold box roof. Manways shall be DN 600 minimum.
 The roof-mounted manway shall also serve as an emergency vent and Perlite
fill connection. The emergency vent shall be set to open if the internal cold box
pressure exceeds 0.01 bar (ga).
 The cold box roof shall be provided with four Perlite insulation fill connections at
its four corners. The fill connections shall be a minimum of DN 100 and shall be
provided with blind flanges. The Manufacturer shall ensure that voids in the
Perlite are prevented by considering the location of additional fill connections.
 For removal of the Perlite from the cold box, a manway and a DN 200 (8”)
flanged and blinded connection shall be provided in the cold box on opposite
sides at the base of the cold box.
 The cold box roof shall have a DN 50 NPT threaded breather valve connection.
The valve shall have a preset pressure setting of 7.5 mbar (ga) and a vacuum
setting of –5.5 mbar (ga).
 The cold box floor shall be provided with a DN 50 drain connection with blind
flange.
 The cold box shall be provided with a connection for the nitrogen purge system.
6.10 Add to this clause:
The lifting devices shall be located above the centre of gravity of the parts to which they are
attached.
Where welded plate type lugs are used, these shall be welded on with full penetration
employing either double welding or by single welding with a GTAW root pass.
The hole diameter shall be at least 28 mm diameter.
 DEP [Link]-Gen.
January 2010Page 22

The load bearing capacity of the lugs in supporting the required load shall be demonstrated
by calculation. In any case the lugs shall be designed for a static force of at least twice the
mass of the heat exchanger part(s).

7 MATERIALS
7.1 Add to this clause:
All materials of construction shall be supplied with full chemical and mechanical property
certificates in accordance with ISO 10474 type 3.1.B. All materials and welding
consumables shall be traceable to their test certificates.
Where it is not practical to transfer markings from the parent material to component parts,
the Vendor shall operate approved alternative QA procedures to maintain traceability. All
attachments such as supports, lifting points or reinforcements shall be of a similar material
specification as the material to which they are attached.
7.2 Add to this clause:
Very toxic substances shall not be used in plate-fin heat exchangers.

8 FABRICATION
8.1 Welding and brazing
8.1.1 Replace the last sentence of this clause with:
Structural welding shall be in accordance with AWS D1.1.
Add to this clause:
The Vendor shall submit proposed Welding Procedure Qualifications, Procedure
Qualification Records (including weld details) for Certifying Authority approval prior to
commencing any production welding. The Purchaser has the right to review the applicable
welding documentation at the Vendor’s premises.
The welding procedures shall be qualified in accordance with relevant sections of the
pressure design code.
Welding procedures and welders shall be qualified in accordance with the applicable
pressure design code (see Part II 1.3).
A weld map shall be prepared which includes an outline drawing that identifies all welds
and relates them to the relevant welding procedure number and non-destructive
examination requirements.
After brazing, but before attachment of the headers, the Certifying Authority shall inspect
passage openings in the block to ensure these are all clear of obstructions and clean to the
required standard.
The weld bevels and surrounding area shall be clean and free from moisture, oxides or any
other foreign matter that could interfere with welding. All weld preparations shall be visually
inspected to ensure they are correctly profiled and smooth and free from any defects that
might affect weld quality.
8.1.6 Add to this clause:
The requirements for backing strips as stated in DEP [Link]-Gen. are not applicable
to this DEP.
Single welded butt joints with permanent backing strips may only be used where double
welded joints are impractical. However, the location of all permanent backing strips is
subject to approval by the Purchaser prior to the start of the fabrication.
If permanent backing strips are used, they shall be completely seal-weded on the upper
edge of the backing strips in a vertical orientation, or on the upstream flow side in
horizontal orientations.
 DEP [Link]-Gen.
January 2010Page 23

8.1.11 New clause:

Plate-fin heat exchanger header welds are often close together, and some will even
partially overlap (see Figure 2).

y x
A

z
Figure 2 Typical plate-fin heat exchanger welding geometry
In Figure 2 the header-to-core welds for headers A and B will overlap at ‘y’, and there will
be a similar overlap at least at the opposite corner of the core. Also, if the nozzle is
relatively large compared to the header, the nozzle attachment weld may be close to, or
even overlap, the header-to-core weld.
The joining of multiple welds is replicated by means of a single groove with multiple passes
using identical welding parameters and materials, even to the extent that a partly filled weld
might need to be left overnight to cool down to room temperature before completing the
weld. This practice is acceptable to ASME IX, and verification of weld integrity is achieved
in strict accordance with procedure qualification and production weld testing. Welding
thicknesses up to 100 mm have been qualified in this way. The welding shall be carried out
strictly in accordance with the qualified welding procedure specification (WPS).
Under the conditions described above, the use of overlapping and close welds is
acceptable for plate-fin heat exchangers.
8.3 Tolerances
Add to this clause:
The Purchaser shall inspect the finished and assembled unit for correct fit-up and positions
and nozzle relative to an agreed datum point.

9 INSPECTION AND TESTING

9.1 Quality control
9.1.1 Replace this clause by:
Materials, welding inspection, non-destructive testing and other stages of fabrication shall
be subject to inspection by any of the following parties:
 Principal;
 Principal’s Nominated Representative;
 Certifying Authority;
 Nominated Inspection Authority.
The Vendor shall submit a fabrication schedule and a QA/Inspection plan detailing
proposed hold points to be witnessed by one or more of the above parties. Fabrication shall
not continue beyond these hold points without written approval from the Purchaser.
Test procedures shall be submitted to the Certifying Authority for approval prior to the
commencement of fabrication. The Purchaser reserves the right to review the applicable
inspection documentation at the Vendor’s premises.
 DEP [Link]-Gen.
January 2010Page 24

The Vendor shall provide the purchaser with a minimum of seven working days' notice prior
to carrying out inspection or testing activities identified in the QA/Inspection as hold/witness
points.
Reports of the findings from each inspection shall be made available to the Purchaser for
review.
Inspection by the Purchaser does not relieve the Vendor of the responsibilities as defined
by the requisition or associated codes and regulations.
Prior to the cutting of sheet, plate or other material, the Purchaser may inspect the
materials and material certification to ensure they meet the requirements of the requisition.
All pressure retaining parts shall be subjected to 100 % positive material identification.
The Vendor shall inspect the stacked plates to confirm that the stack has the specified
number of plates, the specified plate sequence and straight sides.
9.1.2 Add to this clause:
Non-destructive examination of the welds is limited by accessibility and some header welds
are not accessible at all. The Vendor shall perform the maximum practical amount of
radiographic weld inspection. Figure 2 shows that the weld at ‘x’ on header A may be
accessible for radiography since it is near the corner of the plate-fin heat exchanger core.
The weld ‘z’ on header B, however, is not accessible for radiography. At corner ‘y’ only the
weld of the first header to be welded to the plate-fin heat exchanger may be accessible for
radiography.
All inspection and non-destructive examination of welds shall be carried out in accordance
with procedures approved by the Principal.
The extent of non-destructive examination and the proposed non-destructive examination
techniques shall be detailed in the Manufacturer’s QA and Inspection Plan and General
Arrangement drawings. As a minimum, the proposed level of inspection shall meet the
requirements of the pressure vessel.
9.2.1 Add to this clause:
The Vendor shall submit all pressure testing procedures to the Purchaser for review prior to
performing any tests.
The completed plate fin heat exchanger assembly shall be subjected to the tests listed
below with dry, oil-free oxygen-free nitrogen (dewpoint –30 °C or lower):
 Strength test: All streams shall be pneumatically tested individually at the
pneumatic test pressure as stated in the pressure design code.
 Soapy water test: The pressure shall be set at 10 % of the stream design
pressure, with a minimum of 0.4 bar (ga) and a maximum of 1.5 bar (ga) and
all pressure retaining welds shall be inspected with soapy water. Any leakage
shall be fully investigated.
9.2.3 Add to this clause:
The test pressure shall be maintained for a minimum of one hour.
Cold box enclosures shall be pneumatically proof tested at a pressure of 100 mm H2O. The
test pressure shall not decay below 75 mm H2O within a period of ten minutes.
After completion of a successful pneumatic proof test of the cold box enclosure, casing
welds shall be soapy leak tested at a pressure of 50 mm H2O.
9.3 Rectification
9.3.4 Add new clause:
If there are any blocked layers inside the plate-fin heat exchanger, these layers shall be
vented as stated in (Part IV 6.8.7).
 DEP [Link]-Gen.
January 2010Page 25

9.4 Nameplate
9.4.2 Add to this clause:
If the cold box is in the scope of the Vendor, it shall be equipped with a second identical
(duplicate) nameplate.
9.4.4 Add to this clause:
i) Plate-fin heat exchanger volume for each individual stream.

10 PREPARATION FOR SHIPMENT

10.4 Add to this clause:
The method for hermetically sealing the nozzles shall be approved by the Purchaser.
Dry nitrogen shall be used for hermetic sealing. Air shall not be used.
10.6 Add new clause:
Plate-fin heat exchangers shall be properly packed and protected from damage during
shipment by road, rail and containerised sea transport.
Each crate of package shall be clearly identified in accordance with the Purchaser’s
specification. As a minimum the package shall be marked with the Purchaser’s order
number, item number, the shipping mass and the delivery address.
 DEP [Link]-Gen.
January 2010Page 26

ANNEX C PLATE FIN HEAT EXCHANGER DATASHEETS

Replace this annex with the following:

Annex C
(normative)
Requisitioning and document submittal
The Principal's enquiry shall specify the number of copies of outline drawings, construction
drawings, data/requisition sheets, data reports and final records to be supplied by the
Manufacturer, all as specified in DEP [Link]-Gen.
The following Standard Forms shall be used for the specification of plate-fin heat
exchangers in conjunction with this DEP:
Specification of design and engineering documents DEP [Link]-Gen.
Approval drawing specification DEP [Link]-Gen.
Final drawing specification DEP [Link]-Gen.

To be submitted during Project Specification phase (design phase):

Data/requisition sheets for brazed aluminium plate-fin heat DEP [Link]-Gen.
exchangers
Requisition for engineering documents (“RED” form) DEP [Link]-Gen.

To be submitted during Detailed Engineering phase (purchasing phase):

Heat exchanger summary DEP [Link]-Gen.
EDP supplement DEP [Link]-Gen.

The complete set of data/requisition sheets shall be used, even if only one equipment item
is ordered.
 DEP [Link]-Gen.
January 2010Page 27

PART V REFERENCES

In this DEP, reference is made to the following publications:

NOTES: 1. Unless specifically designated by date, the latest edition of each publication shall be used,
together with any amendments/supplements/revisions thereto.
2. The DEPs and most referenced external standards are available to Shell staff on the SWW (Shell
Wide Web) at [Link]

SHELL STANDARDS
Definition of temperature, pressure and toxicity levels DEP [Link]-Gen.
Thermal insulation (amendments/supplements to the CINI DEP [Link]-Gen.
handbook)
Protective coatings for onshore facilities DEP [Link]-Gen.
Symbols and identification system – Mechanical DEP [Link]-Gen.
Pressure vessels (based on ASME Section VIII) DEP [Link]-Gen.
Piping – General requirements DEP [Link]-Gen.
Piping classes – Refining and chemicals DEP [Link]-Gen.
Piping classes – Exploration and production DEP [Link]-Gen.
Structural design and engineering DEP [Link]-Gen.
Steel structures DEP [Link]-Gen.
Cleaning of equipment DEP [Link]-Gen.
Spare parts DEP [Link]-Gen.
Overpressure and underpressure – Prevention and protection DEP [Link]-Gen.
Assessment of the fire safety of onshore installations DEP [Link]-Gen.
DATA/REQUISITION SHEETS
Brazed aluminium plate-fin heat exchangers DEP [Link]-Gen.
EDP supplement DEP [Link]-Gen.
Engineering documents (“RED” form) DEP [Link]-Gen.
STANDARD FORMS
Heat exchanger summary DEP [Link]-Gen.
Specification of design and engineering documents DEP [Link]-Gen.
Approval drawing specification (ADS) DEP [Link]-Gen.
Final drawing specification (FDS) DEP [Link]-Gen.
AMERICAN STANDARDS
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code – Rules for ASME VIII Division 1
construction of pressure vessels – Division 1
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code – Rules for ASME VIII Division 2
construction of pressure vessels – Division 2: Alternative rules
Pipe flanges and flanged fittings NPS 1/2 through NPS 24 ASME B16.5
Large diameter steel flanges NPS 26 Through NPS 60 ASME B16.47
Process piping ASME B31.3
Issued by:
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
ASME International
Three Park Avenue, M/S 10E
New York, NY 10016, USA

Structural welding code – Steel AWS D1.1

Issued by:
American Welding Society
550 North LeJeune Road
PO Box 351040,
Miami, FL 33136
USA

INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
Steel and steel products – Inspection documents ISO 10474
Petroleum, petrochemical and natural gas industries – Plate-type ISO 15547-2:2005
heat exchangers – Part 2: Brazed aluminium plate-fin heat
exchangers
Issued by:
ISO Central Secretariat
1, ch. de la Voie-Creuse
Case postale 56
CH-1211 Genève 20
Switzerland
Copies can also be obtained from national standards organizations.

OTHER STANDARDS
Computer program “Aspen MUSE”: Aspen MUSE
“Performance of plate-fin heat exchangers”
Issued by:
AspenTech Ltd.
C1
Reading International Business Park
Basingstoke Road
Reading RG2 6DT
UK

Standards of the brazed aluminium plate-fin heat exchanger ALPEMA

manufacturer’s association
Issued by
ALPEMA; [Link]