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Technology and Services

Save Energy with HELIXCHANGER™ Heat Exchangers

a report by
Ekström & Son

Figure 1: The Effect of Helical Baffles on Pressure and

Ekström & Son is a licensee of the ABB Lummus registered technology Heat Transmission Characteristics
HELIXCHANGER, which can increase capacity while lowering
maintenance costs for existing plant retrofits. It also helps to reduce
capital investment, plot space and energy costs for grassroots

Increased Heat Transmission Characteristics

applications. There are over 600 HELIXCHANGER heat exchangers in
operation worldwide that have demonstrated significant advantages
over conventional products (see Figure 1).

HELIXCHANGER heat exchangers have been broadly applied to

petrochemical and refining processes including the ethylene process,
crude preheating, distillate hydrocracking, LC-FINING®, and platformer
units. Major ethylene producers have selected HELIXCHANGER heat
exchangers in their critical services.

BP Chembel NV, a large petrochemical producer based in

Geel, Belgium, has benefitted from HELIXCHANGER technology Helical Baffles Enable Lower Pressure Drop

supplied by Ekström & Son. The heat exchanger installed at the BP Figure 2: Schematic View of the HELIXCHANGER
purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plant is a combination of
HELIXCHANGER technology and low fin tubes. It not only reduces
energy consumption and lifecycle costs, but also meets BP’s
environmental commitment.

Successive baffles are arranged in such a way as to create continuous

helical and near plug-flow conditions on the shell side. According to
Source: ABB Lummus.
Ekström & Son’s estimations, HELIXCHANGER enables energy savings
of up to 50% due to lower pressure drops and could result in less than Figure 3: A HELIXCHANGER Tube Bundle
two years of pay-back time (see Figure 2). The design principle of the
HELIXCHANGER can be utilised for new heat exchangers or when
exchanging existing tube bundles, with an expected 20% increase in
output capacity. The result is improved thermal effectiveness, enhanced
heat transfer, reduced pressure drop, lower fouling and significantly
reduced vibration hazards (see Figure 3).

HELIXCHANGER heat exchangers have various configuration options to

Source: ABB Lummus.
meet specific process performance requirements. The HELIFIN® heat
exchanger uses the lowfin tubes to enhance the performance with Figure 4: Ekström & Son has Designed and Manufactured Heat
Exchangers at their Plant in Kristianstad, Sweden since 1896
greater reliability. The Helitower™ heat exchanger is a
vertically orientated HELIXCHANGER heat exchanger that provides
improved heat-transfer performance in a limited plot space.

As a qualified licensee and partner of Lummus Heat Transfer, Ekström &

Son can provide design engineering and supply HELIXCHANGER heat
exchangers for demanding applications and increased energy savings. ■

1 © TOUCH BRIEFINGS 2011