What Type of Industrial Heat Exchanger Do You Need?

Industrial heat exchangers can be used for a variety of purposes in a number of industries. Most often, they are used for heating viscous fluids and materials, and they’re incorporated as a component of a larger industrial heating system.

Curious about your options when it comes to industrial heat exchangers?

Whether you’re in the market for a new piece of equipment or you’re wondering if there might be a different type of industrial heat exchanger out there that would better suit your facility’s needs, there are many options to consider.

Industrial Heat Exchanger Options

Here at American Heating Company, we manufacture a few different styles of heat exchangers, all made in the USA and built to ASME code.

If you’re contemplating what type of heat exchanger you need, reviewing these options and the similarities and differences between them is a good place to start.

Suction Heaters

Suction heaters are essentially industrial heat exchangers that consist of a tube bundle mounted inside of a shell that is open at one end and closed at the other. Utilizing hot oil, steam, or another type of thermal fluid as a heat transfer medium, they heat material as it flows through the exchanger and exits the storage tank.

These industrial heat exchangers heat only the liquid that is being pumped through them, as opposed to heating all of the material in the tank. They are designed to bolt onto the manway flange within the storage tank.

If you’re looking to efficiently heat material as it exits the storage tank, a suction heater is likely your best bet.

Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers

Shell and tube heat exchangers can be used to transfer heat to a variety of materials, including asphalt and water-based liquids. They heat materials through the use of either hot oil or steam.

Featuring bare tube exchangers, shell and tube style industrial heat exchangers are designed similarly to suction heaters with one key distinction. Rather than being placed in the storage tank with the product, shell and tube heat exchangers are positioned externally on the material storage tanks instead.

If you need a heat exchanger that won’t take up room in your material storage tank and can heat only the material moving through it, a shell and tube heat exchanger is likely the way to go.

Bayonet Heaters

Like suction heaters, bayonet tank heaters are industrial heat exchangers designed to be positioned within the material’s storage tank. They consist of tube bundles with coils that are completely open to the fluid within a storage tank.

Unlike suction heaters and shell and tube heat exchangers, however, bayonet heat exchangers are capable of heating an entire tank rather that just the material actively through them.

If you are searching for an industrial heat exchanger capable of efficiently heating large quantities of material, a bayonet heater is likely the solution you need.

Choosing The Best Industrial Heat Exchanger For Your Facility

Like all industrial heating equipment, heat exchangers are a significant investment. When selecting the best industrial heat exchanger for your facility and application, you’ll want to be sure you’ve done your research and chosen the solution that’s going to give you the best return on that investment.

At Enerquip, we have decades of experience helping organizations in various industries select the industrial heat exchangers that enable them to get the job done – and get it done efficiently.

Each of our industrial heat exchangers is designed to meet the specific needs and specifications of the customer we are working with. Whether you’re looking for a relatively standard piece of equipment or you need a completely customized solution, we’ve got you covered.

If you’re exploring your options when it comes to industrial heat exchangers, we’d be happy to share our insight! Be sure to check out our Industrial Heat Exchanger FAQs for answers to common questions about heat exchangers, and give us a call at (715) 748-5888 or send us a message online to get the conversation started if you have questions about your facility specifically!

Interested in learning more about the heat exchangers we manufacture? You can find more information about heat exchangers from Enerquip here.

Looking for additional insight related to selecting heating equipment for your plant? These resources are a great place to start:

Factors to Consider When Shopping For An Industrial Heating System – Learn about the top things to consider when you’re in the market for a new heating system for your facility.

When To Consider Customized Industrial Heating Equipment – Learn about the scenarios in which it makes the most sense to invest in a custom designed heating system or piece of equipment.

Industrial Heating System Pricing – Get information about the key factors that influence the cost of the heating equipment you purchase for your plant.