Compact Heat Exchangers – Small in Size, Big on Performance

Is there anything called as compact heat exchanger? Even if there is one, is it any good? For most people heat exchangers still are the decades old shell and tube heat exchangers. So, is there really anything better than the traditional heat exchangers in the market? Well, there certainly are much better heat exchangers available in the market and they are revolutionizing the way heating and cooling is now done in every modern household.

Before discussing what these compact heat exchangers are, it is important to understand why you need them in the first place. Compact heat exchangers are required for domestic floor and wall heating as well as for heating domestic water supply. However, with ever increasing realty prices and the reducing size of homes, one can no longer accommodate the bulky traditional heat exchangers. Also, with increase in size of a heat exchanger, the cost of maintenance as well as the cost of installation increases proportionally, and not everyone is in a position to afford the same.

Benefits of Using a Flat Plate Heat Exchanger

Heat exchangers have now become an inseparable part of every modern home. They are used for radiant, domestic water heating and even for heating swimming pools and spas. However, heat exchangers, especially flat plate heat exchangers have become extremely popular owing to their compact structure and higher heat transfer rates.

Flat plate heat exchangers were first introduced in 1920s and since then have replaced traditionally used heat exchangers like shell and tube heat exchangers in almost every industry as well as household applications. Unlike traditional, they do not consist of pipes but metal plates, usually made from stainless steel. Stainless steel is the metal of choice for constructing flat plate heat exchangers because it can bear high temperatures, does not corrode easily and is extremely strong as well as highly malleable.

Flat plate heat exchanger consists of a series of metal plates, which are either welded together or brazed together or separated by gaskets. These plates are then compacted by placing them in a rigid frame in such a manner that the hot and cold fluids flow in alternate channels. Brazed plate heat exchanger plates are brazed together in a vacuum furnace to reduce leaks. 

Solar Hot Water Heating

Owing to its advantages, brazed plate heat exchangers have become extremely popular in domestic heating applications. Especially in domestic solar heating setups owing to it low cost, low maintenance and high efficiency.

One of the most important factors in determining the viability of a solar heater is its heat transfer efficiency. In simple terms, a good solar heater is one, which is able to transfer maximum amount of heat from the captured sunlight to the inner loop. A brazed plate heat exchanger is ideally suited for this purpose since it occupies much less space, is far more efficient and cost effective than other types of heat exchangers and is easy to maintain and clean.

BPHE in a Wood Stove Hot Water Heating Setup

Wood stove hot water heaters have started gaining popularity again, especially in Northern parts of United States owing to spiraling prices of Oil and Gas based fuels. The rise in prices and the fact that most of the fuels used for heating today are non-renewable has forced many people to look at alternatives, which are renewable in nature like firewood, corn or wood pellets. While there was skepticism initially about the use of wood stoves and boilers, EPA’s support has helped many manufacturers to come up with highly efficient yet cost effective designs.

Another advantage of using a wood burning stove or boiler unit is that it eliminates the need for indoor heating and helps prevent various kinds of breathing related ailments caused by inhaling particulate matter like ash and harmful gases like Carbon monoxide and Carbon dioxide. An outdoor wood burning stove or furnace for this particular reason is well suited and placed at least 30 feet away from the house.