New Offerings Aid Heat Exchanger Design and Operations

New offerings, including software products, consulting services, research insights and design tools, provide support for improving heat exchanger design and operation Because they are critical pieces of equipment across virtually all sectors of the chemical process industries (CPI), heat exchangers and auxiliary systems have an out-sized influence on industrial energy consumption and process efficiency. Well designed, well maintained, well operated heat exchangers can increase product output while improving energy efficiency and safety (Figure 1). A number of new software products, online tools and consulting services have become available to support plants using heat exchanger equipment. Figure 1. An improved sustainability profile is among the main drivers for heat exchanger design and operation, and addressing fouling is a critical aspect[/caption]   Push for sustainability Heating and cooling unit operations represent an area of particular interest for sustainability initiatives because of the thermal energy inputs. “One of the main issues for heat exchangers is sustainability,” says Tom Lestina, senior vice president for engineering at Heat Transfer Research Inc. (HTRI; Navasota, Tex.; www.htri.net). “If you get the…