What is a heat exchanger?

A heat exchanger is a device that transfers heat between two media (liquids or gases) without them mixing. This is achieved by means of a heat-conducting barrier, such as plates, tubes or fins.

Heat exchangers are used in virtually all industrial sectors, such as the chemical, food, energy, HVAC and process industries. Examples include recovering waste heat from production processes, cooling machinery or heating process water. By reusing heat efficiently, companies can save energy and reduce their CO₂ emissions.
Common types include plate heat exchangers, shell-and-tube heat exchangers (tube heat exchangers) and air-cooled heat exchangers.
The most suitable type depends on factors such as temperature, pressure and the properties of the medium.

Would you like to know which type of heat exchanger is best suited to your application? Contact our engineers for advice.

Want to find out more about the technical definition of a heat exchanger? Take a look at our term: Heat exchangers.