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razed plate-fin heat exchangers (PFHEs) are
considered a key component in the cryogenic industry
for applications such as LNG production, LNG
transportation, natural gas processing, petrochemicals, and
air separation. Their custom-made brazed structure provides a
multi-stream, compact and efficient heat transfer solution.
Fives recently developed the brazed stainless steel
plate-fin heat exchanger (BSSHX) as a solution to the
challenges of high temperatures, high pressures and corrosive
environments. BSSHXs are particularly suitable for offshore
gas compression systems and are capable of being optimised
according to both performance requirements and financial
targets.
PFHE: a compact and efficient
heat exchanger technology
The general structure of a brazed PFHE is defined by a stacking
arrangement of layers, which are separated from one another
by a separating sheet. These layers, dedicated to the flow
circulation, contain corrugated fins and are sealed along the
edges with bars. The components of the core are brazed in
a vacuum furnace in a single operation. Several thousand
kilometres of brazed joints are thus produced between all
of the components of the resultant solid core. Headers and
nozzles are then welded to the core to allow for connection to
the inlet and outlet piping.
The singular versatility of that multi-stream heat
exchanger technology comes from both the possible range of
complex flow configurations for layer geometries (co-current,
cross-flow, counter-current, zigzag, etc.) and the large
available range of fins types (straight, perforated, serrated and
herringbone). The design of the stacking arrangement is also a
crucial parameter that has to be adapted in order to achieve
the expected overall performance.
Modular BSSHXs provide new opportunities and flexibility
to fit in with customers’ needs. The technology proposes a
new compromise solution in order to meet major financial
targets of the plant design, with a greater degree of freedom.
Florian Picard, Fives Cryo, France,
presents a new heat
exchanger solution suitable for offshore applications.
Offshore platform.
