Approximately 10% of all electricity used in industry is consumed by compressed air systems. However, only a small amount of this electricity is actually utilized to compress air. More than 90% of it is converted into waste heat. In systems that lack a heat recovery system, additional energy is also needed to power industrial cooling fans. An integrated heat-recovery system, built with SWEP brazed plate heat exchangers, is an easy, economical way to recover waste heat for reuse within the production chain or for an external facility.
SWEP offers a variety of heat exchangers suitable for both oil-free centrifugal compressors and oil-lubricated screw compressors, with capacities up to 12000 Nm3/h. Our BPHEs are also ideal for heat recovery in oil and air coolers. Their compactness, durability, and reliability make them ideal for heavy manufacturing processes.
Condensation is a common problem in compressed air systems. Moisture from condensation can cause corrosion and damage to the equipment that utilizes the air. For that reason, compressed air must always be dried before being used in any kind of machinery. SWEP’s unique brazed plate heat exchanger (BPHE) solutions include our Air Dryer with Integrated Separator (ADWIS) and dual-over-two-pass (D2P) configurations, which are suitable for capacities up to 2 000 Nm3/h.
Compressed air can easily reach temperatures of 100 °C in an oil-lubricated compressor, and 200 °C in an oil-free compressor. A compact brazed plate heat exchanger from SWEP can lower the outlet temperature of an oil-lubricated screw compressor, ensuring that an optimal working temperature can be consistently maintained.
To avoid water condensation in a pneumatic system, an air dryer can be installed to cool the compressed air to 3°C, just above the freezing point of water, which causes the moisture in the air to condense into liquid. The liquid is then removed from the system using separators. SWEP’s unique Air Dryer with Integrated Separator (ADWIS) units and dual-over-two-pass (D2P) configurations are an excellent choice for air dryers.
In oil-lubricated screw compressors, oil lubricates and cools the moving parts, as well as the air. SWEP brazed plate heat exchangers can be used to cool both oil-lubricated and oil-free compressors, as well as to recover waste heat. Our copper-brazed units are suitable for all types of oil that reach an operating temperature up to 95 °C. Our SWEP All-Stainless range is designed to work in corrosive, high-temperature environments that are aggressive to copper, where oil contamination must be avoided, and maintenance must be kept to an absolute minimum.
SWEP BPHEs make it possible to recover almost 96% of the total electrical input from an air compressor system. Nearly 81% of the heat generated in an oil-lubricated system can be recovered from the oil. An additional 15% of the heat can be recovering the compressed air. These savings are significant, contributing to a quick payback time.
SWEP heat exchangers offer a wide range of solutions for air compressors and air dryers. Our copper-brazed units are suitable for all types of oil, in systems that operate up to 95 °C. These include the B60, B30 and B35T.
Our 100% stainless steel range is suitable for air compressors in high-temperature, corrosive environments.
The SWEP ADWIS is a robust, All-Stainless, 3-in-1 brazed plate heat exchanger capable of cooling compressed air to 3°C (below its dew point) and separating out the condensed water. The ADWIS can dry compressed air with 2/3 of required cooling energy spent in the economizer section.
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