Industry application

Heat Exchangers for Refrigeration

Heat exchangers for industrial and commercial refrigeration, ammonia, CO2, chillers, ice systems, oil cooling and compressed-air dryers.

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Heat Exchangers for Refrigeration heat exchanger engineering application

Application engineering

Process Role

Refrigeration exchangers connect refrigerant phase change to a secondary fluid or another refrigerant circuit. Evaporators absorb heat; condensers reject it. A transcritical CO₂ gas cooler needs its actual temperature and pressure path rated rather than a condensing-temperature assumption.

Cascade systems transfer duty between stages. Economizers and vapor-injection circuits introduce additional distribution and control conditions; oil coolers, heat recovery and refrigerated air dryers have their own fluid and temperature requirements.

Thermal interfaces

Typical Thermal Duties

Ammonia, CO₂ and cascade duty

R717 selection requires compatible materials and sealing interfaces. CO₂ equipment must suit the design pressure and operating range, including off-design conditions. Do not transfer a cascade operating pressure to a transcritical rating.

Auxiliary cooling and heat recovery

Oil content, economizer injection behavior and useful heat demand can alter selection. Compressed-air dryers also need moisture removal and freeze-protection conditions to be defined.

Rating basis

Key Engineering Inputs

Refrigerant; evaporation/condensation conditions or gas-cooling path; superheat and subcooling.
Secondary fluid, composition, flow and inlet/outlet temperatures; design and operating pressures on each side.
Allowable ΔP, oil content, refrigerant charge/distribution considerations, materials, cycling and defrost requirements.

Design review

Application-Specific Design Challenges

Distribution, freezing and connection loads

Thermal rating must be paired with stable flow distribution and controls. Review low-flow freezing, oil return and piping loads during startup and cycling.

Refrigerant containment

Welded cassettes reduce gasketed refrigerant-side leak paths but do not eliminate leakage. Weld integrity, remaining seals, conditions and inspection still matter.

Semi-welded ammonia construction and selection

Relevant HEXNOVAS Case Evidence

HEXNOVAS case evidence

CO₂ / R134a cascade heat-pump interface

The published selection snapshot rates a BPHE between a condensing R744 low stage and an evaporating R134a high stage. It is a defined operating point, not a generic CO₂ equipment envelope.

Published calculated / selection data

Capacity: 30.87 kW; selection margin: 15%.
R744: 35.0°C inlet, −6.0°C condensing/outlet; 29.68 bara; 0.1026 kg/s.
R134a: −10.0°C evaporation, 5.0 K superheat; 1.991 bara; 0.2273 kg/s.
Maximum ΔP: 50.0 kPa on R744; 200.0 kPa on R134a.

Selection margin is not measured efficiency or energy savings. Mechanical design pressure must be confirmed separately.

View case study: CO₂ / R134a cascade heat-pump interface

HEXNOVAS case evidence

Industrial R717 heat pump for hot water

The published project description identifies a semi-welded plate exchanger in an ammonia heat-pump system serving process and cleaning water. It demonstrates the integration role of the exchanger.

Published project description

Refrigerant: R717; reported hot-water output up to 88°C.

Detailed stage flows, a measured COP and quantified energy savings are not supplied here; none is inferred.

View case study: Industrial R717 heat pump for hot water

Technology fit

Common Heat Exchanger Technologies

Brazed plate and high-pressure CO₂ BPHE

Consider a sealed plate pack for compatible packaged duties; verify the exact refrigerant, joint materials and pressure rating.

Semi-welded plate

Assess welded cassettes for ammonia service with the appropriate sealing and water-side maintenance arrangement.

Semi-welded exchangers for ammonia

Condenser and evaporator GPHE

Evaluate phase-change channel design and distribution for the specified fluid and duty; gasket compatibility remains a selection input.

Prepare your enquiry

What HEXNOVAS Needs for Selection

Send the refrigerant circuit diagram and full design/part-load operating points, including superheat, subcooling and defrost.
Provide secondary-fluid temperatures and flow, pressure ratings, separate ΔP limits, oil information and the intended control/distribution arrangement.
State installation orientation, connection loads, service requirements and any applicable approval scope.

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Engineering support

Send the operating conditions. We will evaluate the technology.

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