Why are there no heat exchange devices with switchable heat exchange media?
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The amount of heat that can be recovered from some of the materials used in the device varies depending on the processing volume and the season. For example, it is more common in summer and less common in winter. For example, the heat generated by evaporation in our workshop. Now, air cooling is used for cooling. So, why can’t we consider using a heat exchanger for recovery? Does a heat exchanger use different heat transfer media at different times of the year? For example: in summer, when there is a lot of heat, some process materials need to be heated. In winter, there is less heat, so heat exchange occurs with other materials (such as hot water). It should be more cost-effective than using air cooling. It also overcomes the drawback of being unable to function properly for heating when there is insufficient heat. Switching through such processes shouldn’t be very troublesome either. But I’m not sure if the device allows it, and are there any other drawbacks? I’m not sure if there is a process design that allows for switching of the heat exchange medium; I hope fellow users can discuss this and confirm it. I think by recovering heat in this way, it should be more cost-effective than air cooling or circulating water cooling.
The recovery of heat comes at a cost; for example, installing switching equipment to recover heat depending on the season not only increases investment in equipment but also raises costs related to space requirements, construction, installation, and operation and maintenance. Therefore, whether to recover certain amounts of heat or not needs to be determined based on economic considerations. I’m not sure if I made myself clear.
The heat exchangers sold by our company can meet such requirements, but to be honest, our products are relatively expensive. As for the plate-and-shell heat exchangers from Finland, I always think that when it comes to heat exchangers as energy-saving devices, if their cost exceeds the amount of energy saved, then they don’t really make much sense. So it’s better to consider the specific circumstances in each case to determine whether they are worth using. Multi-media heat exchangers can indeed be designed! Hehe, you can contact me for the heat exchanger: 13052351505
1. Most of the heat is transferred due to the large temperature difference between the cold fluid and the hot fluid. Even if the total heat input is high, if the temperature difference between the two media is small, heat transfer becomes difficult and less economical. 2. Load adjustment: If less recovery occurs in winter and more in summer, then is there any difference between winter and summer when operating at low load? Do I still need to switch back and forth? 3. There are many valves. If changing materials, there are two valves at the outlet and two valves at the inlet – can you ensure that all these valves close tightly to prevent cross-contamination of the materials? 4. The operation is cumbersome. As shown, when the load changes, switching back and forth is required. To prevent mixing of materials, a blind plate must be installed behind the valve, which means that another flow of material has to be stopped; in other words, the system has to be shut down to do this! 5. The valves work well. Even if the valves function properly, when they are switched, two different materials will flow together, that is, they will mix. In such a case, it’s necessary to consider what will happen if these two materials mix with each other, and whether the subsequent production processes can still proceed normally. If water vapor mixes with them, well, these two substances have a large temperature difference, which causes significant vibration; moreover, the force exerted by the water vapor is quite strong. As a result, leaks may occur at the flanges, welds, and elbows, requiring repairs.