Page 10 - European Energy Innovation - Summer 2015 publication
P. 10
Summer 2015 European Energy Innovation
COMMUNICATION
The Flexplate – A sustainable
and compact alternative to
conventional heat exchangers
INTRODUCTION the Flexplate heat exchanger, as for condensers, evaporators,
Whether to generate more profit a sustainable and compact heaters and air cooling, as will
or to be more energy efficient, alternative to the conventional be described later in this article.
increasingly customers ask us to heat exchanger. But besides being a suitable
make their existing plant, process alternative to conventional heat
and/or factory more efficient. WHAT IS THE FLEXPLATE? exchangers, the Flexplate will -
This echoes today’s zeitgeist Similar to a plate heat exchanger, depending on the process - also
exactly. It is not only governments the Flexplate (see the drawing be suitable for other, and even
that are making ever more and photo), consists of a series new, applications. This could
stringent demands on industry, of stacked stainless steel plates include the following process
but consumers and individual welded together two by two conditions:
employees too are demanding along the outer edges, resulting
more awareness from companies. in a kind of envelope. Advanced • Moist air from which the
The call is for companies to make spot-welding processing of moisture condenses; here
their production processes more these two stacked plates makes the Flexplate doubles as a
sustainable, more efficient and it possible for the inside of these moisture separator
more energy efficient. Bronswerk plates to be used for the liquid
is willing and able to respond medium while the outside is used • Polluted air; since the surface
to this and, therefore, we are for the gas medium. Because of the Flexplate is smooth,
investing time and money in the these sets of stacked plates are when combined with high air
development of products and very thin and close together, velocity there is little chance of
solutions to enable our customers the heat transfer relative to the dirt adhesion.
in achieving their goals. Examples content is quite considerable,
of this are the case studies we resulting in a compact • High air temperatures; the
have already reported on: high- installation. The Flexplate is an Flexplate is made of stainless
efficiency cooling using Whizz- entirely new development in the steel or Inconel, which makes
Wheel fans, for one. Air-cooled cooling or heating of various it very suitable for high
coolers that are equipped with liquids or gases by means of air. temperatures and is corrosion
these efficient fans consume Until now, liquid has often been resistant too.
up to 60% less energy and are cooled by means of air using
4-6 dB(a) quieter than air- conventional heat exchanger CASE DESCRIPTION
cooled coolers equipped with tubes, consisting of the familiar The installation illustrated here
conventional fans. We have also finned tubes. Notwithstanding cools process air by means of
reported on the Compact Header the advantages these finned water and is used in a plastics
heat exchanger, which enables pipes have - resistance to high production plant. The biggest
customers to achieve weight pressure, for example - the challenges for this design were
and space savings of up to 70%, Flexplate will be a suitable, the low pressure drop and
resulting in weight reductions for and in many cases, a better limited installation space. The low
the supporting steel structures, alternative. The Flexplate, which pressure drop was necessary, as
for example on drilling platforms, largely resembles a plate heat an existing fan had to be used.
too. In the same vein, we would exchanger (see drawing), has The reason for the installation
like to draw your attention to many different applications, such space being limited was that
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
COMMUNICATION
The Flexplate – A sustainable
and compact alternative to
conventional heat exchangers
INTRODUCTION the Flexplate heat exchanger, as for condensers, evaporators,
Whether to generate more profit a sustainable and compact heaters and air cooling, as will
or to be more energy efficient, alternative to the conventional be described later in this article.
increasingly customers ask us to heat exchanger. But besides being a suitable
make their existing plant, process alternative to conventional heat
and/or factory more efficient. WHAT IS THE FLEXPLATE? exchangers, the Flexplate will -
This echoes today’s zeitgeist Similar to a plate heat exchanger, depending on the process - also
exactly. It is not only governments the Flexplate (see the drawing be suitable for other, and even
that are making ever more and photo), consists of a series new, applications. This could
stringent demands on industry, of stacked stainless steel plates include the following process
but consumers and individual welded together two by two conditions:
employees too are demanding along the outer edges, resulting
more awareness from companies. in a kind of envelope. Advanced • Moist air from which the
The call is for companies to make spot-welding processing of moisture condenses; here
their production processes more these two stacked plates makes the Flexplate doubles as a
sustainable, more efficient and it possible for the inside of these moisture separator
more energy efficient. Bronswerk plates to be used for the liquid
is willing and able to respond medium while the outside is used • Polluted air; since the surface
to this and, therefore, we are for the gas medium. Because of the Flexplate is smooth,
investing time and money in the these sets of stacked plates are when combined with high air
development of products and very thin and close together, velocity there is little chance of
solutions to enable our customers the heat transfer relative to the dirt adhesion.
in achieving their goals. Examples content is quite considerable,
of this are the case studies we resulting in a compact • High air temperatures; the
have already reported on: high- installation. The Flexplate is an Flexplate is made of stainless
efficiency cooling using Whizz- entirely new development in the steel or Inconel, which makes
Wheel fans, for one. Air-cooled cooling or heating of various it very suitable for high
coolers that are equipped with liquids or gases by means of air. temperatures and is corrosion
these efficient fans consume Until now, liquid has often been resistant too.
up to 60% less energy and are cooled by means of air using
4-6 dB(a) quieter than air- conventional heat exchanger CASE DESCRIPTION
cooled coolers equipped with tubes, consisting of the familiar The installation illustrated here
conventional fans. We have also finned tubes. Notwithstanding cools process air by means of
reported on the Compact Header the advantages these finned water and is used in a plastics
heat exchanger, which enables pipes have - resistance to high production plant. The biggest
customers to achieve weight pressure, for example - the challenges for this design were
and space savings of up to 70%, Flexplate will be a suitable, the low pressure drop and
resulting in weight reductions for and in many cases, a better limited installation space. The low
the supporting steel structures, alternative. The Flexplate, which pressure drop was necessary, as
for example on drilling platforms, largely resembles a plate heat an existing fan had to be used.
too. In the same vein, we would exchanger (see drawing), has The reason for the installation
like to draw your attention to many different applications, such space being limited was that
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
