"Thanks to a new way of thinking and our experience in stainless steel processing, we can now produce much more energy-efficient heat exchangers for process technology," emphasises Thomas Stek Sales Manager at Hubl Edelstahltechnik. "With much less flow rate and half the energy requirement, we have almost doubled the heat transfer performance from 308 W to 610 W through numerous measures." For example, more uniform and flat cross-sections ensure significantly less pressure loss in the fluid circuit. This halves the required pressure from 4 to 2 bar, for example. This reduces the need for pump power and saves considerable energy. Likewise, the required flow rate of the medium is reduced by half, for example from 40 to 20 litres, depending on the size and volume of the heat exchanger. This also results in considerable energy and cost savings. During operation, these numerous optimisations also allow the heat exchanger to react much faster to temperature changes.
Cooling and heating with 50% energy use.
The new, energy-efficient heat exchangers for applications in the chemical, pharmaceutical, biotech, solar and food industries can be used for both cooling and heating. They can be used to cool medicines and keep chocolate warm and flowable for further processing. The inner sheets in contact with the product can transfer the desired temperature very quickly, directly and evenly to the contents. Both a water-glycol mixture and pure silicone oil can be used as the cooling/heating medium. However, significantly less is required compared to comparable heat exchangers.
The secret is in the design and manufacturing. Hubl Edelstahltechnik realizes the efficiency gains through a novel design and high-precision manufacturing technology with much lower tolerances. For example, the carrier media are no longer just filled into a cavity but are forcibly guided through a meandering labyrinth. The stainless steel or aluminum sheets used are formed by a tool-based process. Stek explains the advantages: "Compared with laser-welded and blown cavities, we achieve greater process reliability and thus greater dimensional accuracy with better reproducibility." Tolerances of 1.5% compared to the previous 8% demonstrate the increased manufacturing precision. Thinner sheets can be used, which improves heat transfer and also reduces material costs.
The secret is in the design and manufacturing.
The base sheets can be kept thinner, as can the guide sheets for the media. This allows the desired temperature to be achieved and controlled directly, quickly and uniformly. Any concerns about stability are allayed by the experts at Hubl Edelstahltechnik with a pressure test including certificate. The heat exchangers are also suitable for use in clean rooms and provide operators with cost benefits by halving cooling times. In 2010, Hubl was the first sheet metal processor to receive certificates for clean and hygienic production from the Fraunhofer Institute IPA in Stuttgart. The company can produce heat exchangers of the new type in many variants and sizes. Users can choose from square to round, from small to large, with 50-3000 l capacity. In the process, Hubl manufactures prototypes as well as series products.
Stainless steel technology in perfection
Hubl Edelstahltechnik is a system supplier in high-quality sheet metal processing. With comprehensive know-how in product development, industrial design and production-related engineering, as well as their implementation in terms of production technology, the sheet metal specialists are called upon by customers when it comes to housings and cladding made of stainless steel sheet in prototype construction, pre-series and small series.
The versatile demands placed on the stainless steel experts in this regard are also reflected in the industry structure of their customers. The Hubl Edelstahltechnik team supplies the most demanding industries such as pharmaceutical, medical and laboratory technology, biotechnology, clean room and food technology, the packaging industry as well as mechanical engineering and semiconductors.
