An air-to-air cooler fit for challenging environments
Avantair is a high-performance cooling solution that uses heat pipes (also known as thermosyphons) to transfer energy from a generator to the surrounding environment using forced air movement and an extended finned surface.
Generator air cooling for refineries and offshore applications
The combination of the very effective block fin together with the efficient heat pipe design provides a robust, high-performance solution.
Avantair has been proven in more than 150 tough and challenging projects throughout the world, including refineries and liquefied natural gas plants, TLPs (Deepwater Tension Leg Platforms) and FPSOs (Floating Production Storage and Offloading Facilities).
Using heat pipe/thermosiphon technology
Heat pipes were initially developed for the space industry but are now used in more sectors. Avantair is a low maintenance, efficient and cost-effective cooling system ideal for hazardous and challenging environments from offshore to desert locations.
Most air-to-air coolers are too large for offshore use, but Avantair is extremely compact because of its highly efficient means of rejecting heat.
Benefits of using Avantair
No need of water
There is no need for water, or the piping, pumps or filters associated with water cooling methods (TEWAC). That means no flooding, no power loss and no corrosion and long service life. Installation is fast and simple. All it needs is a low voltage electricity supply.
Compact yet powerful
Avantair is much smaller than conventional TEAAC and fits on top of the generator, within the footprint of the machine. Delivering cooler air,
potentially, reduces the size of generators or increases power output.
Low maintenance
Downtime is eliminated through on-line maintenance and plug-and-play replacement of components completed while the machine is running.
Long-lasting and reliable
Intelligent design and use of materials deliver a 20-year service life with minimal erosion or corrosion. Avantair rarely breaks down and provides 100% availability.
In operation, Avantair sends cooled air into the generator at less than 10 degrees above ambient conditions. This compares with at least 20 degrees for a standard air-to-air cooler. Maintenance, which takes place every 8,000 service hours, lasts around 2 hours, and can be carried out while the generator is working, with no need for shutdowns. Few spare parts are ever required, thanks to the simplicity of design.
These benefits are the reason Dirk Petzoldt from Siemens Generator Plant Erfurt gave this glowing testimonial:
We use Avantair for air-to-air cooling as it allows us to provide higher power output compared to conventional coolers, while meeting the most stringent safety standards. This gives our clients the edge in efficient production of clean, safe and reliable energy.
Dirk Petzoldt, Manager Stator Design, Siemens Generator Plant Erfurt
How Avantair works
The design of Avantair is based on the principle of thermosyphons, which are enclosed pipework systems with no moving parts. Differential pressure drives the refrigerant from the condensation to the evaporation end of a sealed tube.
- Higher temperatures at the condensation end bring the contained refrigerant to the boiling point.
- The vapour rises to the top of the tube where cooler air is passed around it.
- The refrigerant condenses and drops back to the condensation end.
The refrigeration cycle utilising latent energy provides greater cooling capacity and closer approach temperatures than a traditional air-cooled system, while multiple heat pipe design offers unrivalled levels of redundancy.
Avantair offers considerable savings in project time and costs over every available alternative technology whether for new build or refurbishment. It has also been successfully used to upgrade open circuit machines to close circuit operation, reducing maintenance and extending service life.
You can download the above Avantair product datasheet as a PDF
If you feel you need another type of heat exchanger, visit our products and services page or contact us.
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Could Avantair be the solution you are looking for? Whether you are an original equipment manufacturer or an end-user, Sterling Thermal Technology can help with your heat exchange needs.
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