Mankirat Kaur

Choosing the right heat exchanger for wastewater applications

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Heat exchangers often play a key role in wastewater treatment, and all but the most basic heat exchangers are created to a bespoke brief, designed to take into account the material/s being heated or cooled, the heating or cooling medium, the amount of effluent being processed, velocity, risk of fouling and a host of other factors.

The HRS MP Series, uses multiple passes on the tube side for greater flexibility for optimising fluid velocity, pressure drop and heat transfer
The HRS MP Series, uses multiple passes on the tube side for greater flexibility for optimising fluid velocity, pressure drop and heat transfer - HRS Heat Exchangers

Key Considerations: Our industrial heat exchangers are suitable for various environmental and wastewater applications, such as digester heating and evaporation. When choosing the right heat exchanger, several key considerations come into play.

  1. Material Characteristics: The nature of the material being processed is crucial. Less viscous materials require simpler heat exchangers, while thicker or particle-laden substances demand more advanced designs. Options include multi-tube designs, double tubes for higher viscosity or solids, and annular space designs for highly viscous products, with the toughest materials necessitating scraped surface heat exchangers.
  2. Leak Containment: In situations where leaks can be catastrophic, double tubeplate multitube heat exchangers are essential. They offer leak detection to prevent cross-contamination between service and product fluids.

Main Heat Exchanger Types: Most heat transfer applications benefit from corrugated tube heat exchangers. These designs offer superior heat transfer, energy efficiency, and fouling resistance. For challenging applications, scraped surface heat exchangers are employed.

Corrugated Tube Heat Exchangers: HRS offers two types for wastewater applications:

  • Double Tube Heat Exchangers (DTI Series and DTIR Series): Versatile, ideal for thicker effluents and sludges.
  • Multitube Heat Exchangers (HRS K Series): Simple design for low- to medium-viscosity materials.

Scraped Surface Heat Exchangers: Scraped surface heat exchangers, like the Unicus Series and HRS R Series, excel in high-viscosity and fouling-prone applications. They offer efficient heat transfer and reduced downtime, making them suitable for evaporation and challenging fluid processing.

In any wastewater processing scenario, whether it's heating effluent, evaporating sludge, or pasteurizing digestate, HRS provides a range of heat exchangers to suit your needs, with expert staff ready to assist you.