Industrial Thermal Systems
Clear answers about our thermal systems engineering, fabrication, and maintenance services for petrochemical processing.
We specialize in shell-and-tube heat exchangers designed for high-pressure petrochemical environments. Our units are engineered with precise fluid dynamics calculations to prevent scale buildup and optimize heat dissipation. We fabricate fixed tubesheet, U-tube, and floating head configurations, all built to ASME Section VIII standards with full material traceability.
We use the Merkel method combined with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling to determine the mass transfer coefficient. This accounts for air velocity, water loading, packing geometry, and ambient wet-bulb temperature. The result is a tower design that achieves the required approach temperature while minimizing drift loss and water consumption.
Our maintenance team performs tube bundle cleaning, retubing, pressure vessel inspection, and cooling tower fill replacement. We also offer performance testing to measure heat transfer efficiency and identify fouling or scaling issues before they cause unplanned downtime. All work follows API 510 and API 653 guidelines.
Yes. We custom fabricate pressure vessels for high-temperature, high-corrosion, or cyclic service. Our engineers select materials such as stainless steel, duplex alloys, or nickel-based alloys based on your process fluid composition and operating pressure. We also design for both vertical and horizontal orientations with multiple nozzle configurations.
Scale prevention starts with accurate fluid dynamics modeling to maintain turbulent flow and avoid stagnant zones. We also recommend appropriate tube-side velocity and can integrate chemical dosing ports for inline water treatment. For existing units, we offer mechanical cleaning and chemical descaling services to restore thermal performance.
Lead time depends on complexity and material availability. A standard shell-and-tube unit typically takes 12 to 16 weeks from design approval to delivery. Custom pressure vessels with exotic alloys may require 20 to 24 weeks. We provide a detailed project schedule at the quotation stage and keep you informed throughout fabrication.
Engineering advantages
We calculate the exact flow regime — typically 1.5–2.5 m/s — to keep suspended solids moving and prevent scale nucleation on tube walls. This extends cleaning intervals by up to 40%.
Reduced downtime for hydroblasting.Segmental baffles are spaced and cut to maintain cross-flow without dead zones. The result: a pressure loss under 0.7 bar at design flow, even with high-viscosity hydrocarbons.
Lower pumping cost per barrel processed.We run a full Wilson plot analysis on every prototype to confirm the U-value matches the specification. This guarantees the exchanger meets the required duty within ±5%.
No over‑sizing or performance shortfall.Floating tube sheets and expansion bellows absorb differential expansion between shell and tubes when inlet temperatures exceed 350 °C. This prevents tube‑to‑sheet joint fatigue.
Service life beyond 15 years in coker units.Film fills with 18 mm flute pitch are chosen for heavy process water. The design achieves a 5 °C approach to wet‑bulb while keeping drift below 0.002% of circulation rate.
Compliance with EPA 316(b) and local discharge limits.All carbon‑steel and stainless‑steel joints are qualified per ASME Section IX with Charpy V‑notch testing at −20 °C. This ensures crack‑free fabrication for H₂S‑laden streams.
Safe operation in amine and sulfur recovery units.