Heat Exchanger
Design

The design process for heat exchangers begins with our customers’ specifications, site surveys or completed questionnaires. Key information starts with the properties of the fluids, the heat transfer requirements, and the space and noise constraints. Engineers perform the thermal calculations and then determine materials and their thickness, construction details and layout.

How we design heat exchangers

To create perfectly designed heat exchangers, the first step is to learn more about your business and your heat exchange requirements. We collaborate with our customers and partners at the earliest stages of a project or product development.

With this approach, it is commonplace for us to design systems that push heat exchangers to their optimum performance and value. This approach to heat exchanger design has led us to develop new products to meet the challenge. For example, our Avantair (compact air-to-air cooler) or our finned tube heat exchangers that maximise heat transfer efficiency.

Cutting-edge design software

Once we understand the challenges you face, we can work with you to create the perfect solution. We use an extensive range of industry standard and in-house software tools to design your heat exchanger.

These include our custom configurator software, a powerful tool used to optimise configurations of machinery in your system specifications. We introduce these tools to our customers early as part of our initial presentation, and we use them continuously in our development process. Two of the most well-known industry standard tools are Aspen and HTRI, but we also use various other software depending on the needs of the project.

We also ensure that our heat exchangers meet rigorous standards, including, but not limited to, ABS, DNV, BV, and ASME VIII, the most recognised worldwide standard for pressure vessels. When required, we comply with the ASME U stamp. Additionally, we design to various regional standards, such as EN, Australian, German, or French national standards, offering flexibility to our customers globally. Safety and compliance is a must.

Key designs considerations

Designing a heat exchanger is a multifaceted process that involves several critical considerations. Our decisions in this process significantly impact the equipment’s thermal performance, making them crucial.

For example, we consider the amount of heat that must be transferred between fluids (heat duty) and the inlet and outlet temperatures for hot and cold fluids. We also consider the properties of the materials used for construction and the logarithmic mean temperature difference (LMTD) to determine the temperature driving force in the exchanger. Furthermore, we analyse fluid properties, flow arrangement, and surface characteristics, all of which add complexity to the design process.

We also consider the fluid properties (gas, liquid, or other phase-changing materials), the flow rates, the viscosity, and the corrosiveness. The flow arrangement and the mechanical design, which includes the material selection, the pressure drop, and the construction type, are also important. Our designs aim to minimise fouling and enable easy cleaning of heat exchange surfaces.

Crucial considerations are also maintenance accessibility, scalability, and flexibility, meaning the ability to handle variable operating conditions and future expansion and ensure mechanical stability and acceptable noise levels.

Each of these considerations must be carefully evaluated and balanced to design an optimal heat exchanger that meets the specific requirements of the application while ensuring long-term performance and reliability. This responsibility requires our full commitment and expertise.

For more information, read: Considerations for designing bespoke heat exchangers