Custom design and expanded scope for single oxide fuel cell project

HRI’s design enabled the customer to fit a highly complicated array of five heat exchangers into limited space with extreme heat transfer requirements and minimal pressure drop.

heat exchangers in 1 limited space
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Requirements

Gas to gas and gas to liquid heat exchangers with limited allowable space  

Our customer is a global, carbon-based energy platform with a range of ongoing projects, all with unique challenges. For a project involving a single oxide fuel cell, they needed a highly complex array of five heat exchangers in one space: four to fit inside and a fifth on the roof. The project called for 4 gas to gas and 1 gas to liquid units, with extremely high heat transfer requirements and very low pressure drop. 

 

Instead of the customer’s having to construct a separate package just for heat transfer — as standard heat exchangers would have required — HRI was able to design an array that saved on space and cost.

Project Specifications

1500°F maximum design temperature

Limited space for 5 heat exchangers

5 psig design pressure

Gas to Gas, Gas to Liquid Heat Recovery

The Solution

Expanded scope and reduced complexity  

HRI and the customer worked together in partnership for nearly a year, meeting weekly to co-design and integrate the heat exchangers into their system. During the process, HRI was given additional scope to reduce piping complexity and the system footprint. 

Using an array of alloys and stainless steel, HRI created a group of heat exchangers that prevented the need for a separate heat transfer space, with cost- and space-saving features like an integrated catalyst bed and combined units. The heat exchangers were analyzed with final FEA and flow tests. 

  • Integrated catalyst bed and combined units to save cost and space
  • Hastelloy X, 310SS, and 316SS used throughout
  • Analysis via FEA and flow tests

The Results

Collaborative project with successful performance

Acting as an extension of the customer’s own engineering team, HRI was able to deliver better results beyond the original scope of the project. 

The customer continues to rely on HRI to help guide their design decisions in ongoing projects entailing heat recovery and transfer. Presently the heat exchangers are being integrated into the customer’s first single oxide fuel cell package — and will be tested in mid-2024.

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