Heat Exchanger World Magazine May 2026 | Page 57

Project News
Alleima expands capacity in Perth for CO 2 reduction
CETY advances Waste-to-Energy project in Alberta
Alleima’ s Kanthal division has expanded its silicon carbide heating element manufacturing facility in Perth, Scotland, to meet rising global demand for sustainable high-temperature heating solutions. The investment supports producers in electronics, glass, and steel seeking to electrify industrial processes and reduce CO 2 emissions. The upgraded facility increases production capacity by approximately 40 % and adds 1,750 m 2 of manufacturing space, along with new equipment, improved layout, and expanded warehousing. The Globar ® silicon carbide heating elements produced in Perth enable electrification of processes reaching up to 1,625 ° C, offering a replacement for fossil-fuel-based heating systems. These solutions improve energy efficiency, process control, safety, and emissions performance. Heavy industry accounts for nearly a quarter of global CO 2 emissions,
with high-temperature heating representing a significant share. As governments strengthen carbon pricing, emissions regulations, and clean-energy incentives, demand for electrified heating technologies continues to grow. Kanthal, which has operated in Perth for over 50 years, initiated the expansion in 2023 to strengthen its global manufacturing footprint and support long-term product development. In parallel, the company has established a service center in Concord, North Carolina, to improve customer proximity and reduce lead times. The combined investments, valued at approximately SEK 100M, enhance capacity, capability, and application development potential for large-scale electric heating systems. The expansion positions Kanthal to better serve global decarbonization trends and capture growing demand for low-carbon industrial heating technologies.
Clean Energy Technologies, Inc.( CETY) has signed a non-binding Letter of Intent( LoI) with Hoppy Power Ltd. to evaluate the deployment of its High Temperature Ablative Pyrolysis( HTAP™) technology for waste-to-energy applications. The agreement marks a step toward initial commercialization, with key milestones in 2026 including engineering validation, permitting progress, and advancement toward definitive agreements. Westlock, Alberta, has been identified as the initial site under evaluation for a potential first deployment. The project aims to address local waste management needs while generating clean, distributed energy, supported by favorable feedstock access, infrastructure, and a conducive
development environment. Project execution is targeted for late 2026, subject to evaluation, permitting, and final agreements. CETY’ s modular system is designed to generate up to 2 MW per unit while processing approximately 12,000 tons of waste annually. It can convert diverse feedstocks— including municipal waste, agricultural residues, and forestry byproducts— into syngas for power generation. The initiative is intended as a scalable model for broader deployment, supported by multiple revenue streams such as tipping fees, power generation, and biochar production. Under the LOI, both parties will advance technical studies, engineering design, and commercial evaluations to support future project development.
A chilling challenge: heating propane with seawater
A major international oil and gas storage operator partnered with Kapp to develop a safer, more efficient, and lower-carbon method for heating liquid propane from −43.2 ° C to −5 ° C. The existing system relied on a natural gas – fired steam boiler, which was reliable but costly and associated with rising CO 2 emissions. The project objective was to achieve improved sustainability and operational efficiency without compromising process reliability. Electric heating was initially considered but deemed impractical due to grid constraints and high energy and capital costs. Kapp instead redesigned the concept around an available local resource: seawater. The resulting system eliminates combustion and uses seawater as a continuous, naturally available heat source. The solution is based on a two-step heat exchange process. First, a glycol-water circuit is heated from approximately −4 ° C to 4 ° C using seawater in a gasketed plate heat exchanger. The salinity of seawater prevents freezing, enabling stable operation even in low
temperatures. Second, a plate-and-shell heat exchanger transfers this thermal energy to liquid propane, raising its temperature from −43.2 ° C to −5 ° C in a controlled manner. The system operates as a closed, indirect loop, ensuring seawater and propane never come into contact, enhancing safety and controllability. Additional efficiency gains are achieved through thermally optimized heat exchanger coatings that improve solar heat absorption. The final outcome is a stable, lowenergy solution delivering a 75 % reduction in CO 2 emissions, lower operating costs, reduced fossil fuel dependency, and improved process stability through intelligent use of ambient marine thermal resources. www. heat-exchanger-world. com Heat Exchanger World May 2026
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