Custom Air Cooled Heat Exchangers: Design & Manufacture
Safe Professional Innovative
High-performance air-cooled solutions for critical cooling, condensing and evaporating. Engineered to API 661 and ISO 13706 standards, our bespoke units provide reliable thermal management in environments where water is scarce or cost-prohibitive.
Graham Hart Process Technology provides bespoke air-cooled heat exchangers (ACHEs) and condensers designed for high-pressure oil and gas, hydrogen service and low-pressure industrial applications. We manage the entire lifecycle—from full thermal and mechanical design to on-site fan balancing—ensuring your equipment meets stringent noise, site and process requirements.
When should you choose an air-cooled heat exchanger over shell and tube?
Air-cooled heat exchangers (also known as fin-fan coolers) are the primary choice when cooling water is unavailable, expensive or difficult to treat. They are ideal for remote locations or processes where environmental regulations limit the use of local water sources. By using ambient air as the cooling medium, ACHEs eliminate the risk of thermal pollution in natural water bodies and remove the ongoing costs associated with water treatment and fouling.
How does Graham Hart Process Technology optimise air-cooled design?
We utilise a dual-engineering approach. Thermally, we use advanced modelling and simulation software to ensure the most efficient heat transfer for your specific fluid properties. Mechanically, we account for complex variables including wind loading, structural support calculations and nozzle loads to API 661. Our fan selections (Forced or Induced Draft) are tailored to balance power consumption (OPEX) with noise limits and process stability.
Noise analysis, structural support calculations, on-site fan balancing
Specialist Services
High-pressure gas processing, hydrogen service, high-fouling water applications
The Graham Hart Process Technology Difference
The challenge with air-cooled heat exchangers isn't just the thermal duty; it’s the environment. Fluctuating ambient air temperatures, cross-winds and noise restrictions in sensitive areas can often compromise standard "off-the-shelf" units.
At Graham Hart Process Technology, we move beyond standard fabrication. We address the "Why" behind your process needs. For instance, if you are operating in a hydrogen service, we provide fully welded headers to ensure leak-free integrity. If you are dealing with high-fouling fluids, we design removable cover plates to simplify maintenance. By integrating site-specific data—such as wind loading and noise sensitivity—into our fan selection, we deliver a unit that is not only thermally efficient but operationally robust.
Graham Hart Process Technology specialises in Multi-Tube Hairpin Heat Exchangers, often referred to as "multis." These units utilise a U-tube bundle within separate shells for each leg, achieving true counter-current flow. This design is specifically engineered to handle significant "temperature crosses" and thermal expansion without the need for expansion bellows, making them the premier choice for high-pressure, high-temperature, and cyclic industrial services.
Graham Hart Process Technology specializes in the design and manufacture of high-performance double pipe heat exchangers (also known as hairpin or concentric pipe exchangers). These units are the ideal choice when conventional shell and tube designs are uneconomical or space is at a premium. By utilizing a single tube mounted within another, they achieve true counter-current flow, enabling superior temperature crosses and reliable performance in high-pressure or low-flow applications.
Custom Air Cooled Heat Exchangers: Design & Manufacture
Graham Hart Process Technology provides bespoke air-cooled heat exchangers (ACHEs) and condensers designed for high-pressure oil and gas, hydrogen service and low-pressure industrial applications. We manage the entire lifecycle—from full thermal and mechanical design to on-site fan balancing—ensuring your equipment meets stringent noise, site and process requirements.