Munters all-welded Thermo-Z™ plate heat exchangers have further increased combustion and generation capacity by 30% after replacing non-welded combustion air preheaters at two Northern States Power RDF plant.
The heat exchangers originally installed at plants located in Wilmarth and Red Wing, Minnesota suffered from erosion and unacceptable leakage between gas streams. This air leakage reduced boiler and burn capacity at the power plant resulting in higher operating costs than expected.
Munters was asked to provide an all-welded plate heat exchanger to fit into the same space as the originally installed heat exchangers. The Thermo-Z™ modules fit the original space exactly, reducing the installation cost significantly.
It was reported that the new installation increased burn capacity from 11½ tons per hour to 15 tons per hour, and improved electrical output from 8 to 11 megawatts per unit.
Munters provided 48 modules in 1993 to NSP for this project. Munters innovative design, with heavy gauge plates and specially designed replaceable leading-edge protective strips, is expected to provide long and efficient operation of Thermo-Z™ heat exchangers.
About Thermo-Z
The Thermo-Z™ all-welded heat exchanger, offers modular design with heave gauge, welded-plate construction, and guaranteed leakage rates less than 0.01% factory tested. Thermo-Z™ offers integral thermal expansion compensation and an insulated shell with an all-welded outer casing for increased performance. Both crossflow and counterflow configurations are available. Variable plate spacing is utilized to optimize performance, pressure drop, and service requirements, providing the most efficient and maintenance free heat recovery equipment available.
Welded construction eliminates the possibility of premature failure and increased leakage caused by particulate build-up in the compression seals of a non-welded unit.
Tel: (800) 843-5360 | E-mail: dhinfo@munters.com