Used Heat Exchangers & Used Condensers

Used Stainless Steel Heat Exchangers

Heat exchangers are unfired heat transfer equipment used in process plants. Heat exchangers are used for the transfer of heat or cold between two fluids for the purpose of heating the process, cooling the process, or condensing vapors during the process. Heat exchangers are measured in Square Feet. There are several different types of heat exchangers. These include:

• Shell and Tube - Also called a condensers and calandrias depending on the service, this type of heat exchanger has external cylinder called a shell with internal tubes that run the length of the shell. There are tube sheets on each end of the tubes sealing the shell around the tubes. There are covers on each end called heads and these can come in several configurations. The shell side has a pressure and temperature rating and the tube side has a pressure and temperature rating. They can be vertical or horizontal. Basic principal of operation is that one fluid flows through the tube and the other fluid flows around the tubes. The fluid inside the tubes can flow in a single pass or multiple passes using baffles in the heads.
• Graphite Exchangers - Graphite block exchangers are typically made from a solid block of graphite with parallel holes drilled at right angles. The blocks can be cylindrical or cube shaped. The blocks are typically stacked with gaskets in-between to product more square foot surface area. The blocks are inserted in carbon steel housing. Graphite shell and tube exchangers have graphite tubes and heads with Carbon Steel shells.
• Plate Heat Exchangers - Plate exchangers consist of a series of alloy plates held together by a frame. The frame can be opened to add or repair the plates. One liquid flows through alternate plates and the other liquid flow the opposite direction through the opposite plates.
• Spiral Heat Exchangers - Spiral exchanger are made from a pair of plates rolled to provide two relatively long rectangular passages for fluid in counter current flow. The spiral design is compact.
• Fin Fan / Air Fin Exchangers - This type of exchanger has radial fins on the outside of the tubes to extend the heat transfer surface area. Tubes are mounted in horizontal banks, and multiple fans blow air across the outside of the tubes for cooling the process fluid inside the tubes.
• Compoblock - This new type of heat exchanger is like a plate exchanger except the plates are welded together instead of gasketed, and the plates are mounted in a cube shaped shell like a graphite block exchanger. This type offers compact design, ability to use high alloys, and closed environment to prevent leaks.