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Pressing forward : Tranter ’ s Vänersborg facility makes plates for the future
2023 stands before us all as a looming question mark . But with uncertainty comes possibility . If the well-known proverb tells us “ necessity is the mother of invention ,” an unprecedented energy crisis , war in Europe , and urgency for meaningful environmental policies certainly classify as a time of necessity . Fortunately for our industry , the heat exchanger is a key piece of equipment for the most likely future energy scenarios .
By Ellie Pritchard , Heat Exchanger World
Tranter is a global manufacturer of gasketed and welded plate heat exchangers and a service provider , and the company ’ s extensive reach and experience tells them that , for the heat exchanger industry , the future is bright . I was able to speak with the Tranter team about the trends they see in emerging applications and the unique technology of the company ' s manufacturing facility in Vänersborg ( Sweden ), which enables them to offer solutions for these new industries . For a well-rounded insight , I spoke with Thomas Cassirer ( Director of EPC & Energy ), Van Aznavour ( Sales Manager – Benelux & Germany ), Madeleine Sestan Bach ( Global Marketing Manager ), and Tomas Örtendahl ( Plant Manager – Vänersborg ).
Emerging markets Van Aznavour has been working for Tranter for five years and is the regional sales manager for capital sales in Germany and the Benelux region , as well as country manager for Germany . Amongst his many other responsibilities , Van focuses on new trends and applications and has a keen understanding of what his regional customers are calling for . “ Geothermal is one very interesting and important application , not only in Germany , but all over the world ,” says Van . “ There is still much to do and although much progress has been made over the past ten years , there are still many new possibilities for using geothermal energy for heating .” Thomas Cassirer holds a strategic global position observing current market trends and driving business in their direction . Thomas also works alongside EPC contractors to understand their needs and translate those into solutions . “ Saving heat is a very important part of the energy situation right now . There are a lot of changes happening in the industrial sector in particular ,” Thomas confirms . “ For example , we are seeing an increase in LNG projects due to the Russia-Ukraine war . High demand , combined with increased urgency , means an increased demand for fast-tracked products .” There has already been an increase in LNG projects with the majority appearing in Germany and the Netherlands . Although few and far between , the scale of the projects always results in huge opportunities where heat exchangers are concerned .
Unique pressing machines facilitate longer , deeper pressed plates which are ideal for largescale applications .
One example of such a project was carried out with Nederlands Gasunie through a UK based EPC company . Tranter was contracted to provide a dockside heat source for an LNG regasification plant in Eemshaven , the Netherlands . It was the company ’ s EU-based production which ensured it could meet a tight 14-week deadline ( from instruction to delivery ), along with the coil stock and press capacity of the Vänersborg facility . The project contributes to the diversification of energy supply , an issue of global scale since the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the loss of Russian gas supply . Both Thomas and Van , from their respective global and regional perspectives , see a shift in approach to heat recovery processes with heat now being seen for its valued energy potential . What used to be considered an idealist but expensive solution is now an obvious alternative to using expensive gas . “ Companies have much higher costs to calculate than before , so they can now see the sense in investing in more efficient heat recovery systems ,” says Van .
Predicting the near future Looking to the coming years , both Thomas and Van see the traditional market sectors remaining stable but enjoying a boost from increased demand for renewable energy applications , such as geothermal due to a rise in district heating networks , hydrogen , LNG , and carbon capture systems ( CCUS ). “ Total growth rate ( industry demand ) for plate and frame heat exchangers is currently more than 5 %,” Thomas
16 Heat Exchanger World February 2023 www . heat-exchanger-world . com