When it comes to industrial efficiency, few components play as vital a role as the heat exchanger. Whether in chemical processing, power generation, or food manufacturing, these systems keep operations running smoothly by managing temperature with precision. But what happens when an off-the-shelf heat exchanger won’t do?
That’s when a custom heat exchanger project begins, a collaborative process that blends engineering creativity, material science, and practical field experience. Let’s take a behind-the-scenes look at how an Exergy custom unit goes from Concept to Delivery.
Understanding the Challenge
Every successful project starts with a clear definition of the problem. In our recent custom build, a client needed a heat exchanger capable of handling high-pressure gas streams with variable inlet temperatures, something that standard models couldn’t accommodate.
Our engineering team began by collecting detailed process data:
- Fluid types, Flow rates, and Operating Pressure levels.
- Temperature ranges and desired outlet conditions.
- Space constraints and End connection requirements.
- Maintenance and cleaning preferences.
This early collaboration ensured that both the client’s process engineers and our design team were aligned on the performance goals from day one.
Engineering & Design
With requirements defined, the project moved into design engineering. Using advanced modelling software, Exergy engineering team simulated heat transfer performance calculations under various operating conditions. The key goal was to optimize:
- Thermal efficiency: Calculate the required heat transfer area based on the operating conditions and fluid properties. Maximize heat recovery while keeping the pressure drop as low as possible, maximum of 1 bar.
- Mechanical integrity: Ensure the unit could withstand thermal cycling and pressure fluctuations. This included selecting appropriate materials, determining high Pressure connections and simulating design analysis.
- Modular block design: Allow flexible integration into existing skid systems.
- Code Compliance: Ensure that the design complies with relevant industry codes and standards.
We evaluated several configurations before selecting an optimised custom unit with increased heat transfer area, corrosion resistant and can withstand high thermal stress.
Precision Manufacturing & Quality Assurance
Every heat exchanger we manufacture is built under strict quality control. Our ISO-certified facility ensures we have certified welders and inspectors to achieve consistent, high-quality results.
During manufacturing, we emphasize:
- Material traceability from raw alloy to final assembly.
- Vacuum brazing under controlled atmospheres to ensure complete joint integrity.
- Helium leak testing for micro-level sealing validation.
- Performance verification through hydrostatic tests.
The result is a robust, compact heat exchanger ready for the most demanding environments.
Delivery
The compact footprint of our heat exchanger design simplifies delivery logistics. The unit is delivered pre-tested and pre-mounted, minimizing on-site assembly time.
The journey from Concept to delivery of a custom heat exchanger is a testament to engineering excellence, collaboration, and attention to detail. By understanding each phase of the process, clients can appreciate the complexities involved and trust that their thermal management solutions are built to last.
If you’re navigating the challenges of a complex system, or an undersized, aging, inefficient heat exchanger system, a custom solution may be the key to unlocking better energy savings, and long-term reliability.
