The industrial world deals with and performs multiple processes that produce a massive amount of heat. Many of these processes involve liquids, wherein heating or cooling a liquid is part of the core workflow. Heat exchangers play a role in processes where heat is involved. These systems help transfer heat from one medium to another. The primary objective of using a heat exchanger is to cool or heat the fluid through thermal energy transfer. As a result, these devices are used across multiple industries. If you are new to heat exchangers and need more insights into them. Here’s a basic blog that serves the purpose.

What is a Heat Exchanger?

As stated above, a heat exchanger is a device that transfers heat between two mediums. The heat is transferred by conduction through the exchanger material that separates the mediums involved. Heat exchangers are available in different types, including shell and tube heat exchangers, air-cooled, and plate types.

So, while an air-cooled heat exchanger passes cool air via a core of fins to cool a liquid, a shell and tube heat exchanger transports fluids through and over tubes. Let’s now overview the different types of heat exchangers.

What are the Various Types of Heat Exchangers?

Heat exchangers are available in different types based on their application. Let’s look at three significant ones.

• Shell and Tube: These have various small tubes within a cylindrical shell. The tubes are placed in the cylinder with a tube bundle or “tube stack” with fixed tube plates or a floating tube stack, allowing the tube bundle to expand and contract with varying heat conditions and enabling easy removal for servicing, maintenance, and repairs.
• Plate Type: These are similar to the shell and tube counterparts. They use various stacked plates, instead of tubes. Plate-type heat exchangers are often brazed or gasketed based on the application and fluids involved. They have a stainless-steel structure that makes them ideal for F&B applications.
• Air Cooled: These exchangers are used to cool a liquid, used in automobile radiators (due to the absence of a permanent source of cool water). Air-cooled systems have a fan or use airflow caused by the vehicle’s movement to provide cool air.

Applications of Heat Exchangers

Heat exchangers are used across various applications, including the following.

• Automotive: Radiators work as heat exchangers to reduce engine fluid temperature
• HVAC Systems: To heat and cool buildings
• Refrigeration Systems: To transfer heat away from cooling units
• Power Plants: Enhance efficiency with the transfer of waste heat for reuse
• Marine: Marine oil cooling, manifold heat exchange, header tank heat exchange, etc.

Types of Fluids Used in Heat Exchangers

The fluid type’s suitability depends on the heat exchange type used and the available material. Leading heat exchanger manufacturers in India like TMVT design heat exchangers to work with most fluid types. These include water glycol, oil, water, and seawater. To work with more corrosive fluids like refrigerants, chlorinated salt water, acids, etc., materials like titanium and stainless steel prove more useful.

Understanding Temperature Cross Over in Heat Exchangers

It describes the scenario where the temperature of both circuits in a liquid cooled heat exchanger begins to cross over. It can prove a crucial factor in a heat exchanger design as the cooler’s efficiency will be significantly reduced when the temperatures cross over. In cases where you can avoid a temperature cross over, you can use a plate heat exchanger.

How to Enhance a Heat Exchanger’s Efficiency?

One can define heat exchanger efficiency in different ways, including the following.

• Temperature Differential: The difference between the coolant and hot fluid is crucial while designing a heat exchanger. The coolant must be at a lower temperature than the hot fluid. Lower temperatures help take more heat out of the hot fluid than higher coolant temperatures.
• Flow Rate: It is another important factor in the primary and secondary side of the heat exchanger. A higher flow rate increases the exchanger’s capability to transfer heat. However, that also refers to greater mass. It can make energy removal more challenging, while increasing velocity and pressure loss.
• Installation: The manufacturer’s instructions matter while installing the heat exchanger. However, usually, the most efficient way of installing it is with the fluids flowing in a counter-current arrangement.
  
  Looking for Reliable Heat exchangers Manufacturer in India?

Are you looking for more insights into heat exchangers, their applications, and suitability in your industrial context? Connect with TMVT. As one of the leading heat exchanger manufacturers in India, we manufacture industrial-grade heat exchangers suitable for diverse applications, including those mentioned above and beyond. You may also consider exploring our heat exchanger product.