Heat exchangers refer to the wider term for any device that is made to draw heat away from a source.  They are often found in devices that generate alot of heat over a long period of time and require the heat removal device to reduce the built-up heat so components within the device or assemble do not fail.  They can be found everywhere, from big industrial machines, right down to consumer-grade products.  As you are reading this article, there are several heat exchangers working to facilitate this.  Laptops and computers usually require heat exchangers on chips and processors that get very hot while they operate.  The exchanger makes sure that they do not overheat and cause fatal damage to your computer.

Heat Exchangers and Big Industries

Let’s look at some examples of where we can find industrial-grade heat exchangers.  Within these applications, without a heat exchanger, there can be disastrous effects, which can ever threaten human life.  They are used in mining, metalwork and the paper pulp industries to name a few.  The current market size for these heat exchangers is huge, at around 15 billion USD.  Any large scale operation that creates a lot of heat due to big energy use need these devices to ensure the safe and effective operation of these machines.

New Uses For Heat Exchange Devices

One area that has interested us in particular is in the 3D printing world.  Many new 3D printers that are aimed at the consumer market use small plastic filaments in the additive process in order to make new parts and components.  The plastic is heated up very quickly, and this heat must be managed effectively so as to ensure safety and prolonged use of the equipment.  Small heat exchangers are used within the nozzle that projects out the plastic filament, and these exchangers are made to very exacting tolerances. 

Auto Heat Removal Devices

The engines in car produce a very large amount of heat, since they are essentially a series of controlled explosions.  Each cylinder of the engine in a car facilitates a controlled explosion, and the fast the engine is spinning, the more explosions are occurring.  Cars use water cooling via a radiator to exchange heat away from the engine.  The water passes through chambers next to the cylinders and is then circulated through the radiator which is usually at the front of the car so that cool air is always passing through it.

Battery Heat Exchangers

With the rise of the popularity of electrically powered cars, more and more large lithium batteries are being employed in the automotive world.  These batteries can produce a lot of heat when they are being used in demanding situations, so they need effective cooling in order to keep them working well.  When batteries go through excessive heat cycles, they start to lose their performance, as well as potentially becoming a hazard.  Heat exchangers are used by automobile manufacturers all around the world for the safe use of large battery packs.