Why convert? The arguments.
A compact brazed heat exchanger is the most efficient way to transfer heat today. Below you will find a summary of the arguments for always using a BPHE as heat exchanger:
Size
- Extremely compact
Installing a compact brazed heat exchanger leads to an 85-90% reduction in the volume and weight of a shell-and-tube exchanger of the same capacity. The BPHE footprint can be as small as one tenth of the shell-and-tube footprint. This means great design freedom for every application - and reduced installation costs.
- Small hold-up volumes
The BPHE system holds only a fraction of the heat transfer medium. This implies lower volume costs, and the surrounding system components will probably become smaller and cheaper. In a refrigerant system, lower hold-up volumes are an environmental advantage.
- Maximum material efficiency
About 95% of the material is used to transfer heat. There is no "dead zone" outside gaskets because there is no need for gaskets. With a BPHE you get up to 25% better capacity utilization compared with a Plate-and-frame Heat Exchangers with rubber gaskets, and up to 10 times better compared with a shell-and-tube heat exchanger!
Performance
- Extremely good thermal performance
Due to the highly turbulent flow inside the BPHE, it is possible to exploit the benefits of working with small temperature differences. A BPHE operates efficiently even at temperature differences as low as 1K!
- Thermal losses to the environment are low Thanks to the compact size, the combined heat losses due to convection and radiation are less than for any other alternative.
- True counter-current flow
This possibility allows design criteria with a close temperature approach.
- Assured performance
A high-quality BPHE is leak-tested with helium, allowing very small leaks to be detected.
Materials
- Solid
A first-class BPHE consists of stainless steel AISI 316 in order to withstand tough demands. demands.
- Channel plate flexibility
Mo-steel, a molybdenum alloy, can be used as a BPHE plate material that provides high resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion cracking in chloride- and native iron-rich environments. Mo-steel features the same mechanical and thermal standards as the stainless steel 316/copper BPHEs.
- Nickel to withstand aggressive media
In all-stainless BPHEs, the filler is a nickel-based brazing material. The thermal performance is the same as for the copper-brazed BPHE but the all-stainless BPHE endures higher working temperature and is more resistant to aggressive media, e.g. ammonia solutions and fluids with high sulfur contents.
System
- Easy and cost effective installation
The option to choose the location and/or size of the connections used and other features such as special sensor connections, air vents, stud bolts for mounting, etc., reduces the cost for mounting and can eliminate the use of expensive components within the system. Again, this means great design freedom for every application - and reduced installation costs.
- Easy to insulate
The compact and smooth surface and design makes it easy and cost-effective to insulate.
- Lower system cost
A better heat transfer coefficient (HTC) gives better temperature difference (dT), which in turn means a lower mass flow of media. This results in smaller and less expensive components, such as pumps, and reduced energy consumption. Simply, a lower overall system cost.
- One size - several options
Models in alternative materials have equal size and thermal performance compared with the standard configuration. This results in: no change to piping and/or system design is necessary for different material configurations due to their different requirements.
Maintenance
- Low/no maintenance
A BPHE contains no moving parts or gaskets. Ageing gaskets will break sooner or later, making them wear-out parts. Gaskets may therefore contribute both to additional cost and to potential leak problems.
- Self-cleaning
High turbulence due to the design in a BPHE minimizes fouling, boosts up-time and cuts costs. If required, cost-effective and proven ways to deal with fouling and scaling are available.
- Can be cleaned
Normal operating recommendations are usually enough to prevent fouling. However, if necessary, two low-cost and efficient ways to clean a BPHE are available: The Flush Gun and CIP (cleaning in place).
- Minimize down-time
To replace a BPHE takes a minimum of time compared with replacing or reconditioning a Shell & Tube or a PHE (gasketed, plate-and-frame heat exchanger). This will save you money on labor and expensive spare parts and you will be back in operation faster than ever before.
- LCC, Life Cycle Cost
The ability to mass-produce a BPHE and at the same time customize every product allows improved performance and outstanding cost-effectiveness. A BPHE is a more cost-effective choice.
