Practical application of expansion joints for heat exchangers

B. N. Acharya has work experience in static equipment design with UHDE India Ltd. and Reliance Industries Ltd., India. With more than 40 yr of experience in the design and troubleshooting of heat exchangers and high-pressure reactors, he has been active in executing greenfield, revamp and modernization projects. Acharya holds a BS degree in mechanical engineering and an MS degree in thermal engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

Nitish Pal has more than 40 yr of experience in the design, detailing and troubleshooting of various process equipment in refining, petrochemical, fertilizer and pharmaceutical plants. His expertise includes executing lump-sum turnkey projects and project management, and he is a specialist for double-wall storage tanks and air-cooled heat exchangers. Pal is a graduate in chemical engineering from Jadavpur University, India, and his work experience includes Richardson and Cruddas, India, Toyo Engineering India Ltd. and Reliance Industries Ltd.

Kuntak Daru is a Pressure Vessel Engineer with Air Products and Chemicals Inc. He works in the mechanical equipment division of Air Products, supporting engineering and design activities of AP projects worldwide from the company’s Houston, Texas location. Prior to working with Air Products, Daru was a Technical Director in mechanical engineering at Fluor Corp. He has more than 30 yr of experience in the design, engineering and specification of static equipment in the refining, oil and gas, petrochemical and chemical industries. Daru has been published more than 15 times in his field and holds a BS degree in mechanical engineering from SVNIT in Surat, India. Daru is a Registered Professional Engineer in the states of Texas and Louisiana, U.S. The author can be reached at Darukm@airproducts.com or Kuntak.Daru@Gmail.com.

Anilkumar Panchal has more than 15 yr of experience as a Mechanical Design Engineer, including hands-on work experience in pharmaceutical solid and semi-solid product plants, butyl rubber, gasification, ethane cracker, chlorinated PVC and various revamp projects. He holds a BS degree in mechanical engineering and an MS degree in industrial process equipment design. Panchal is a certified Chartered Engineer and Professional Engineer in India, and has work experience at L&T Heavy Engineering, Bechtel India Ltd., Jacobs Engineering, Reliance Industries Ltd. and KIPIC, Kuwait. The author can be reached at anil0208@gmail.com.