Spiral heat exchanger, 2097.89 sq ft, 355 psig c.w. 6& 8 in and outlets.

A heat exchanger transfers heat between two fluids of differing temperatures. One fluid provides the heat and the other receives it.

If you need a heat exchanger, you might need to figure out what type makes sense for you. There are several designs to choose from as we’ll discuss below.

As such they are particularly important to the oil processing side of the business as well as during the liquefaction of natural gas.

OilPro stocks a variety of heat exchangers including the following:

• Liquid/air
• Shell/tube
• Gas/gas
• Plate
• Spiral

We can help you understand your specific needs and the options available but first let’s look at the different types available.

Why might you choose one heat exchanger over the other?

Here is an overview of the different heat exchangers you can choose from, the differences between each and common applications for each one.

Liquid/air heat exchanger

A liquid to liquid and liquid to air heat exchanger is used to transfer heat from a liquid loop to another fluid stream i.e. to another liquid or air. Benefits include lower energy consumption and operational costs over other heat exchangers.

Liquid to liquid and liquid to air heat exchangers are commonly used in many oil & gas applications including petrochemical plants, refineries and natural gas processing among others.

OilPro custom biogas heat exchanger system.

Shell/tube heat exchanger

A shell and tube heat exchanger has a number if benefits including ability to being very flexible in terms of design, can withstand very high pressure and can be designed to withstand very low and high temperatures.

Due to its ability to withstand very high pressure environments, shell and tube heat exchangers are the most popular type used in oil refineries and other related sectors. 

Gas/gas heat exchanger

With a gas to gas heat exchanger, gases come into contact with the heat exchange surface and is transferred by the surface medium to deliver heat to the secondary flow.

A gas/gas heat exchanger is used to transfer heat from one process gas to another so it’s capable of meeting the challenges associated with gas and in particular high temperatures. Common applications include catalytic processes, industrial drying, and incineration plants among others.

OilPro Sondex plate exchangers 300PSI-1165 SQFT.

Plate heat exchanger

A plate heat exchanger is a low cost option with a compact design. It can withstand higher operating pressure and temperature capabilities. 

Also known as a gasket plate heat exchanger, it uses metal plates so it’s frequently used in liquid to liquid applications and offers advantages such as compact design and high pressure and temperature limits. Plate (and frame) heat exchangers are commonly used for crude oil cooling.

Spiral heat exchanger

A spiral heat exchanger offers higher overall heat transfer coefficient and s compact design for a given heat exchange area. It also offers a relatively low pressure drop and ease of cleaning. 

Spiral heat exchangers are a good choice for such applications as heat recovery and processes where erosion is expected, a spiral heat exchanger has a single channel design and is often used in place of a shell and tube design when fouling and plugging are also experienced.

OilPro Finds the Exchanger You Need or get it custom-fabricated.

If you still need help figuring out your requirements, OilPro can help. Click here to view our heat exchanger page with examples of inventory that we have available.

More questions? Can’t find what you’re looking for or need a quote on a heat exchanger?

Call OilPro now to discuss your equipment needs at 403-215-3373 or by email at [email protected].