Advantages / Benefits of Brazed Aluminum Heat
Exchangers
Compact and Lightweight
Chart brazed aluminum heat exchangers weigh
95% less than comparable shell-and-tube exchangers and provide 300 to 400
square feet of heat transfer per cubic foot of exchanger volume (1000 to 1500
m²/m³). This is up to ten times that of comparable shell-and-tube
equipment. Chart heat exchanger fin surfaces also generate heat transfer
coefficients which are several times larger than those for shell-and-tube
exchangers. This characteristic, combined with the high surface density of the
Chart plate and fin construction, produces heat transfer performance (UA) as
much as 20 times greater than shell-and-tube exchangers of equal size.
Chart construction is also lightweight,
weighing 50 to 90 pounds per cubic foot (800-1400 kg/m³), which is about
one-third the density of shell-and-tube equipment. This means that Chart heat
exchangers can weigh 95% less than steel shell-and-tube exchangers rated for
the same heat transfer performance (UA). The reduction in exchanger size and
weight results in significant savings at the jobsite; in foundation, mounting,
plot plan, and insulation requirements.
Energy Efficient
Chart heat exchangers can be designed for
nominal counterflow temperature approaches of 3ºF (2ºC). This
compares to 10 to 15ºF (6 to 9ºC) for shell-and-tube equipment. This
reduction in the design temperature translates to a more efficient process
design and significant energy savings to the owner.
Flexible Design
Chart heat exchangers can be designed into
nearly an unlimited number of configurations by varying parameters such as
block size and shape, fin types, layer stacking arrangements and flow scheme. A
single Chart heat exchanger can handle ten or more streams, including multiple
refrigeration levels. A shell-and-tube exchanger design for a multiple stream
application would require multiple units with their associated extra cost and
pressure drop. Chart aluminum heat exchangers are also well suited to handle
heat transfer requirements involving two-phase flow conditions and
multi-component fluids. |
Chart Heat Exchangers division is a world leader in the design and
manufacture of large brazed aluminum plate-fin heat exchangers for cryogenic
applications. The rugged construction of Chart Heat Exchangers division
aluminum exchangers provides reliable operation at low temperatures. This
all-aluminum construction is ideal for use in processes operating at
temperatures as cold as -452ºF (-268ºC) and at pressures as high as
1750 psig (120 bar G). Brazed aluminum heat exchangers offer cost, size, and
operating advantages/benefits over other types of exchangers.
