Better Understand Heat Exchangers
September 21, 2010
Heat exchangers aid in transferring heat from one fluid to another. Depending on the individual structure of a heat exchanger, a wall may separate the fluids in order to prevent them from combining. Other designs may allow the fluids to comingle without affecting the integrity of the heat exchanger and its desired result. In most celebrated heat exchangers, the surface area of the wall between the fluids is maximized while simultaneously minimizing the flow’s resistance.
Heat exchangers are common staples in many industries and used for implementation in many products including air conditioners, refrigerators, and space heaters. In addition, heat exchangers are applied in chemical processing settings and those of power production. Heat exchangers are also used prominently in the automotive industry for car radiators.
Heat exchangers involve three arrangements of airflow: counter flow, parallel flow, and cross flow. Counter flow involves fluids entering from opposite sides; parallel flow involves fluids coming in from the same end and moving parallel to one another; and, cross flow involves moving the fluids in a perpendicular fashion.
To date, there are four separate designs in manufacturing heat exchangers: shell and tube, plate, regenerative, and intermediate. The shell and tube heat exchanger is most typically manufactured and used across many industries. This particular heat exchanger has multiple, finned tubes. One of the fluids runs through the tubes while the other fluid runs over them, manipulating the temperature.
Please contact us regarding your specific job or heat exchanger desired. Please refer to the quote requests off of our PTFE tubing and heat exchanger site.
