Various types of heat exchanger equipment are used in the chemical industry depending upon the applications involved (i.e. based on service), but their common task is to transfer heat from a hot fluid to a cold one. The heat exchanger equipment involves heat energy transfer either by conduction, convection, or by radiation mode.
In the chemical industry, shell and tube-type heat exchangers constitute the bulk of unfired heat transfer equipment. Based on the function, heat transfer equipment can be referred to as a cooler, heater, or condenser.
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1. Cooler
It is heat exchanger equipment employed to cool a process fluid (gas or liquid) by means of water or atmospheric air. It involves the removal of sensible heat from the process fluid (steam).
2. Condenser
It is heat exchanger equipment employed to condense a vapor or a mixture of vapors (in the presence or absence of non-condensable gas). It involves the removal of latent heat with the help of a suitable cooling medium, e.g. cooling tower water or chilled water.
3. ChillerÂ
It is heat exchanger equipment employed to cool a process fluid (stream) to a temperature below that can be obtained by using water as a cooling medium. It employs a refrigerant such as ammonia or freon (cooling medium).
4. Exchanger
It is a heat exchanger equipment that allows the exchange of heat between hot and cold process streams/fluids.
5. HeaterÂ
It is a heat exchanger equipment that imparts sensible heat to a process fluid. Condensing steam or doing them may be employed as a heating medium.
It heats a process stream by condensing steam.
6. ReboilerÂ
It is a heat exchanger equipment, employed to meet the latent heat requirement at the bottom of a distillation column. The heating medium may be either steam or hot process fluid.
7. Vaporizer
It is a heat exchanger equipment (unfired) that vapourises part of the liquid.
8. Waste - heat boilerÂ
It is a heat exchanger equipment employed for the production of steam using a hot gas or a hot liquid stream produced in a chemical reaction as a heating medium.
9. Evaporator
It is a heat exchanger equipment employed for the concentration of a solution by evaporation of water. Condensing steam is used as the heating medium.
Take these Notes is, Orginal Sources:Â Unit Operations-II, KA Gavhane