graphite heat exchanger

A graphite heat exchanger is a type of heat transfer equipment made from graphite, widely used in industries like chemical processing, pharmaceuticals, and metallurgy for handling corrosive media. Graphite offers excellent corrosion resistance, high-temperature stability, and good thermal conductivity, making it ideal for harsh environments involving acids, alkalis, and other aggressive substances.

Graphite heat exchangers come in various designs, including tubular, plate, and block types. Tubular designs suit high-temperature and high-pressure conditions, plate types offer high heat transfer efficiency, and block types are compact and easy to maintain. They work by transferring heat from one medium to another through graphite, while maintaining the chemical stability of the media.

Advantages include:

  • Corrosion resistance: Suitable for diverse chemical environments.
  • High thermal conductivity: Efficient heat transfer.
  • Long lifespan: Durable graphite material.

Drawbacks include graphite’s brittleness, which limits mechanical shock resistance, and relatively high manufacturing costs. Graphite heat exchangers are commonly used in applications like chlor-alkali production and sulfuric acid processing, making them ideal for complex chemical processes.

Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV)

An Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) is a mechanical ventilation system that exchanges stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air while recovering both heat and humidity from the outgoing air stream. It’s designed to improve indoor air quality and energy efficiency, especially in well-sealed buildings.


How It Works

An ERV system uses a heat exchanger core, usually made from a semi-permeable membrane or specially designed material, to transfer sensible heat (temperature) and latent heat (moisture) between incoming and outgoing air streams. This exchange occurs without mixing the air, ensuring clean and efficient ventilation.

  • In winter: Warm, humid indoor air preheats and humidifies the incoming cold, dry outdoor air.

  • In summer: Cool, drier indoor air pre-cools and dehumidifies the incoming warm, moist air.


Key Components

  • Supply and exhaust fans: Pull fresh air in and push stale air out.

  • Heat exchanger core: Allows energy transfer (heat and humidity) between air streams.

  • Filters: Clean incoming and outgoing air to remove dust, pollen, and pollutants.

  • Controls: Manage airflow rate, timers, and integration with HVAC systems.


Benefits of ERV Systems

  • Improved indoor air quality: Constant fresh air flow reduces CO₂, VOCs, and odors.

  • Energy savings: Recovers up to 60–80% of heat and moisture energy that would otherwise be lost.

  • Humidity control: Helps maintain a comfortable indoor humidity level year-round.

  • Balanced ventilation: Equal supply and exhaust airflow reduces pressure imbalances in the building.

  • Longer HVAC life: Reduces load on heating and cooling equipment.

Common Applications

  • Residential homes

  • Office buildings

  • Schools and universities

  • Hospitals and healthcare facilities

  • Energy-efficient or airtight buildings (e.g., Passive House)


Considerations for Installation

  • Proper sizing is essential (based on square footage and occupancy).

  • Needs ducting and potential integration with HVAC system.

  • Regular maintenance required: filters and exchanger core need cleaning/replacement.

Stainless steel air-to-air heat exchanger

Stainless steel air-to-air heat exchangerStainless steel air-to-air heat exchanger

Stainless steel air-to-air heat exchanger

A stainless steel air-to-air heat exchanger is a device used to transfer heat between two separate air streams without allowing them to mix. It uses stainless steel as the main material for the heat-exchanging surfaces, making it highly resistant to corrosion, heat, and chemical damage. This type of heat exchanger is commonly used in environments where durability and hygiene are critical, such as industrial ventilation systems, food processing plants, HVAC systems, and corrosive or high-humidity environments.


Key Features

  1. Material:
    Made primarily from stainless steel (usually 304 or 316), which offers:

    • Excellent corrosion resistance

    • High thermal stability

    • Long service life

  2. Working Principle:
    Two separate air streams (e.g., exhaust air and fresh intake air) pass through alternating channels or plates. Heat is transferred from the warmer stream to the cooler one via conduction through the stainless steel walls.

  3. Airflow Type:

    • Crossflow or counterflow configurations are common.

    • May use plate-fin or tube-in-shell designs depending on space and efficiency needs.


Advantages

  • Corrosion Resistance: Ideal for humid, chemical-laden, or outdoor air environments.

  • Energy Efficiency: Recovers waste heat, reduces energy consumption in HVAC or process heating.

  • Durability: Resistant to wear, impact, and high temperatures.

  • Low Maintenance: Smooth stainless surfaces reduce fouling and ease cleaning.

  • Hygienic: Suitable for clean-room or food-safe applications.


Applications

  • Industrial ventilation systems

  • Heat recovery in exhaust air systems

  • Food and beverage processing plants

  • Pharmaceutical clean rooms

  • High-temperature processes

  • Marine or coastal environments (especially using 316 stainless steel)


Optional Features

  • Condensate drainage for handling moisture in humid environments

  • Anti-frost protection in colder climates

  • Custom fin or plate designs to optimize efficiency

Counter current heat exchange core for food drying

The counter current heat exchange core used for food drying utilizes the principle of heat conduction to allow high-temperature drying exhaust gas and low-temperature fresh air to flow in a counter current manner inside the core. Heat exchange is carried out through a heat-conducting plate, allowing fresh air to heat up and exhaust gas to cool down, achieving energy recovery and improving the energy utilization efficiency of the drying system. By recovering heat through the heat exchange core, the drying temperature and humidity can be more accurately controlled.
The core frame is generally made of materials such as aluminum zinc coated plate, galvanized plate, or stainless steel plate to meet different environmental requirements and ensure long-term stable operation.

Counter current heat exchange core for food drying
The counterflow design maintains a relatively large temperature difference between the cold and hot air flows throughout the entire heat exchange process, promoting heat transfer, improving heat exchange efficiency, and achieving energy recovery efficiency of over 50%. Widely used in various food drying fields, such as the processing of dried fruits, dried vegetables, dried meat products, dried seafood, and dried grains.

Heat exchangers for ship ventilation

The air handling units on board ships must be equipped with high-quality heat exchangers to provide uninterrupted fresh air. Our air to air heat exchangers are the perfect choice for ship or coastal applications.

Heat exchangers for ship ventilation
The use of air-to-air heat exchangers in ship ventilation systems can not only introduce fresh air, but also recover the energy of the discharged air, preheat or pre cool fresh air, and reduce overall energy consumption. At the same time, it effectively reduces the risk of equipment failure due to high temperatures.
We accurately calculate the heat transfer area, air volume, and other parameters of the required heat exchanger based on the spatial size, ventilation requirements, and heat load of different areas of the ship. A plate fin heat exchanger with a large heat exchange area and high air volume can be selected to ensure efficient heat recovery and air exchange. Consider the operating environment of the ship and choose materials with strong corrosion resistance. We use hydrophilic aluminum foil heat exchange material, which not only has good thermal conductivity, but also effectively resists corrosion from seawater and humid air, extending the service life of the equipment.

Plate heat exchangers for waste heat recovery in the cement kiln industry

The cement industry is a high energy consuming industry, and cement kilns generate a large amount of waste heat during the production process. According to statistics, the waste heat from cement kilns accounts for 30% to 60% of the total energy consumption in cement production. Recycling and utilizing this waste heat can help save energy and reduce emissions, and promote the sustainable development of the cement industry. Among numerous waste heat recovery equipment, our plate heat exchanger has been widely used due to its efficient heat transfer performance.

Plate heat exchangers for waste heat recovery in the cement kiln industry

Product Structure
A plate heat exchanger is composed of a series of metal plates with certain corrugated shapes stacked together, forming narrow and winding channels between the plates. The edges of adjacent plates are sealed with sealing gaskets to ensure that the medium does not leak. Suitable materials can be selected based on the characteristics of different media and working temperatures. ​

Technical principles
Plate heat exchangers are based on the principle of wall to wall heat transfer, where two fluids of different temperatures flow on both sides of the plate and transfer heat through the plate. Usually, the counterflow heat transfer method is used, where two fluids flow in opposite directions inside the heat exchanger. This heat exchange method maintains a large temperature difference between the hot and cold fluids throughout the entire heat exchange process, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency and maximizing the recovery of waste heat. Compared with traditional shell and tube heat exchangers, the heat transfer coefficient of plate heat exchangers can be increased by 3-5 times.

Waste heat recovery plan
The high-temperature exhaust gas discharged from the cement kiln first enters the waste heat collection device and is transported to the plate heat exchanger through pipelines. In order to prevent dust in the exhaust gas from causing wear and blockage of the heat exchanger, dust removal equipment is usually installed before entering the heat exchanger. In the plate heat exchanger, high-temperature exhaust gas exchanges heat with low-temperature water or other heat media. After absorbing heat from exhaust gas, the temperature of the heat medium increases, which can be used to produce hot water, steam, or provide thermal energy for other processes. After heat exchange, the temperature of the exhaust gas decreases and meets the emission standards before being discharged into the atmosphere. ​

Drying tower heat recovery heat exchanger

The drying tower heat recovery heat exchanger is mainly used in the drying process of industries such as chemical, food, and pharmaceutical. Its purpose is to recover the heat from the drying exhaust gas, improve energy utilization efficiency, and reduce production costs.
Chemical industry: In the production process of chemical products, many processes require drying of materials, such as plastic pellets, rubber products, fertilizers, etc. The heat recovery heat exchanger of the drying tower can be installed in the exhaust emission system of the drying tower to recover the heat in the exhaust gas, which is used to preheat the air or materials entering the drying tower, thereby improving the drying efficiency and reducing energy consumption.
Food industry: In the process of food processing, such as grain drying, fruit drying, milk powder production, etc., the heat recovery heat exchanger in the drying tower can recover and utilize the heat in the drying exhaust gas, which not only saves energy but also reduces thermal pollution to the environment. Meanwhile, the recovered heat can be used for other processes in the food processing, such as preheating raw materials and sterilization.
Pharmaceutical industry: In drug production, high drying requirements are placed on drug raw materials and intermediates. The drying tower heat recovery heat exchanger can recover heat from the drying exhaust while ensuring drug quality, reducing energy consumption during the drying process and improving production efficiency.
Our drying tower heat recovery heat exchanger usually adopts a counter current plate heat exchanger, using hydrophilic aluminum foil material with good thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance. We will also optimize the design scheme of the heat exchanger for you, further improving the heat recovery efficiency and reducing operating costs.

Hydrophilic aluminum foil heat exchanger for offshore wind power

At present, most offshore wind farms use heat exchangers that not only meet basic heat dissipation needs, but also suffer from certain energy waste. The selection of some heat exchangers is too large, resulting in low fluid flow rate, decreased heat transfer efficiency, and increased pump power consumption during low load operation. Due to the complex and ever-changing marine environment, heat exchangers are susceptible to corrosion, scaling, and other issues, further reducing heat transfer performance and increasing energy consumption. ​

Hydrophilic aluminum foil heat exchanger for offshore wind power
Energy saving scheme design, optimizing heat exchanger selection
We will use advanced heat load calculation software to accurately calculate the required heat transfer based on the heating power of wind turbines under different operating conditions, combined with environmental conditions such as seawater temperature, air humidity, etc., to ensure that the selection of heat exchangers matches actual needs and avoid selecting too large or too small. Select a plate type with high heat transfer coefficient and low flow resistance based on the heat dissipation characteristics of offshore wind power. Improve heat exchange efficiency while reducing pump power consumption. Using hydrophilic aluminum foil, a new material with corrosion resistance, high strength, and good thermal conductivity, to manufacture plates can not only extend the service life of heat exchangers, reduce downtime and energy waste caused by corrosion and maintenance, but also improve heat transfer efficiency to a certain extent.

Cooling principle of heat exchangers in computer rooms and data centers

Data centers face dual challenges of soaring chip power density and carbon neutrality targets. Our hydrophilic aluminum foil heat exchanger, as a new generation of energy-saving and heat dissipation core equipment, has become a key technological path for the low-carbon transformation of the industry by leveraging the collaborative innovation of aluminum based high thermal conductivity and microporous hydrophilic structure to reconstruct the thermal management efficiency of data centers.

Principle of indirect evaporative cooling of energy-saving heat exchangers in computer rooms and data centers
Technical principles
Indirect evaporative cooling process: Indirect evaporative cooling technology utilizes the principle of water evaporation absorbing heat to achieve cooling. Hydrophilic aluminum foil is a type of aluminum foil with a specially treated surface that exhibits excellent hydrophilicity. In the radiator, hydrophilic aluminum foil is used to enhance the heat exchange effect. It can evenly spread water on its surface, forming a thin water film, increasing the contact area between water and air, thereby improving evaporation efficiency. Meanwhile, hydrophilic aluminum foil can effectively prevent the adhesion of scale and dirt, maintaining the stability of the radiator performance.
Heat exchange process: After evaporative cooling, the cold air exchanges heat with the hot air in the computer room through a heat exchanger, cooling the hot air in the computer room and achieving the goal of reducing the temperature of the computer room.
advantage
Efficient and energy-saving: Compared with traditional air conditioning cooling methods, indirect evaporative cooling radiators utilize the natural principle of evaporative cooling and do not require a large amount of electricity to compress the refrigerant, thus significantly reducing energy consumption. The use of indirect evaporative cooling technology in data centers can save a significant amount of energy costs.

The purpose, structure, and type of air-to-air heat exchange core

An air-to-air heat exchanger core is the central component of an air-to-air heat exchanger system, designed to facilitate the transfer of heat between two separate air streams without mixing them. This technology is widely used in ventilation systems, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) applications, and energy recovery systems. Below, I’ll explain its purpose, structure, types, and benefits.

Purpose of the Air-to-Air Heat Exchanger Core

The primary function of the core is to transfer thermal energy (heat) from one airstream to another, improving energy efficiency and maintaining indoor air quality. For example:

  • In winter, it transfers heat from warm exhaust air (indoor) to cold incoming fresh air (outdoor), preheating the fresh air.
  • In summer, it can cool incoming hot air by transferring heat to the cooler exhaust air. This process reduces the energy required for heating or cooling while ensuring proper ventilation.

Structure of the Core

The core is typically made up of a series of thin plates, channels, or tubes arranged to maximize heat transfer while keeping the two airstreams physically separated. Key features include:

  • Heat Transfer Surface: Made from materials like aluminum, plastic, or specialized polymers with high thermal conductivity.
  • Flow Configuration: The airstreams can flow in counterflow (opposite directions), crossflow (perpendicular directions), or parallel flow (same direction), with counterflow being the most efficient.
  • Sealing: Ensures no mixing of the two airstreams, preventing contamination (e.g., exhaust air mixing with fresh air).

Types of Air-to-Air Heat Exchanger Cores

  1. Plate Heat Exchanger Core:
    • Consists of stacked plates creating alternating channels for the two airstreams.
    • Compact, efficient, and commonly used in residential and commercial HVAC systems.
    • Best for sensible heat transfer (temperature only).
  2. Heat Pipe Core:
    • Uses sealed tubes filled with a refrigerant that evaporates and condenses to transfer heat.
    • Suitable for applications requiring high efficiency over long distances.
  3. Rotary (Enthalpy) Wheel Core:
    • A rotating wheel coated with a desiccant material transfers both heat (sensible energy) and moisture (latent energy).
    • Ideal for humid climates or where humidity control is needed.
  4. Membrane-Based Core:
    • Uses semi-permeable membranes to transfer heat and moisture selectively.
    • Often found in energy recovery ventilators (ERVs).

Benefits

  • Energy Efficiency: Recovers up to 70-90% of the energy from exhaust air, reducing heating/cooling costs.
  • Improved Air Quality: Provides fresh air without sacrificing thermal comfort.
  • Versatility: Available in various sizes and configurations for residential, commercial, or industrial use.
  • Environmental Impact: Lowers energy consumption, supporting sustainable building designs.

Applications

  • Residential: Energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) or heat recovery ventilators (HRVs) for homes.
  • Commercial: Large-scale HVAC systems in offices, malls, or hospitals.
  • Industrial: Process air management in factories or data centers.

In summary, the air-to-air heat exchanger core is a highly efficient and customizable solution for managing air temperature and energy use. Its design and material choices can be tailored to specific needs, making it a vital component in modern ventilation and climate control systems. If you have a specific type or application in mind, feel free to ask for more details!

Need Help?