HEAT PIPES BASED SOLUTIONS FOR CHALLENGING

WASTE HEAT RECOVERY APPLICATIONS

                   

          
                       ECONOTHERM FACILITY IN UK

Challenging waste heat recovery scenarios

           Many industrial processes
generate highly difficult exhaust
conditions that can be
characterised as follows:
                             1. High temperatures /
                                 mass flows
                             2. High particulate content
                                 that is abrasive and / or
                                 can cause fouling
                            3. Highly corrosive, acidic
                                content SO2, SO3, NO2,
                                etc.








Heat pipes can manage

these difficult conditions!

  What Does The Solution Consist Off?

Why Does The HP Solution Work Where Conventional Units Don’t?

1. HP metal temperature can be kept above the acid dew point.
2. Eliminates any localised acid condensation (cold spots).
3. Easy to clean.
4. The risk profile on pipe failure is minimised due to the multiple
redundancy.

                                     “Heat Pipes”

                                     What are they?               

Multiple Redundancy
Each pipe operates independently so unit is not vulnerable to a single pipe failure
This prevents cross contamination each heat pipe acts as an additional

buffer between the two fluids

Low Fouling
Use of smooth pipes allows exchangers to be used in high particulate or oily

applications

Ease of Cleaning & Maintenance
Can be maintained in situ (no uninstall) Manual/automated cleaning systems

Isothermal Operation – no hot or cold spots
Eliminates cold corners and condensation
Allows greater energy recovery
Better longevity for thermal oil

Robust Materials and Long Life
Design allows pipes to freely expand and
contract, thus no thermal stress on structure

Thick pipe walls resist erosion/corrosion

Intermediate Pipe Working -Temperature
Allows higher exhaust temperature

limits on some applications

Highly Scalable, Customisable & Configurable
Modular design allows on site assembly
Can be designed for future expansion,
to meet specific application or operational needs

Reactivity
Fast reaction time, 
offers different
control options and suitable for sensitive

apparatus: does not require preheating

Typical geometries of heat pipe based waste heat recovery systems

A schematic of a typical heat pipe unit

Heat pipe units: typical configurations
      
        Standard cross flow HP heat exchangers  


Air preheaters
Gas to water
Gas to thermal oil
Steam generators 
       Modular cross flow HP heat exchangers Gas to water

 Gas to water

 Gas to thermal oil

       Throughflow HP heat exchangers

Cross flow HP units: Gas to air

Hot stove blast furnace gas to air heat recovery 

Cross flow HP units: Gas to air ( Ceramics )

Gas to air heat recovery at ceramics kiln