System clears water out after hydraulic tests

Secomak has saved a heat exchanger manufacturer time and money with a tailored drying system that represents the end of the production line.

Secomak has saved a heat exchanger manufacturer time and money with a tailored drying system that represents the end of the production line.

Heatric, a wholly owned subsidiary of Meggit PLC, designs and manufactures a market leading type of heat exchanger.

Known as Printed Circuit Heat Exchangers (PCHEs), the units are up to six times smaller than conventional heat exchangers, and can cope with temperatures ranging from -270degC to 800degC.

Heatric's PCHEs are used throughout the hydrocarbon and chemical processing industries.

Secomak has supplied three Process Heater packs to Heatric, one 3kW unit for small vessels plus two 12kW units both complete with high velocity fans and controls.

Heatric's problem lay in the hydraulic testing required of its heat exchangers.

Water from the test remains inside the tiny cavities in the exchanger section, and has to be removed before dispatch.

The existing drying system took a long while to dry the PCHEs, and could not cope with the wide variety of sizes of heat exchangers that were produced, due to low pressure output and antiquated controls.

Very large PCHEs sometimes required the old heater to be assembled on scaffolding to reach the inlet holes.

Very small PCHEs were dried using some coiled tubing, and compressed air running through a continuous open nozzle.

Using this system was very expensive.

Heatric's priority was to find a drying system that was cheaper, more reliable, and more predictable.

Secomak's drying systems have given Heatric much more control over drying parameters, allowing the optimum flow and temperature to be used for each size of vessel.

More predictable drying times ensure more accurate production plans, and, combined with time savings, mean that Heatric can save money while reducing the risk of incurring penalties for late deliveries.

Secomak's system controls allow for accurate temperature setting, and cope well with the varied flow and temperature demands of PCHE drying.

Also incorporated are low flow and over-temperature cut outs, and a 10m link between the heater and the controls allows for faster set up when inlet holes are elevated.

Other applications for Secomak's versatile heaters include continuous cable sleeve shrinking, heat and motion testing of components, material softening and hot air de-icing.

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