Kettle reboilers are specialised shell & tube exchangers with an oversized shell that provides a vapour disengagement space above the tube bundle. They serve as the heat source for distillation columns, and their reliable operation is critical to column performance and product quality.
AQ Process Systems sources and exports the full range of kettle reboiler spares, tube bundles (fixed or pull-through), tube sheets, weir plates, vapour-liquid separation internals, and all associated gaskets and instrumentation. We support both horizontal and vertical kettle reboiler configurations.
Reboiler tube bundles are subject to nucleate boiling on the shell side, which creates unique fouling and corrosion patterns. We supply tubes in carbon steel, stainless steel, duplex, and alloy grades to match the process chemistry.
| Component | Specification | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Tube Bundle | ||
| Tube Bundles | CS, SS, duplex, Ti | Fixed or pull-through (TEMA K-shell) | Complete replacement tube bundles for kettle reboilers, sized for the oversized kettle shell. |
| Tubes | Plain or low-finned | Seamless | Various alloys | Individual replacement tubes, plain or low-fin enhanced surface for nucleate boiling applications. |
| Tube Sheets | SA 516, SA 240, clad | Drilled to OEM pattern | Fixed-end and floating-end tube sheets, matched to the original tube layout and shell bore. |
| Kettle Internals | ||
| Weir Plates | CS or SS plate | Adjustable or fixed height | Internal weir plate maintaining liquid level over the tube bundle, critical for heat transfer performance. |
| Vapour/Liquid Separators | Mesh pads, vane packs, or cyclone type | Demister pads or vane separators in the vapour space preventing liquid carryover to the column. |
| Baffles & Supports | Segmental baffles | Tube support plates | Shell-side baffles supporting the tube bundle and directing liquid flow across the tubes. |
| Instrumentation & Safety | ||
| Level Instruments | DP, displacer, or radar | Shell-side liquid level | Liquid level transmitters monitoring the boiling liquid level relative to the weir plate and tube bundle. |
| Safety Valves | ASME VIII | Shell-side overpressure protection | Pressure relief valves protecting against shell-side overpressure from vapour generation. |
| Temperature Instruments | RTD/thermocouple | Thermowells | Process temperature sensors, shell-side liquid, vapour outlet, and tube-side inlet/outlet. |
| Nozzles & Gaskets | ||
| Nozzle Connections | Flanged | Vapour outlet, liquid inlet, liquid return | Large-bore vapour outlet nozzle, liquid inlet, and liquid overflow/return connections. |
| Shell & Channel Gaskets | Spiral wound, kammprofile | ASME B16.20 | Main flange gaskets for shell, channel, and floating head joints, replaced every opening. |
Parts are matched to OEM material specifications and dimensional tolerances. Please provide the equipment manufacturer, model number, and serial number (if available) for precise part identification. Mill Test Certificates (MTC) supplied with all tube materials per EN 10204 3.1.
The most frequently replaced parts are tubes (fouling from nucleate boiling, corrosion from process fluids), gaskets (replaced every maintenance opening), weir plates (corrosion or erosion), demister pads (fouling and damage), and level instruments (fouling and drift). Tube sheets may need re-facing if tube-to-tubesheet joints leak.
The weir plate maintains the correct liquid level above the tube bundle, ensuring all tubes remain submerged in the boiling liquid. If the liquid level drops below the top tube row (due to a damaged or incorrectly sized weir), those tubes can overheat and foul rapidly. AQ Process Systems sources and exports fixed and adjustable-height weir plates to OEM dimensions.
Yes. Low-fin (integral finned) tubes enhance nucleate boiling heat transfer by 2-4 times compared to plain tubes. We supply low-fin tubes in carbon steel, stainless steel, duplex, and copper alloys, with fin density, height, and root wall thickness matched to the OEM specification.
Yes. We supply wire mesh demister pads, vane-type mist eliminators, and composite demisters for the kettle reboiler vapour disengagement space. These prevent liquid droplet carryover into the distillation column vapour return line.
Tube material depends on the process fluid. Carbon steel is used for hydrocarbon service, stainless steel (304/316) for moderate corrosion, duplex 2205 for chloride-containing fluids, and titanium or nickel alloys for highly corrosive service. We supply all grades with Mill Test Certificates.
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