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geothermal lithium production
energy project . I feel fortunate to be part of a team making history in the lithium industry . The integrated lithium and renewable energy project adapt existing , commercially proven technology to produce batteryquality lithium from naturally heated subsurface brine in the Upper Rhine Valley , to deliver a local source of sustainable lithium for the European battery industry , with a co-product of renewable energy . The project spans the Upper Rhine Valley for upstream and midstream activities , and the Frankfurt region for downstream operations . As we know , heat exchangers play a vital role in the chemical and process industry , and their importance is indispensable in this project as well . We plan to use various types of heat exchangers , including shell and tube , plate and frame , and air-cooled heat exchangers , along with falling film evaporators . These will be utilized for several applications , such as cooling industrial water , cooling brine , and evaporation in downstream chemical processes .
The use of geothermal energy is gaining traction as a green energy source . Can you discuss how this is developing and discuss some of the general opportunities for heat exchanger manufacturers in this sector ? Geothermal energy is rapidly gaining traction as a sustainable and reliable green energy source . Following could be some areas of key developments and opportunities for heat exchanger manufacturers in this sector :
• Technological knowhow and advancement : Innovations in drilling and hydraulic fracturing , originally developed for the oil and gas industry , can be brainstormed and adapted for use in geothermal energy .
Experience Exchange provides technical guidance to engineering contractors as required . We are also tasked with finalizing spare parts strategies and selecting the appropriate construction materials through discussions with operations leaders , as well as technology and process experts . We also collaborate with various engineering contractors during the conceptual and basic engineering phases . Given this approach , our team size typically peaks at around 5-6 engineers . This number is expected to increase as we move into the execution phase of the project .
Can you give us a brief description of the Lionheart project and why it is unique ? How / where are heat exchangers deployed in this project ? Vulcan ’ s Phase One Lionheart Project is Europe ’ s most advanced integrated sustainable lithium and renewable
Aeishwarya Chaudhari is Vulcan Energy ’ s Head of Mechanical Engineering . www . heat-exchanger-world . com Heat Exchanger World February 2025
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