Air-cooled heat exchangers are large, outdoor units with both static and rotating components, the tube bundles and headers are process-side, while the fans, motors, belts, and louvers are on the air side. Both require regular maintenance and spare parts inventory.
AQ Process Systems sources and exports finned tube bundles (complete or individual tubes), fan blades and hubs, motors, V-belts, louver assemblies, header plugs and gaskets, and structural components. We support both forced-draft (fans below) and induced-draft (fans above) ACHE configurations.
For refinery and petrochemical operations, we understand the critical nature of ACHE reliability, particularly for overhead condensers and product coolers where fouling and corrosion are common tube failure modes.
| Component | Specification | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Tube Bundles & Tubes | ||
| Finned Tube Bundles | Complete assemblies | CS/SS/CuNi/Ti core tubes | Al or SS fins | Complete replacement finned tube bundles, fabricated with headers, ready for lift-in installation. |
| Individual Finned Tubes | L-footed, embedded, extruded, or welded fins | Individual replacement finned tubes for re-tubing, matched to original fin type, density, and core tube material. |
| Bare Tubes (for re-finning) | CS, SS, CuNi, Ti | Seamless | Plain tubes for re-finning, supplied in mill lengths or cut to size for fin application. |
| Headers & Plugs | ||
| Header Boxes | CS or SS | Plug-type or cover-plate type | Replacement header boxes, plug-type (removable plugs per tube) or cover-plate (bolted cover) designs. |
| Header Plugs | Taper plugs or shoulder plugs | CS or alloy | Individual tube-end plugs for plug-type headers, used to isolate leaking tubes without bundle removal. |
| Header Gaskets | Compressed fibre, spiral wound, or RTJ | Cover-plate header gaskets, replaced during every header opening for inspection or cleaning. |
| Nozzle Connections | Flanged | Inlet, outlet, vent, drain | Process nozzle connections, vent and drain fittings, and instrument tappings on headers. |
| Fan & Drive System | ||
| Fan Blades | Aluminium, FRP, or SS | Fixed or adjustable pitch | Individual replacement fan blades or complete blade sets, matched to hub diameter and pitch angle. |
| Fan Hubs | Cast or fabricated | Manual or auto-variable pitch | Fan hub assemblies, fixed pitch, manual adjustable, or automatic variable pitch (AVP) types. |
| Fan Motors | TEFC | Various HP ratings | IE3/IE4 efficiency | Replacement electric drive motors for fan shaft or gearbox drive, matched to existing mounting and power. |
| V-Belts & Sheaves | Multi-groove V-belt sets | Matched sheaves | Drive belt sets and pulleys (sheaves) for belt-driven fan configurations, matched profile and ratio. |
| Gearboxes | Right-angle or parallel shaft | Oil-lubricated | Fan drive gearboxes, replacement units or rebuild kits including gears, bearings, and seals. |
| Louvers & Structure | ||
| Louver Blades & Actuators | Aluminium or GI | Pneumatic or electric actuator | Air flow control louver blades and actuator assemblies, for temperature control and winter protection. |
| Fan Guards / Screens | Galvanised wire mesh | Safety guards | Fan inlet/outlet safety screens, mesh guards preventing contact with rotating fan blades. |
| Structural Steel | Support frames, pipe racks, platforms | Replacement structural members, support legs, cross-bracing, access platforms, and handrails. |
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 ACHE parts are fan belts (annual replacement in belt-driven units), fan bearings, header plugs (for isolating leaking tubes), louver actuators, and finned tubes (corrosion and fouling over time). Gearbox oil and motor bearings are routine maintenance items.
Yes. We supply complete replacement finned tube bundles, fabricated with new finned tubes, headers, and nozzles, hydrostatically tested, and ready for crane lift-in during a turnaround. Bundles can be fabricated with upgraded metallurgy if corrosion was the failure mode.
We supply L-footed (most common, mechanically bonded), embedded/grooved (high-temperature service), extruded (integral aluminium fin, best for corrosive atmospheres), and welded fins (for high-temperature and high-reliability applications). Fin material is typically aluminium, with stainless steel for corrosive air-side environments.
Yes. We supply manual adjustable pitch and automatic variable pitch (AVP) fan hub assemblies. AVP hubs adjust blade pitch automatically to maintain process outlet temperature, reducing energy consumption. We supply complete hubs and individual AVP components (actuators, springs, linkages).
For plug-type headers, individual leaking tubes can be isolated by installing tapered plugs in both ends of the failed tube. We supply header plugs in carbon steel and alloy grades matched to the header material. This allows continued operation until the next scheduled turnaround when the bundle can be re-tubed.
Share your equipment make, model, and part numbers, we respond within 24 hours.