Compact gas-gas heat exchanger

• Published in: Journal of heat recovery systems Vol. 4; no. 4; pp. 247 - 256
• Main Authors: Grehier, A., Raimbault, C., Rojey, A., Busson, C., Chlique, B., Dreuihle, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier B.V 1984; New York, NY Pergamon
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Devices using thermal energy; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Heat exchangers (included heat transformers, condensers, cooling towers); Prototype; Europe; Heat exchanger; Compact heat exchanger; Aluminium; Gas to gas heat exchanger; France; Research and development; Heat recovery
• ISSN: 0198-7593; 1878-285X
• DOI: 10.1016/0198-7593(84)90063-8

The European market study carried out by IFP and Creusot-Loire in the present framework has shown that a 2 million tOE/yr saving can be expected from a new gas-gas heat recovery systems in the present industrial context. The main constraint to be overcome is the cost of setting them up in industrial plants. The compactness and modular conception of the new stacked perforated plates (SPP) gas-gas heat exchanger will undoubtedly help in getting this new equipment onto the market. The exchanger consists of a block formed by the stacking of judiciously superpositioned perforated metal plates whose apertures create the fluid flow passages. This compact gas-gas crossflow heat exchanger is easy to manufacture, with low pressure drops and easy-to-clean fumes passages. The different plate performation geometries, tested in laboratoiries on small models ( exchange area = 0.35 M 2 ) showed the possibility of attaining specific areas of 125 M 2/m 3 and heat transfer coefficients up to 70 W/m 2 K. The data obtained from these tests serve as a basis for planning industrial devices and have been used to design a prototype ( exchange area = 12.5 m 2 ) which includes cleaning devices. The tests of this prototype carried out on a 1.6 MW boiler with fumes flowrates in the range of 2000 m 3/h and outlet temperatures of up to 300°C, showed good correlations with the laboratory data. Furthermore these tests showed that specific heat transfer in excess of 5 kW/m 3 K can be achieved which is an order of magnitude better than tubular type exchangers. A comparison of the projected cost of the SPP unit with a number of other heat exchangers indicates that the SPP unit is superior in terms of mass, size and cost and therefore will be very competitive in the market for heat recovery systems.