What are the application industries of U-tube heat exchangers
Information summary:U-tube heat exchangers are widely used in various industries such as petrochemicals, energy and power, metallurgy, and pharmaceuticals due to their compact structure, high pressure resistance, and easy maintenance. They are particularly suitable for heat exchange scenarios with high temperature, high pressure, or corrosion risks.
U-tube heat exchangers are widely used in various industries such as petrochemicals, energy and power, metallurgy, and pharmaceuticals due to their compact structure, high pressure resistance, and easy maintenance. They are particularly suitable for heat exchange scenarios with high temperature, high pressure, or corrosion risks.
1. Petrochemical industry: core heat exchange equipment
Crude oil processing stage: used in atmospheric and vacuum distillation units to achieve heat exchange between crude oil and high-temperature media, heating crude oil to meet subsequent distillation requirements; It is also used in catalytic cracking and hydrogenation refining units to cool the high-temperature oil and gas after the reaction, recover heat while ensuring stable temperature in subsequent processes.
Chemical synthesis process: In the production process of chemical products such as methanol, ethylene, and propylene, it serves as a preheater or cooler for the reactor, for example, preheating the raw gas to the reaction temperature or cooling the high-temperature products after synthesis, and its U-shaped tube structure can adapt to the high-pressure environment in chemical production (usually up to 10MPa or more).
2. Energy and Power Industry: Heat Recovery and Utilization
In the field of power production, it is used for boiler feedwater heaters in thermal power plants, which use steam discharged from steam turbines to heat boiler feedwater and improve energy utilization efficiency; Also used in auxiliary heat exchange systems of nuclear power plants, due to the lack of welded joints in U-shaped tubes (only welded at the tube plate), the risk of leakage is low, and it can meet the high safety requirements of the nuclear industry.
In the field of waste heat recovery: In the waste heat power generation system of industries such as steel and cement, as the heat exchange core of the waste heat boiler, it recovers the high-temperature flue gas heat discharged from industrial kilns, heats water into steam, and drives the steam turbine to generate electricity. Its compact structure can save the footprint of the waste heat boiler.
3. Metallurgy and non-ferrous metal industry: High temperature medium heat transfer
Steel smelting process: used in blast furnace cooling system to cool the high-temperature air on the blast furnace wall or hot blast stove, preventing equipment from overheating and damage; It is also used in steel rolling production lines to cool the high-temperature steel produced during the rolling process, ensuring the quality of steel forming. The temperature resistance of U-shaped pipes (which can adapt to high temperatures above 400 ℃) can match the high-temperature working conditions of the metallurgical industry.
Nonferrous metal processing: In the smelting and refining process of non-ferrous metals such as copper and aluminum, the circulating water system used to cool the smelting furnace or the high-temperature metal liquid after refining is cooled to avoid equipment corrosion or product quality problems caused by high temperature.
4. Pharmaceutical and Food Industry: Clean Heat Exchanger
In the field of pharmaceutical production, it is used for temperature control in the process of drug synthesis, such as in the production of antibiotics and vaccines. It is necessary to correctly control the reaction temperature. The smooth inner wall of the U-tube heat exchanger is not easy to scale and is easy to clean and disinfect, which meets the GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) requirements of the pharmaceutical industry and avoids material contamination.
In the field of food processing, it is used for sterilization, cooling or preheating of fruit juice, dairy products, beer and other foods. For example, after pasteurization, the food is quickly cooled to room temperature through a U-tube heat exchanger. Its corrosion-resistant material (such as stainless steel 316L) can prevent metal ions from dissolving and ensure food safety.