Industrial Heat Exchangers Explained

Summary

This video, sponsored by Super Radiator Coils, delves into the critical role of heat exchangers in industrial facilities, showcasing their use in generating electricity and controlling environments. It explores various types of heat exchangers, including thin tube, shell and tube, double pipe, plate, and spiral designs, highlighting their applications in extreme conditions like nuclear power stations and food processing plants. The video also discusses the engineering and manufacturing processes at Super Radiator Coils, emphasizing the company's commitment to quality and performance in heat exchanger production.

Takeaways

• 🔥 Almost every industrial facility relies on the transfer of thermal energy for various purposes such as generating electricity, controlling systems, and manufacturing products.
• 🏭 Super Radiator Coils is a leading company in heat exchanger production, serving commercial, industrial, and nuclear markets with in-house engineering, design, performance testing, and manufacturing.
• 🌡️ A heat exchanger is a device that transfers thermal energy between two fluids without mixing them, which can be liquids, gases, or a combination of both.
• 💧 The transfer of heat always flows from hot to cold, and there must be a temperature difference for heat to transfer effectively.
• 🔧 Industrial heat exchangers are built to withstand extreme environments like high pressure and high temperatures, often found in nuclear power stations, oil refineries, and food processing plants.
• 🛠️ There are five main types of industrial heat exchangers, each with its own design and application, including thin tube, shell and tube, double pipe, plate, and spiral heat exchangers.
• 🔩 Thin tube heat exchangers are common and use fins to increase the surface area for heat transfer, often used in gas turbine power stations for cooling intake air.
• 💠 Shell and tube heat exchangers feature a header and a shell with tubes running through, using baffles to create turbulent flow and enhance heat transfer, commonly used in pharmaceutical factories and refrigeration applications.
• 🔗 Double pipe or tube in tube heat exchangers have a simple design with a tube running back and forth between an inlet and outlet, surrounded by a shell, often used in food processing and pharmaceutical production.
• 🔵 Plate heat exchangers consist of thin metal plates with patterns to direct fluids and create turbulent flow, separated by gaskets to form channels for fluid flow, used in district heating networks and other heating and cooling applications.
• 🌀 Spiral heat exchangers have a unique design with two sheets of metal spiraling together to form a channel, maintaining high fluid velocity which reduces fouling, suitable for processing sludge-like substances in installations like anaerobic digesters.

Q & A

What is the primary function of a heat exchanger?

A heat exchanger is a device used to transfer thermal energy between two fluids without them mixing, which can be liquids, gases, or a mixture of both.

Why is it important for fluids in a heat exchanger to not mix?

It is important for the fluids to not mix to ensure safety, prevent contamination, and maintain the efficiency of the heat transfer process.

How does a thin tube heat exchanger work?

A thin tube heat exchanger works by having one fluid flow through the tubes, which are covered with metal fins to increase surface area, while another fluid flows over the outside of the tubes, transferring heat through the tube wall without mixing.

What are the typical applications of shell and tube heat exchangers?

Shell and tube heat exchangers are commonly used in industrial settings such as pharmaceutical factories, oil refineries, and refrigeration systems where they transfer heat between two fluids in a robust and efficient manner.

What is the purpose of baffles in a shell and tube heat exchanger?

Baffles in a shell and tube heat exchanger are used to partially block the flow of one fluid, forcing it to turn multiple times and creating a turbulent flow, which maximizes heat transfer.

How do double pipe or tube in tube heat exchangers differ from shell and tube types?

Double pipe or tube in tube heat exchangers consist of a single tube running back and forth between an inlet and outlet, surrounded by a shell, whereas shell and tube types have multiple tubes within a shell.

What are the advantages of using plate heat exchangers?

Plate heat exchangers offer the advantage of being easily extended or reduced in size and are known for their high heat transfer efficiency due to the thin channels and turbulent flow created by the plate patterns.

Why are spiral heat exchangers beneficial in certain industrial processes?

Spiral heat exchangers are beneficial in processes involving substances like sludge because their single-channel design maintains high fluid velocity, reducing the likelihood of fouling.

What role do gaskets play in plate heat exchangers?

Gaskets in plate heat exchangers create thin channels between the plates for fluid flow and ensure that the two fluids are completely separated, allowing only thermal energy to transfer through the metal sheets.

How does the赞助商 Super Radiator Coils contribute to the industry?

Super Radiator Coils is a leader in heat exchanger production, offering solutions for commercial, industrial, and nuclear markets with in-house engineering, design, performance testing, and manufacturing at their facilities.

What are some common industries where heat exchangers are utilized?

Heat exchangers are utilized in various industries including nuclear power stations, oil refineries, food processing plants, and factories, where they operate in high pressure and high temperature environments.

Outlines

00:00

🔥 Introduction to Heat Exchangers

This paragraph introduces the critical role of heat exchangers in industrial facilities for generating electricity, controlling systems, and manufacturing products. It highlights Super Radiator Coils as a leading producer of heat exchangers for various markets, including commercial, industrial, and nuclear. The video aims to cover the engineering, design, and applications of heat exchangers. A heat exchanger is defined as a device that transfers thermal energy between two fluids without mixing them. The paragraph uses the example of heating oil by transferring heat from boiling water, emphasizing the importance of temperature difference and the unidirectional flow of heat. It also mentions the ubiquitous use of heat exchangers in air conditioning units, car radiators, and refrigerators, contrasting them with industrial heat exchangers that operate in extreme environments and are built with robust materials to withstand high pressure, temperature, and corrosive conditions.

05:01

🛠 Types of Industrial Heat Exchangers

The second paragraph delves into the different types of industrial heat exchangers, starting with the thin tube heat exchanger, which is commonly used. It describes the structure, including the inlet, outlet, tubes, and fins, and how they facilitate heat transfer without mixing the fluids. The paragraph explains various designs, such as fluids flowing through a single tube or multiple tubes connected by headers. It provides examples of applications, like cooling intake air in gas turbine power stations. The discussion then moves to shell and tube heat exchangers, which have a more complex design with a header, shell, tubes, and baffles. The paragraph explains how these components work together to maximize heat transfer, using a pharmaceutical factory's boiler as an example. It also touches on double pipe or tube in tube heat exchangers, comparing them to shell and tube designs and mentioning their use in oil refineries and food processing.

10:03

🌡 Advanced Heat Exchanger Designs

The final paragraph explores more advanced heat exchanger designs, including plate heat exchangers, which consist of thin metal plates with stamped patterns and gaskets to create channels for fluid flow. It discusses the assembly of these heat exchangers and their applications in heating and cooling systems, such as district heating networks in incinerator power plants. The paragraph also covers spiral heat exchangers, which have a unique design with a single channel that reduces the risk of fouling, making them suitable for processing sludge-like substances. Examples include their use in anaerobic digesters to maintain temperature and release methane for power generation. The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to engage on social media platforms and the Engineering Mindset website for more educational content on mechanical and thermal engineering.

Keywords

💡Thermal Energy

Thermal energy refers to the internal energy possessed by a system due to the kinetic and potential energies of its particles. In the context of the video, thermal energy is crucial for industrial processes such as generating electricity, controlling systems, and manufacturing products. The video explains how heat exchangers facilitate the transfer of thermal energy between two fluids without mixing them, which is essential for various industrial applications.

💡Heat Exchanger

A heat exchanger is a device designed to transfer heat between two or more fluids at different temperatures. The video emphasizes the importance of heat exchangers in industrial settings, where they are used to either increase or decrease the temperature of a fluid. Examples given in the script include using a heat exchanger to warm oil by transferring heat from boiling water, and cooling air in gas turbine power stations.

💡Super Radiator Coils

Super Radiator Coils is mentioned as a leading producer of heat exchangers for various markets, including commercial, industrial, and nuclear. The company's in-house capabilities in engineering, design, performance testing, and manufacturing highlight the importance of specialized knowledge and expertise in creating efficient heat exchangers. The video script suggests that Super Radiator Coils is a key player in the industry, providing solutions for high-stakes environments where performance is critical.

💡Temperature Difference

A temperature difference is necessary for heat transfer to occur, as heat naturally flows from a hotter substance to a colder one. The video script explains that for a heat exchanger to function, there must be a temperature gradient between the two fluids. This principle is fundamental to the operation of all heat exchangers and is illustrated through examples such as cooling oil by pumping cold water through a heat exchanger.

💡Corrosive Environments

Corrosive environments are those that can cause deterioration or corrosion of materials, including metal components of heat exchangers. The video discusses how industrial heat exchangers often operate in such environments, like nuclear power stations or food processing plants, and therefore require robust materials and chemical treatments to withstand corrosion. This highlights the need for specialized design considerations to ensure the longevity and safety of heat exchangers in harsh conditions.

💡Thin Tube Heat Exchanger

A thin tube heat exchanger is a common design featuring a tube through which one fluid flows, surrounded by fins that increase the surface area for heat transfer. The other fluid flows over the outside of the tube and fins. The video script describes how this design is used in various applications, such as cooling intake air for gas turbines, emphasizing its versatility and efficiency in transferring heat.

💡Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger

A shell and tube heat exchanger is characterized by a series of tubes through which one fluid flows, enclosed within a shell where the second fluid flows. The video script explains how baffles within the shell create a turbulent flow, enhancing heat transfer. This design is used in various industrial processes, such as in pharmaceutical factories for heating chemical products or in refrigeration systems.

💡Double Pipe Heat Exchanger

A double pipe or tube-in-tube heat exchanger consists of a single tube that runs back and forth between an inlet and an outlet, surrounded by a shell through which the second fluid flows. The video script mentions that while this design can lead to some heat waste due to the bend at each end not being used for heat transfer, it is simpler and cheaper to manufacture, making it suitable for certain applications.

💡Plate Heat Exchanger

A plate heat exchanger is composed of a series of thin metal plates with patterns that direct fluids and create a turbulent flow, enhancing heat transfer. The video script describes how these heat exchangers are used in heating and cooling applications, such as in district heating networks where waste heat from power plants is used to heat buildings, demonstrating their role in energy efficiency and sustainability.

💡Spiral Heat Exchanger

A spiral heat exchanger features two sheets of metal that spiral together to form a channel for fluid flow, completely separating the two fluids. The video script notes that this design maintains high fluid velocity, reducing the risk of fouling, which is beneficial in applications involving sludge-like substances. An example given is its use in anaerobic digesters to maintain temperature and facilitate methane production.

Highlights

Industrial facilities rely on thermal energy transfer for electricity generation, controlling environments, and manufacturing products.

Super Radiator Coils is a leader in heat exchanger production for various markets, with in-house design, testing, and manufacturing.

A heat exchanger transfers thermal energy between fluids without mixing, crucial in numerous industrial processes.

Heat exchangers are used in air conditioning, car radiators, and refrigerators, with industrial versions built for extreme environments.

Industrial heat exchangers handle high pressure, high temperatures, and corrosive environments, requiring robust materials and chemical treatments.

Five main types of industrial heat exchangers include thin tube, shell and tube, double pipe, plate, and spiral designs.

Thin tube heat exchangers use fins to increase surface area for heat transfer, with applications in gas turbine power stations.

Shell and tube heat exchangers feature a header and shell with baffles for maximum heat transfer, used in pharmaceutical factories and refrigeration.

Double pipe heat exchangers have a simpler design, suitable for applications where cost and ease of manufacturing are priorities.

Plate heat exchangers are known for their compact design and high heat transfer efficiency, used in district heating networks.

Spiral heat exchangers maintain high fluid velocity, reducing fouling, and are used in anaerobic digesters for sludge processing.

Heat exchangers are essential in various industries, including nuclear power, oil refineries, and food processing.

The design of heat exchangers must consider the specific fluids, pressures, and temperatures of the working environment.

Finned tubes in heat exchangers enhance heat transfer by increasing the surface area in contact with the fluid.

Baffles in shell and tube heat exchangers create turbulent flow, ensuring efficient heat transfer between fluids.

Gaskets in plate heat exchangers form tight seals, separating fluids while allowing thermal energy transfer.

The choice of heat exchanger type depends on the specific requirements of the application, such as temperature, pressure, and fluid properties.

Heat exchanger efficiency is critical in optimizing industrial processes and maintaining equipment performance.

Transcripts

almost every industrial facility relies

on the transfer of thermal energy to

generate electricity

control systems and working environments

and even manufacture products so how do

engineers control this that's what we'll

be covering in this video which is

kindly sponsored by super radiator coils

one of the leaders in heat exchanger

productions for commercial industrial

and even nuclear markets all engineering

design performance testing and

manufacturing takes place in-house at

one of their three divisions in chaska

minnesota richmond virginia and phoenix

arizona when it has to be perfect it has

to be super for more information visit

dot superradiatorcoils.com and i'll

leave a link for you in the video

description down below

a heat exchanger is simply a device used

to transfer thermal energy between two

fluids without them mixing

fluids can be either a liquid or a gas

or even a mixture of either of these

take this oil for example

we need to increase its temperature

but we don't want to apply a flame

directly to the storage unit instead we

will boil some water and cycle this

through a simple heat exchanger

the oil is normally also cycled through

the heat exchanger where it will safely

absorb the heat of the

water the thermal energy is being

transferred from the hot water through

the metal wall and into the oil

the water and oil never meet or mix they

are always completely separated

there must be a temperature difference

for the heat to transfer and heat always

flows from hot to cold

we could also cool the oil down by

pumping cold water through the heat

exchanger

the cold water will now absorb the

thermal energy of the oil

we see heat exchangers used everywhere

from air conditioning units engine

cooling radiators in cars and even on

the back of refrigerators

however industrial heat exchangers are a

little different because they often work

in extreme environments such as nuclear

power stations

oil refineries food processing plants

and factories which all involve working

in high pressure and high temperatures

therefore these units are built sturdier

and for more robust materials the

working environments are often corrosive

so they are chemically treated to handle

this

these heat exchangers will handle fluids

such as water steam air refrigerants oil

chemicals gases food products etc

there are five main types of industrial

heat exchangers although there are many

variations of each design

let's look at a thin tube heat exchanger

first which is probably the most common

design used

just before that i want you to tell me

in the comments section where you've

seen the different types of heat

exchangers used and what for or what

ideas you have for where to apply them

a typical thin tube heat exchanger looks

something like this we see there is an

inlet and an outlet

these are both usually located on the

same end

these connections are typically flanged

but they could be threaded or soldered

depending on the application and the

pressures of the working fluids

running between the inlet and the outlet

is a tube which will contain and direct

one of the working fluids for example

hot water

the tubes will be covered with many thin

sheets of metal known as fins

the fins increase the surface area of

the tube wall allowing more heat to

transfer

the other fluid for example ambient air

will pass over the outside of this tube

between the fins the two fluids will

never mix

the heat passes from the hot water

through the tube wall and into the air

the heat of the water travels out

through the pipe wall and into the fins

the fins increase the surface area and

allow more interaction with the

airstream which improves the heat

transfer

in some designs the fluid will simply

flow through the entire length of the

tube

other designs will have the fluid pass

through multiple tubes at the same time

these will be connected to a header at

the inlet as well as the outlet to

facilitate the distribution through the

tubes

for example these are used on a gas

turbine power station to cool the intake

air which will be sucked into the

turbine and combusted

this helps the turbine run at optimal

performance in hot and humid conditions

a chiller pumps cold water to the heat

exchanger which then flows through the

tubes the warm ambient air passes over

the outside of these tubes the thermal

energy transfers from the hot air and

into the cold water

the air will leave cooler and enter the

turbine the water leaves warmer and

heads back to the chiller where the

unwanted heat will be rejected back into

the atmosphere

shell and tube heat exchangers will look

something like this

with this design we normally find the

inlet and the outlet for one fluid at

the very end of the heat exchanger known

as the header

then we have another inlet and outlet

for fluid 2 on the main body known as

the shell

inside the unit we have the tubes

these bend and loop around to start and

finish at the tube plate which sits

between the shell and the header

the tubes will usually also pass through

some baffles which are sheets of metal

we will see how these work in just a

moment

the header as well as the tubes can be

removed for cleaning repairs and

maintenance

inside the header is a sheet of metal

known as the divider or the partition

this separates the tube ends enabling

the fluid to flow into and then out of

the heat exchanger tubes fluid 1 will

flow through the header

into and around the tubes then back to

the header

fluid 2 will enter the shell and

surround the outside of the tubes

the baffles will partially block the

flow which will force the fluid to turn

multiple times

this creates a turbulent flow and

ensures that fluid 2 mixes with itself

which ensures maximum heat transfer

for example we might find this in a

pharmaceutical factory with a boiler

providing steam into the shell which

surrounds the tubes a chemical product

is then pumped through the tubes and

this absorbs the heat of the steam

through the tube wall

so this product is going to exit the

heat exchanger much warmer

meanwhile the steam will start to

condense into a liquid and flow back to

the boiler to pick up more heat and

repeat the cycle

additionally these are used in

refrigeration applications like this

industrial chiller

we have the water flowing through the

tubes then the hot refrigerant in the

shell the water will absorb the heat of

the refrigerant so that it can transport

this to the cooling tower where it will

be ejected into the atmosphere

the water returns cooler to pick up more

unwanted thermal energy from the chiller

we have covered how chillers work in

great detail previously do check those

out i'll leave a link for you in the

video description down below

double pipe or tube in tube type heat

exchangers will look something like this

this is similar to the shell and tube

heat exchanger because essentially we

just have a tube which runs back and

forth a number of times between an inlet

and an outlet

this is surrounded by a shell which has

another inlet and outlet

a metal frame will hold the unit in

place typically these will all be made

from stainless steel

one fluid will flow through the tube and

another will flow through the shell

the two fluids are separated by the tube

wall and transfer thermal energy through

this tube wall

the different configurations result in

different temperature profiles and heat

transfer

in this design the bend at each end

isn't utilized for heat transfer and

heat can be wasted here

however manufacturing this heat

exchanger is cheaper and obviously

easier

other designs like this hairpin type

heat exchanger which are often found in

oil refineries will encapsulate the bend

to fully utilize the surface area for

heat transfer

this version normally uses multiple

tubes to maximize the surface area and

thus increase the heat transfer although

this will also increase the resistance

these are a fairly simple heat exchanger

design

and are very common particularly in food

processing as well as pharmaceutical

production

for example we might have a dairy

product flowing through the tube and

then we have hot water or maybe even

steam flowing in the opposite direction

through the shell which will warm the

product up to a certain temperature

before it is mixed with some other

ingredients and then bottled

industrial plate heat exchangers look

something like this

they consist of a thick metal cover on

the front as well as the rear of the

unit which is typically made from mild

steel

there are two inlets and two outlets

which are normally flange connections

in most designs we find all four ports

located on the front plate as this

allows the heat exchanger to be easily

extended or reduced to accommodate a

future change in operation

most heat exchangers do not have this

ability

between the end covers we find a number

of plates which are thin sheets of metal

with a pattern stamped into them

typically these will be made from

stainless steel

these patterns will help direct the

fluids and create a very turbulent flow

which increases the heat transfer

between each of these plates is a seal

known as a gasket

this is typically made from rubber

these gaskets separate the plates

creating a thin channel between them

which fluid can then flow through

on each plate the gasket will block two

of the four ports

meaning only one fluid can enter and

exit

the next plate will allow the second

fluid to pass this alternates throughout

the heat exchanger and keeps the two

fluids completely separated

only the thermal energy will flow

through the sheets

the entire unit is held together with

some long bolts which compress the

gaskets to form a very tight

seal these heat exchangers are very

common for heating and cooling for

example an incinerator power plant burns

household waste to generate heat this

creates steam which drives a turbine and

generates electricity the waste thermal

energy then passes through a plate heat

exchanger to heat a district heating

network

and other buildings will then connect to

this heat network also via a plate heat

exchanger to supply their own heating

demands

this will be instead of them operating

their own individual boiler

spiral heat exchangers look something

like this

we have a flange inlet on the front face

with the outlet located on the top

then we have an inlet from another fluid

also on the top with the outlet located

on the rear face

behind the end plates we find two sheets

of metal inside which spiral together

around the interior

to form a channel which the fluids will

now flow through

the channel completely separates the two

fluids

we see the first fluid enters the heat

exchanger and fills the chamber

then flows around the channel and to the

outlet

meanwhile on the other side the second

fluid is entering via the top

flowing around the channel and into the

chamber where it then exits

the two fluids enter and exit at

different temperatures

this type of heat exchanger isn't as

commonly used

however because the design has only one

channel for the fluid to flow through

the velocity remains high making it

harder for fouling to occur

whereas plate and even tube heat

exchangers divide the flow into multiple

paths so these are ideal for

installations where sludge like

substances are processed for example in

an anaerobic digester where the thick

sludge is recirculated through a spiral

heat exchanger to maintain a certain

temperature this releases methane from

the digester to power an engine and then

turn an electrical generator

check out one of these videos to

continue learning about mechanical and

thermal engineering as this is the end

of the video

don't forget to follow us on facebook

linkedin twitter instagram tick tock as

well as the engineering mindset dot com