Types of heat exchangers (definition)

Types of heat exchangers — are various devices designed to transfer thermal energy from one heat carrier to another. They are used in heating, ventilation, air conditioning systems, as well as in industry and energy. The main types of heat exchangers are classified by design type and operating principle.

Main types of heat exchangers:

1. Plate heat exchangers:
   • Disassemblable — consist of many thin corrugated plates, assembled into a package and fastened with a frame. They are easily disassembled for cleaning and maintenance.
   • Soldered — consist of plates soldered together, which makes them compact and sealed, but non-separable.
2. Tubular heat exchangers:
   • Shell and tube — consist of a bundle of pipes placed in a casing. One heat carrier passes inside the pipes, and the other — outside, in the space between the pipes and the casing. They are used for high temperatures and pressures.
   • Double-pipe — consist of two concentrically located pipes, where one coolant moves through the inner pipe, and the other through the annular space between the pipes.
3. Spiral heat exchangers:
   • They have two channels, twisted into a spiral, through which heat carriers flow. They provide compactness and high efficiency of heat exchange.
4. Air coolers and air heat exchangers:
   • Radiator type — are used to cool air in air conditioning and ventilation systems.
   • Recuperators — are used to return heat from exhaust air to supply air in ventilation systems.
5. Plate-fin heat exchangers:
   • They consist of pipes with fins mounted on them to increase the heat exchange area. They are used in heating and air conditioning systems.

Application and advantages:

• Heat transfer efficiency — different types of heat exchangers provide high heat transfer efficiency depending on operating conditions.
• Compactness - Many modern heat exchangers, such as plate and spiral, take up less space compared to traditional shell and tube heat exchangers.
• Ease of maintenance - detachable plate heat exchangers are easy to clean and maintain.

Selecting the heat exchanger type:

The choice of heat exchanger type depends on specific system requirements, such as temperature and pressure of working media, aggressiveness of heat carriers, requirements for compactness and ease of maintenance. It is important to consider all these factors to ensure efficient and durable operation of heat exchange equipment.

Thus, the types of heat exchangers vary in design and operating principle, which allows you to select the optimal solution for each specific heat transfer task. For example, in pellet boilers FOCUS installed tubular (main) and plate heat exchanger as an ash filter.