(221b) An Enhanced Alternative to TUBE HEAT Exchangers for Condensors, Evaporators, and Reactors
AIChE Spring Meeting and Global Congress on Process Safety
2020
2020 Virtual Spring Meeting and 16th GCPS
Heat Exchangers
Heat Exchangers: New Technologies II
Thursday, August 20, 2020 - 1:50pm to 2:10pm
Tubes have been used for decades as a means of heat transfer, thus the sizing and application is well understood for tubes and tube bundles, but theoretical calculations and recent applications of inflated Temp-Plate® pillow plate panels demonstrate that an enhanced alternative to tubes is available. Through testing and full scale industrial applications, some of the advantages offered by these inflated Temp-Plate® pillow plate assemblies are: significantly lower thermal resistance, the efficiency of the technology in near vacuum, generally reduced pressure loss on media and process side, and reduced fouling/shut-down time. These advantages compound to make a substantially more efficient heat exchanger that is highly effective for processes requiring condensers, evaporators, or reactors. Fabrication of these inflated Temp-Plates® pillow plate is well established, therefore they are not only a more efficient alternative, but a practical one as well. Through a study of recent applications, it can be seen that applying this enhanced alternative can reduce the operating costs of a process, reduce the overall surface area needed, reduce downtime, while providing a safe and effective means of enhanced heat transfer.