APEX® Technology
For Minimised Flow Separation and Reduced Fouling
APEX® Free-flow Technology
Primary APEX® Technology
APEX Free-flow is a technology applied to reduce fouling and pressure-drop for easy operation of plate-type heat exchangers. It is the primary Technology applicable to all our plate-type heat exchangers (CORPEX and V-FLEX heat exchangers).
Heat transfer surfaces are formed and/or arranged in a way which ensures no obstruction for the bulk of the processed fluid flow.
APEX Free-flow Technology maintains a reduced obstruction in the flow path in-between the parallel smooth plates. There is no flow separation and the velocity profile is well defined: a thin laminar sub-layer adjacent to the wall and a turbulent flow core.
This flow configuration results in a relatively low level of energy dissipation. Therefore, this flow type is the most efficient, resulting in an optimum compromise between a high heat transfer coefficient and a reduced pressure drop.
Key Benefits:
- Low fouling tendency;
- Low operating pressure drop;
- Reduced weight;
- No flow separation;
- Easy to clean;
- Very low erosion across heat transfer surfaces;
- Better integration into flue gas and air ducting of fired heater, reformer, boiler and other furnaces;
- Better controlled metal temperature at cold-end.