Kelvion Thermal Solutions (KTS) has launched a new channel pattern for its flagship K°BOND printed circuit heat exchanger.
The new design, developed through the Scarabeus project funded by the European Union, is being hailed as a ‘game changer’ for supercritical CO2 power cycles and compression of natural gas and hydrogen.
KTS has produced two prototypes, one with the conventional zig-zag channel and another with the new shape, both of which have been successfully tested in facilities at Technische Universität Wien.
The channel pattern – which gives up to 20% reduction in pressure loss compared with previous models – has undergone rigorous testing, including mechanical finite element analysis and CFD calculations, to optimise shape and enhance heat transfer while reducing pressure losses.
Xavier Guerif, Product Expert K°Bond at KTS, said its participation in the Scarabeus project has been instrumental in achieving this breakthrough.
He said, “By collaborating with nine European partners, we have optimised the flow dynamics of our printed circuit heat exchangers, moving beyond traditional straight and zig-zag channels to introduce new internal shapes that meet all manufacturing and mechanical constraints.”
The twin-aim project aims to find the optimal additive which would reduce the size and increase the efficiency of the power block, and develop tailored heat exchanger designs, particularly for the air-cooled condenser, to operate with the innovative fluid as these are key enabling components for the proposed technology – both of which will lead to a significant reduction of CAPEX and OPEX.
KTS, which operates more than 30 service centres globally, specialises in tailored engineered heat transfer solutions and its know-how can be applied to a wide range of applications including data centres, hydrogen production and distribution, waste to energy, carbon capture and oil and gas.
