Solvent cooling
Published: 27 September, 2007
Welded plate heat exchangers from Tranter PHE are being used to cool solvents in the production of titanium alkoxides for specialist chemicals company, Johnson Matthey, at its plant in Billingham.
Tranter PHE has supplied Johnson Matthey with two Ultramax plate heat exchangers in two different material designs. They are being used in the solvent recovery process, improving cost efficiency and reducing emissions of organic solvents to the environment in-line with the company's stringent environmental policy.
A stainless steel unit is being used as the main condenser cooling solvent vapour from a temperature of almost 70ºC to approximately 20ºC using circulated cooling water. The second unit, which is titanium, is used after the main condenser to cool the solvent vapour further to about -10ºC using brine as the coolant because of its lower freezing point.
Specified for their compact size and low weight compared with traditional shell and tube technology, Johnson Matthey chose Tranter"s Ultramax PHEs because the all welded, sealed units were considered the most suitable condensers to recover catalyst materials. The absence of gaskets means there is no risk of leakage.
For further information please visit: www.tranterphe.com
