Industry application
Heat Exchangers for HVAC Systems
Plate heat exchangers for district heating and cooling, HVAC hydronic systems, heat pumps, domestic hot water and building energy recovery.
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Application engineering
Process Role
A hydronic heat exchanger transfers heat between primary and secondary circuits while allowing each loop to use its own pressure, water treatment and circulation arrangement. In a district-energy substation, it links the network temperature program to the building load; it does not create additional heating or cooling capacity.
Heat-pump refrigerant interfaces, domestic hot-water heaters and chilled-water isolation units have different rating conditions. Seasonal operation can change source temperature, flow and load together. Selection therefore needs the operating range as well as the design-day duty.
Thermal interfaces
Typical Thermal Duties
District heating and cooling
Match network supply and return temperatures to the building circuit, including the return-temperature objective and available pump head. The exchanger and control valve share the hydraulic budget.
Heat pumps and domestic hot water
Separate the refrigerant-side evaporator or condenser duty from a water-to-water interface. Domestic-water service also needs compatible contact materials and the documentation required for its jurisdiction and use.
Chilled water, condenser water and free cooling
A separating exchanger can isolate water quality between circuits. Free-cooling changeover depends on source conditions and required approach; heat recovery needs a concurrent heating demand.
Rating basis
Key Engineering Inputs
- Primary and secondary inlet/outlet temperatures, flow rates and load profiles at design and part load.
- Operating/design pressures and allowable pressure drop on each circuit, including valve and piping allowances.
- Glycol type and concentration, water chemistry, fouling allowance and freeze-protection strategy.
- Domestic-water contact requirements, cleaning access, connection standards and any customer-specified certification.
Design review
Application-Specific Design Challenges
Small driving force
A small temperature difference increases required UA. More area, different plate geometry or a multi-pass arrangement may help, but each changes velocity, pressure drop or temperature matching. Long plates and multi-pass designs are options, not universal requirements.
Seasonal water and control conditions
Glycol affects viscosity and thermal properties; use the actual mixture at the operating temperature. Review low-flow operation, fouling and startup control so a nominally adequate unit is not assessed only at its easiest operating point.
Published Evidence Scope
The published industrial heat-pump cases do not establish performance for a district-energy or domestic-water installation. No building-specific project result is claimed here.
Technology fit
Common Heat Exchanger Technologies
Gasketed plate
Suitable to evaluate for district substations and openable building-water interfaces, subject to plate and seal compatibility.
Brazed plate
Consider for packaged heat pumps and clean closed loops where the selected pressure rating and maintenance approach fit.
Stainless fusion-bonded
A copper-free candidate where the actual water chemistry or specification calls for it; confirm use-specific compliance.
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What HEXNOVAS Needs for Selection
- Send the primary/secondary schematic and temperature/flow schedules for heating, cooling and part-load operation.
- State glycol concentration, water quality, pressure classes and the pressure drop available at the exchanger.
- For domestic hot water, include peak demand, control arrangement and required material/compliance documentation.
Engineering support