Read more in Sperre Performance vol. 1 2012
Transcription
Read more in Sperre Performance vol. 1 2012
Performance through superior technology Sperre Technical Review No. 1 - 2012 Solving the challenges of seawater cooling Sperre Pleat coolers www.sperre.com/pleat Out in the market 3 Norled expects improved operational regularity 6-7 Designed for easy handling 12-14 www.sperre.com New technology solves old challenges We have brought two unique cooler solutions to the market, challenging competitors in plate coolers and box coolers. Considering the way our technology has been received in terms of sales, and praise from prominent players in the market, we honestly believe we have started to change the industry’s perception of how maintenance-friendly marine coolers can be. The development of the proprietary Sperre Pleat cooler technology is based on a meticulous research and development programme, going on for the last three years in Sperre. As a part of this programme, markets have been researched, methods for industrialization have been evaluated, end-users have been interviewed, and prototypes have been continuously field-tested in commercial operation – all with compelling and outstanding results. Seawater quickly leads to fouling of the cooling system. More on page 4. To strengthen our assumptions regarding the demand in the marine industry, we have had discussions with ship owners, engineers, officers, ship designers, shipbuilders and engine suppliers to reveal current practice. The unambiguous answers we have received tell us that there is a significant potential for savings as a result of easier maintenance of coolers. The Sperre Pleat solution has many similarities with conventional plate coolers, which have been widely used in the marine industry for decades. But there is one major difference: ease of maintenance. All heat exchangers need to be disassembled and cleaned periodically to prevent pressure drop due to fouling and other pollutants. With the Sperre Pleat cooler, the cleaning challenges related to seawater as a cooling source have been solved, increasing uptime for the vessel, and enabling an efficient and problem-free working day for the crew. A senior marine specialist told us: “Finally there is a cooler made for the nature of our business”. The marine industry has found the solutions to the challenges of cooler maintenance. It is all about performance through technology. Erik Langseth CEO of Sperre It takes less than an hour for one person to maintain a medium-sized Sperre Pleat cooler. Sperre has delivered coolers, like the Sperre Tube cooler, for the marine market since the early 1970s. Sperre Performance, No. 1, 2012 Published by Sperre Mek. Verksted AS NO-6057 Ellingsøy, Norway Tel. +47 70 16 11 00 www.sperre.com 2 Editor in Chief: Erik Langseth Editor: Øyvind Michael Olsen, Doxacom AS Translations: Margaret Forbes, Forbes Translation and Text Photos: Tony Hall, Marius Beck Dahle Production: TIBE Ålesund Illustrations: Sperre, Fuglefjellet, Global Maritime and TIBE Sperre Rack coolers The best of three worlds. More on page 19 - 20. Sperre Pleat coolers Out in the market Presenting the seawater cooling solution: The patented Pleat technology presented by (from left) Erik Langseth (CEO, Sperre Group), Stein Oddvar Sægrov (CEO, Pleat AS), Ole Kristian Sperre (Managing Director, Sperre Industri AS) Rune Myklebust (Managing Director, Sperre Coolers AS) and Sindre Lorgen (Production Manager, Sperre Coolers). “Our original plan was to launch the Sperre Pleat coolers in the after-sales market first. But shipowners and designers wanted to get these coolers for newbuilds as well. So we changed the plan. We are pleased to serve both markets, and are ready to deliver coolers to everyone who wants to reduce maintenance problems and cost,” reports Rune Myklebust, Managing Director at Sperre Coolers AS. “As coolers leave our factory, our experience is that our approach to seawater cooling fits well in all the applications that challenge us. The cooling basics are the same for everyone. With the Sperre Pleat coolers in a variety of sizes, we can offer effective solutions for central cooling, auxiliary cooling, and various combinations of high- and low-temperature engine cooling,” says Rune Myklebust. problem for the crew or the budget. Make a good plan and clean whenever a few minutes are available, and the systems will work well continuously with no downtime,” says Myklebust. “There is no longer any reason to consider the cleaning of coolers to be a hassle, a task that is easy to postpone, or a substantial 3 Challenges of seawater cooling Seawater presents major cleaning challenges: This photo (from MF ”Rennesøy”, 29 November 2010) shows that seawater quickly leads to fouling of the cooling system. MF ”Rennesøy” Photo: Erlend Widerøe Henning 4 Sperre Pleat coolers The solution to the challenges “A Sperre Pleat solution means peace of mind for the shipowner.” Rune Myklebust, Managing Director, Sperre Coolers AS The new Sperre Pleat cooling technology offers the benefits of conventional plate coolers. But there is one major difference: ease of maintenance. With the Sperre Pleat cooler, Sperre has solved the cleaning challenges related to seawater as a cooling source. This helps to increase operational reliability for the vessel, and enables a more efficient and problem-free working day for the crew. “Seawater is a very stable and reliable cooling source in marine cooling, but it presents major cleaning challenges. Seawater quickly leads to fouling of the cooling system, and so it is important to design for simple and effective maintenance operations,” says Rune Myklebust, Managing Director at Sperre Coolers AS. Unique ease of maintenance required “Lack of maintenance friendliness is the biggest problem with today’s plate coolers. It means high costs as well as considerable time and use of resources for shipping companies. The complexity of cleaning and assembly is so great that a number of shipping companies use expensive service teams to do the job, and they have to plan carefully to avoid problems caused by fouling of coolers. The Sperre Pleat coolers are designed from scratch - purely to solve these substantial problems, and make the task simple for the crew,” adds Myklebust. Increased operational reliability The Sperre Pleat cooler is especially suitable for cooling critical applications such as propulsion and auxiliary engines. Shipping companies often postpone maintenance of the plate coolers until a problem arises. Because propulsion power is limited to available cooling capacity, this is an undesirable situation. “A Sperre Pleat solution means peace of mind for the shipowner,” concludes Rune Myklebust. Success at the first attempt: “Cleaning a Sperre Pleat cooler is a matter of quick disassembly, powerful high pressure cleaning, and easy assembly. Any crew member will succeed at the first attempt,” says Ellen Aakre at Sperre. 5 Sperre Pleat coolers Expects improved operational regularity In the upgrade of the car ferry MF “Folgefonn”, Norled AS has chosen to install the extremely maintenance-friendly Pleat coolers from Sperre. Sperre Coolers will supply efficient and continuous cooling with Sperre Pleat coolers for four new Caterpillar generator sets on board. “The great advantages of Sperre Pleat coolers are that they have a simple design, they are lightweight, and not least, they are very maintenance-friendly. This influences operational regularity,” says Project Manager Peter Hansen at Norled AS. Norled AS is the new name of the former Tide Sjø AS. The enterprise is now a dedicated shipping company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Det Stavangerske Dampskibsselskab (Stavangerske). Norled has upgraded the car ferry MF “Folgefonn” with eight Sperre Pleat coolers for four new Caterpillar generator sets on board. Each of the four generator sets has one cooler for high temperature (HT) and one for low temperature (LT), with one cooling element in each of them. As an operator of ferry and express boats, what are your challenges as far as cooling is concerned? “Cleaning coolers is a known problem for everyone in the industry. Fouling by mussels and other shellfish is the major problem. We also find that the cooling effect is reduced by sand, rust and scale in the cooling systems and by external objects such as jellyfish and refuse from the harbour basins, which clog the systems.” What expectations for improved operational regularity do you have with the new Sperre Pleat coolers? “These coolers are very lightweight and easy to handle. This makes them more maintenance-friendly for the crew. With four generator sets, we expect to be able to take out one or two coolers for maintenance even when the ferry is in operation. This means we can alternate use of the engines and carry out maintenance during normal operation. While testing Sperre Pleat coolers on board another ferry, MF “Rennesøy”, we have seen that we can dismantle, clean and assemble the cooler in 15 minutes. So there is nothing to stop us doing maintenance during short stops in port,” says Hansen. He says that it is important for the shipping company that the 6 crew do not need any special knowledge to be able to perform maintenance of the coolers without the risk of leaks. “With Pleat coolers, there is little chance of making mistakes along the way. The cooler is simple with a robust structure so that there are few parts that could break. The simple design helps to make it easy for us to identify whether it is the cooler or something else that is influencing the cooling effect. You can see this by measuring the temperatures on the equipment around the cooler, or it is easy to open the cooler to check whether it is watertight.” All the eight coolers use exactly the same elements. The robust elements have inlet filters with good capacity and a practical handle for carrying them, and they weigh only 16.6 kg each. “All these factors increase the operational regularity, and they help to reduce costs. Since we now have identical coolers with standardized elements and gaskets, we can reduce our stocks of spare parts, save space, simplify our logistics, and reduce the risk of making mistakes. For example, it is not possible to use the wrong type of gasket when they are to be replaced. And the gaskets seem to be so robust that it doesn’t look as though we need to keep them in stock. Instead, we can just contact Sperre when we need them”, Hansen comments. MF “Folgefonn” was built at Trondheim Verft in 1998. The ferry has a capacity of 300 passengers and 76 vehicles. The shipping company has chosen to upgrade the ferry with four new Caterpillar generator sets from Pon Power, which generate power for two Aquamaster azimuth thrusters. Looking forward to gaining new experience Project Manager Peter Hansen at Norled expects that the crew on board the MF “Folgefonn” will have a much simpler maintenance job related to the cooling of the main engines on board. “We are looking forward to gaining new experience with new and larger versions of Sperre Pleat coolers on board MF “Folgefonn”. With more engines, we can cover a much broader range of experience than we did on MF “Rennesøy”. This will now give us greater potential to measure savings in maintenance and operational regularity, crew satisfaction both on deck and in the engine room, and not least, reduced costs,” says Peter Hansen. Full-scale testing of the first-generation Sperre Pleat coolers took place on board Norled’s former car ferry MF “Rennesøy”. Norled was involved in the development of the Sperre Pleat technology through a collaborative project with Pleat AS (Sperre), Simon Møkster Shipping and Innovation Norway. Peter Hansen has been involved since Pleat AS started the development project about four years ago. Why is it important for Norled to take part in development projects like this one? “If the people who know the everyday operational challenges can take part in influencing the development of the product, we believe that will play an important part in achieving user friendliness right from the start. We believe it is extremely valuable for us as a shipping company to make our resources and experience available to designers, engineers and equipment suppliers. As a shipping company, we see the value of introducing products that offer quality, reliability and maintainability. If we can also help to make the product more competitive in terms of price, it is obviously an advantage for us,” adds Hansen with a smile. What experiences have you gained from the full-scale testing on board MF “Rennesøy”? “As long as we had the coolers on board, we only heard approving comments from the crew,” said Hansen. “Compared with other types of coolers, especially plate coolers, but also shell and tube coolers and box coolers, these are far more maintenance friendly. It is easier to ensure that they do not get clogged, we avoid operational disruptions, and so everyday life on board is safer and more secure. When the ship is on schedule, the crew feels that the workday goes better, and with the reduced risk of downtime there is also less potential for adverse events. All in all, we feel that this has been a successful project, and that it has met the expectations we had when we decided to take part,” says Peter Hansen at Norled. The first generation of the Sperre Pleat cooler was tested on board the car ferry MF “Rennesøy”. During the test period, Sperre and Norled could confirm that the new cooling technology fulfilled the expectations. Photo: Erlend Widerøe Henning 7 Norled has upgraded the car ferry MF “Folgefonn” with eight Sperre Pleat coolers for four new Caterpillar generator sets on board. 8 Edmund Stenseth prepares the shipment of the Sperre Pleat coolers, a part of this Pon Power package delivery, from the Sperre factory at Ellingsøy, Ålesund. Sperre Pleat coolers A part of Pon Power’s package Norled has upgraded the car ferry MF “Folgefonn” at Westcon. The upgrade includes a package delivery from Pon Power, consisting of four complete generator sets where Sperre’s new Pleat coolers have been selected. Westcon is responsible for the delivery and the installation in relation to the shipping company Norled (previously Tide Sjø). Each of the four generator sets has one cooler for high temperature (HT) and one for low temperature (LT), with a cooling element in each, amounting to eight Sperre Pleat coolers. Terje Willumsen is Pon Power’s account manager for Westcon. He says that they have a strong focus on making sure that their solutions enable smooth operation of the shipping company’s vessels. Sperre Performance asked him what he expects from the delivery and Sperre Pleat coolers. “We hope that the choice of Sperre Pleat coolers for this project helps to make the crew’s life easier as far as maintenance is concerned. In this project, the capacity of the Pleat coolers also helped to make it possible for us to keep the existing pump installation, even though the ferry’s original engine only needed one cooler.” a single element ready on board to replace another one that needs cleaning.” Other advantages of Sperre Pleat coolers? “It seems to be easier to position a Sperre Pleat cooler in the engine room, both for installation in newbuildings and for maintenance. In newbuildings, the coolers compete with many other components that take up space in engine rooms with limited space. And dismantling the Sperre Pleat cooler for maintenance does not need much elbow room.” What do you think about using Sperre Pleat coolers in future projects? “Pon Power is continuously working with many suppliers. Price, delivery time, and functionality are important selection criteria. We have an ongoing dialogue with our subcontractors to optimize deliveries in the future, and we are looking forward to trying out this technology.” What are the advantages of package deliveries like this one? We know that those who have Sperre Pleat “There are fewer suppliers to relate to – it’s coolers are satisfied so far, and we are keen possibly the shipyard which benefits most from to start the first project together with Norled that. For example, as the engine supplier, it’s Terje Willumsen is Pon Power’s account and Westcon. Pon Power regards the our responsibility – not the yard’s – to make sure manager for Westcon. development of Sperre Pleat coolers as that the coolers have the right dimensions in reinteresting, and we will be watching the project closely,” lation to the total delivery. As well as the equipment itself, concludes Terje Willumsen, Pon Power’s account manager for our delivery includes project manuals with full drawings and Westcon. documentation, including for our subcontracts such as the Sperre Pleat coolers.” How much does it mean to have standardized elements, gaskets, etc. for the coolers? “If Sperre can build up a stock of standard components, one of the great advantages will be a short lead time for deliveries. For some projects, very fast delivery is a critical factor, for example for retrofits or breakdowns. In the newbuilding market, delivery time is not so critical, but not having to deal with special parts can make it simpler for the shipping company to maintain stocks and reduce maintenance costs. Standardization of components can also help to keep costs down for Sperre as a supplier” Can shipping companies expect improved operational regularity with Sperre Pleat coolers? “That depends on what experience the shipping companies have with their coolers today, but one of the known challenges related to traditional coolers is that maintenance is time consuming. Assembly after cleaning is also a demanding operation. Sperre Pleat coolers are designed for easy cleaning, and it is easy to assemble them again afterwards. That also minimizes the risk of leaks after assembly.” Pon Power Pon Power is an independent supplier of highly complex solutions for engine rooms and propulsion, like Cat and Mak engines and generator sets. The company supplies systems covering the entire product range from 6.4 to 16,200 kW, which are primarily used as propulsion engines, auxiliary engines, and for the supply of primary power or emergency power. Westcon Westcon Yard AS is located in Ølensvåg on the west coast of Norway. West Contractors AS (Westcon) was established in 1981, but the shipyard’s history dates back to 1963. Today, the yard has more than 500 employees. In 2011, it changed its name to Westcon Yard AS. “You don’t have to spend hours dismantling and assembling individual plates. Instead, Sperre Pleat has large cooling surfaces combined in one element, which is easy to remove and replace in the cooler. That means that shipping companies can have 9 Sperre Pleat coolers From idea to industrial product The development of the proprietary Sperre Pleat cooler technology is based on a research and development programme started five years ago by Pleat AS in Stavanger, continuing in cooperation with Sperre from 2009. Now the first products are in the market after compelling and outstanding results. Development of the patented pleat technology started at Pleat AS in Stavanger, in which Sperre has a holding and all the proprietary rights for the use of the technology in the marine market from 2009. Then Sperre and Pleat AS started the specific development of the industrialized Sperre Pleat cooler, and they are now in the market with a marine-focused functional cooler designed for effective mass production. The enormous need for heat exchanger technology that was more maintenancefriendly was discovered early in the first stages of development. Innovation Norway has supported the development and test project with its IFU programme (industrial research and development contracts), playing an important role in creating successful industrial cooperation. Innovation Norway is the Norwegian Government’s most important instrument for innovation and development of Norwegian enterprises and industry. Required end-users attending As early as the first half of 2007, Innovation Norway approved the development project with Pleat AS, and supported the development, requiring the development to be a joint effort based on their IFU model, which required end-users attending. The purpose was to prove the unique 10 features of the technology, and to verify the overall performance and rigidity. During the research and development programme, markets have been researched, methods for industrialization have been evaluated, end-users have been interviewed, and prototypes have been continuously field-tested in commercial operation. The cooler, consisting of one cooler element, was connected to a Caterpillar 3406T engine, and showed capabilities of delivery above the expected cooling capacity. The cooler has been in operation since 2008, and is still in full operation. Even though the test cooler element is a prototype, the results are beyond expectations. The Sperre Pleat cooler for marine applications has been developed in an industrial cooperation with full-scale testing on board operative vessels at Simon Møkster Shipping AS and Norled AS (previously Tide Sjø), respectively with their vessels “Stril Neptun” (platform supply vessel) and MF “Rennesøy” (car ferry) and their skilled marine personnel. Prototype 1 - MF “Rennesøy” In June 2008, the first prototype of the Sperre Pleat cooler was installed on board the car ferry MF Rennesøy for a full-scale test. It showed that all the incorporated new functionalities were delivering the expected results, representing a quantum leap within heat exchange and its maintenance features. Prototype 2 – “Stril Neptun” Later, the same year, the second prototype of the Sperre Pleat cooler was subjected to full-scale testing on board the platform supply vessel “Stril Neptun”. Test results were very promising from the start. Stril Neptun. Courtesy of Simon Møkster Shipping. MF “Rennesøy”. Cooling the air compressors on board the “Ro Master” Sperre Pleat delivered to the wellboat specialist Aas Mek. Verksted Needs little space: “The Sperre Pleat cooler, which needs relatively little space, was easy to position together with the compressors and the oxygen tanks in an area in which there is very little room in the first place,” says Olav Aas, Technical Manager at Aas Mek. Verksted. Sperre Pleat cooler on “Ro Master”: Sperre Coolers have delivered a Sperre Pleat cooler of the type DN65 to Aas Mek. Verksted A/S for installation in “Ro Master”, a wellboat in the Rostein fleet. Sperre Coolers have delivered a Sperre Pleat cooler of type DN65 to Aas Mek. Verksted A/S for installation in “Ro Master”, a wellboat in the Rostein fleet. The cooler consists of two cooling elements, and provides the cooling for two air compressors of the type Atlas Copco GA75, using seawater as the cooling medium. Wellboats transport live fish between fish farms and fish processing plants. One compressor produces ozone for cleaning the piping and tank systems in the vessel, and the other compressor produces oxygen, which is added to the water in the well for fish on board. The Sperre Pleat cooler was recently installed on board the “Ro Master” being upgraded by Aas Mek. Verksted, and so it has not been used until now, but Olav Aas, Technical Manager at the shipyard, already has some impressions of the new cooling solution from Sperre. “The Sperre Pleat cooler could be a good alternative to shell and tube coolers, plate coolers, and box coolers. Because it is made of stainless metal and composite materials, it does not corrode. The coolers are relatively small, and it has been easy to place them together with the compressors and the oxygen tanks in an area where there was very little room in the first place. It is also very lightweight, which means most of the sizes can easily be handled by one person alone,” he says. “Probably the greatest advantage of the Sperre Pleat is that it is so service friendly. It can be opened in an instant, it is easy to take out the cooling elements, and it is very easy to clean. On plate coolers, which it is most natural to compare them with, there are a lot of plates to deal with, and you have to be careful when cleaning both plates and gaskets to prevent leaks. It is easy for the gaskets to loosen during dismantling of the cooler, and if they do loosen it is a battle to get them glued on again,” Aas explains. “Keeping in mind the placement of the cooler between a number of oxygen tanks, it was easy to position it with few adaptations. It simply takes little space in relation to its capacity, and that’s also in comparison with plate coolers. As well as the rack itself, plate coolers have long bars to which the plates are connected to ensure the right seal between plates and gaskets. This is not necessary with a Sperre Pleat cooler in which the cooling elements can simply be tilted out and in of the rack. “It is easy to extend the cooling capacity of a Pleat cooler by adding more cooling elements, and if you manage to utilize the capacity effectively, it is no more expensive than other solutions. On the other hand, if the capacity is not quite enough for the cooling load, so that you have to go up a step by adding one extra cooling element, the cost might be a little higher. In other words - to pick out something about Pleat coolers compared with plate coolers - it is easier to increase the capacity gradually in a plate cooler by adding one plate at a time. But most people want a good buffer for the cooling capacity, so it’s not a problem that the capacity is slightly oversized,” he says. Olav Aas says that the good delivery time was the main factor that influenced Aas Mek. Verksted’s choice of Sperre Pleat coolers this time. “The delivery period was a critical factor, but naturally we were curious about the new technology. Usually the shipowner or ship designer chooses coolers, but this time it was up to us. We are committed to using products from suppliers nearby us, not only to support them, but because we believe that it gives us a great advantage to be able to deliver quickly and with high quality through effective cooperation with local manufacturers. Sperre is a long-term business partner, and we have had a good relationship with them over the years. The compressors from Sperre are reliable, and we always get the help and technical support we need,” adds Olav Aas, Technical Manager at Aas Mek. Verksted. 11 Sperre Pleat coolers From a whole day of work to less than an hour “Getting a plate cooler watertight after you have cleaned it can be a real hassle.” Per Arne Riksheim, Ulstein Design & Solutions 8 hours Plate heat exchanger 1 hour Sperre Pleat cooler Cleaning time reduced from 8 hours to 1: A day’s work for one or two people is widely accepted as the time needed for maintenance of a medium-sized/large plate cooler (left). With Sperre Pleat technology, the job takes less than an hour for one person (right). A day’s work for one or two people is widely accepted as the time needed for maintenance of a mediumsized to large plate cooler. With Sperre Pleat technology, the job takes less than an hour for one person. The maintenance operation with the Sperre Pleat technology is considerably simpler than for conventional plate coolers, and involves dismantling, high-pressure cleaning, and assembly of a few robust elements – unlike conventional plate heat exchangers, which may have more than 100 individual plates and gaskets. Assembly problem is solved In addition to the need for extensive cleaning, the assembly of plate heat exchangers is a well-known problem. With old and worn gaskets, ever-greater pressure between the plates is needed to prevent leakage, if one succeeds in getting the cooler sealed at all. In a Sperre Pleat cooler, this problem is eliminated because the sealing pressure between the elements is ideal when the robust surfaces of the frames meet. More on page 17. 12 Complex versus easy process: The assembly of plate coolers is a well-known problem. The assembly of a few robust Sperre Pleat elements is very easy. Few elements – easy handling Fast and easy: 4 elements and 5 gaskets in a Sperre Pleat cooler (right) replace 60 plates and the corresponding number of gaskets in a plate cooler (left). A conventional plate heat exchanger is difficult to assemble, and to get sealed after maintenance. A Sperre Pleat cooler is sealed on the first attempt. More on page 17. Few elements: One Sperre Pleat cooling element (right) replaces about 15 to 20 plates in a conventional plate cooler. This simplifies the maintenance operation from individual cleaning and probably gasket replacement for about 15 plates to a single high-pressure wash of one element. This also makes it very easy to replace elements if needed. One Sperre Pleat cooling element replaces about 15 plates in a conventional plate heat exchanger. “In brief, the Sperre Pleat cooler consists of a small number of robust elements. With handles, the lightweight elements are designed for easy handling. The cooling elements are open, and they are easy to clean with a high-pressure spray. Dismantling is not needed,” explains Rune Myklebust, Managing Director at Sperre Coolers AS. “This saves time for the crew and reduces gaskets and replacement parts to a minimum. There is no need for expensive expertise to perform maintenance. With simple maintenance, regardless of detailed planning, the solution ensures ongoing operation for the vessel”. Rune Myklebust. 13 Requires no special qualifications Designed for easy cleaning The Sperre Pleat cooler consists of robust elements designed for fast and easy maintenance and assembly. Open cooling elements with handles and low weight are easy to clean with a high-pressure spray – they do not need to be dismantled. The Sperre Pleat technology is built on the same basic principles as conventional plate coolers, with one important difference: every plate in the Sperre Pleat cooler is very much larger, and is therefore formed as one element. Each cooling element consists of continuous titanium from coil that is folded (pleated) and sealed at each end, as well as a frame with handles that encloses the titanium element. A conventional plate cooler may consist of about 60 plates (cooling elements) with a corresponding number of gaskets. In a Sperre Pleat cooler, these are replaced by four cooling elements, which are equipped with handles to make it easy to lift them out and put them back into the frame for the cooler. Ease of maintenance is therefore the major functional difference. For end users, this means significant savings in time consumption, fewer gaskets, and elimination of the need for third-party expertise for overhauls. Maintenance involves dismantling, high-pressure cleaning, and assembly of a few robust elements that are easy to get watertight again. “The maintenance operation with the Sperre Pleat technology is considerably simpler than for conventional plate coolers,” demonstrates Ellen Aakre at Sperre. 14 Unique multi-pass solutions Fitting a cooler to an application requires individual configuration, to achieve the optimal flow / turbulence conditions on each side, and thereby the overall heat transfer. Flow principle: The flow principle for a single-pass Pleat Cooler is the same as for a plate cooler. A plate cooler does not have the same possibilities for multipass solutions. • The Pleat Cooler is the only heat exchanger in the market that allows for individual configuration of 1-pass, 2-pass or 3-pass per side. • This multi-pass feature allows for shifting “gear” in the cooler, without having to replace the element. • Process ports are always on only one end-plate. Sperre compressors and Sperre Pleat coolers for Turkish cargo vessels Sperre has signed an order with the Turkish shipowner Kent Shipping for the delivery of Sperre compressors and Sperre Pleat coolers for two 4500 DWT cargo vessels under construction at Terme Shipyard Tersanesi. The vessels will be trading in the Russian rivers between the Black Sea and St. Petersburg. Each of the vessels will be supplied with two starting-air compressors of the HL2/90 type, one working-air compressor of the LL2/90 type, and two Sperre Pleat coolers of the DN80 type, each consisting of six cooling elements. The agreement includes an option for similar orders for eight more newbuildings of the same type of vessels for Kent Shipping. Sales & Rack Product Manager Kenneth Myklebust at Sperre Coolers is pleased to announce that Sperre has signed an order with the Turkish shipowner Kent Shipping for the delivery of Sperre Compressors and Sperre Pleat coolers. 15 The technology behind the Sperre Pleat cooler Robust, efficient and smart Structure as marine cooler: In principle, the Sperre Pleat cooler works in the same way as a conventional plate cooler. The two fluids (hot and cold) are separated by the titanium layer, and flow through every second channel. Each channel has an embossed pattern designed to provide the necessary physical strength, and to create a turbulent flow. Each Sperre Pleat cooling element consists of a pleated titanium element for heat transfer and two identical frame halves that enclose the titanium element. The Sperre Pleat cooler is designed for use in harsh marine conditions, and can withstand rough handling by the crew. The internal titanium element is well protected by the surrounding composite frames, which also have a number of handles and positioning guides. The plates in a plate heat exchanger are known to be very fragile – the Sperre Pleat solution is the opposite, despite the minimal use of expensive materials. Conventional plate coolers essentially consist only of titanium plates, gaskets and end plates. This also means that titanium is used for all internal functions, such as heat transfer, holding the gaskets, distribution and inflow / outflow. Titanium is thus the main material, while only about 60% of the titanium is used for heat transfer. In comparison, the Sperre Pleat cooler consists of a pleated titanium element, seals, frames and end plates. The titanium is primarily used for heat transfer and some sealing, which means that more than 90% of the titanium is used for the job it is supposed to do. In summary, expensive Competitive cost 60% titanium utilization 90% titanium utilization Plate heat exchanger Sperre Pleat cooler • Consists only of titanium plates, gaskets and end plates • Titanium used for all internal functions Minimal use of expensive materials: “Our philosophy is minimal use of expensive materials, and maximum use of modern low-cost materials,” says Sindre Lorgen, Production Manager at Sperre Coolers. 16 • Less use of expensive titanium • More use of inexpensive composite for internal functions titanium is therefore used only where it is necessary for heat transfer, and materials that cost far less are used for distribution of fluid and physical strength. This means that conventional plate coolers use much more titanium for the same cooling performance as a Sperre Pleat cooler. At the core of the Sperre Pleat cooler The composite frames have a double advantage: they are soft enough to handle the impact of hard tools, or falling down on hard surfaces, but they also have a high amount of fibre, making them strong enough to tolerate high pressure year after year. Production Manager Sindre Lorgen demonstrates the core of the Sperre Pleat cooler. Permanent solutions for sealing, effective systems for fluid distribution and impressive maintainability are built into the cooler elements. Scalable solutions to meet customers’ performance needs have also been emphasized. In principle, the Sperre Pleat cooler works in the same way as a conventional plate cooler. The two fluids (hot and cold) are separated by the titanium layer, and flow through every second channel. Every channel is thus surrounded by two channels of the opposite fluid. The fluids flow along the channels, and should preferably flow in opposite directions to achieve the best possible heat transfer. Best possible heat transfer Each channel has an embossed pattern designed to provide the necessary physical strength, and to create a turbulent flow. A turbulent flow increases the heat transfer and thus the efficiency, because it stops the water from standing still along the wall surfaces. Smart sealing solutions Leakage following the assembly of conventional plate coolers is a well-known problem. With old and worn gaskets, ever greater pressure between the plates is needed to prevent leaks. In a Sperre Pleat cooler, this problem is eliminated because the sealing pressure between the robust cooling elements is ideal when the surfaces of the frames are in contact with each other. Sperre have invested substantial resources in developing smart industrial and servicefriendly sealing solutions for the complete cooling elements. After pleating and embossing, the titanium element is sealed at the ends. The sealed titanium element is then mounted between the two frame halves with specially designed gaskets. When the complete cooling element is worn out or damaged, it can be replaced. It is not intended for disassembly by the customer. Leakage control and detection The solution provides full opportunity for leakage detection and control, and mixing of the fluids on the two sides is not possible in any way. In the event of a leak in a gasket, this leads to a visible leak on the outside of the cooling elements, as on a conventional plate heat exchanger. All Pleat elements are pressure tested to 9 bar, corresponding to 1.5 times the design pressure. Sealed at the first attempt Random torque Torque independent Plate heat exchanger Sperre Pleat cooler Torque independent compared with random torque: Sperre Pleat has ideal sealing pressure. With old and worn gaskets, ever greater pressure between the plates is needed to prevent leakage on a plate heat exchanger. Trial and error method Mechanical stop 17 Sperre Pleat coolers Performance like a plate cooler Sperre’s full-scale laboratory and customer tests prove that the performance of Sperre Pleat coolers is just as good as for conventional plate heat exchangers. Market leader today Plate heat exchanger Unique maintenance friendliness Sperre Pleat cooler • Heat transfer (K-value) • Pressure drop • Overall size • Port positions • Leakage control • In-line seawater filter The performance of Sperre Pleat coolers is just as good as for conventional plate heat exchangers in terms of both heat transfer (K-value) and pressure drop. The Sperre Pleat cooler has the same potential for leakage control and detection as an in-line seawater filter. The principles of the framework, dimensions and port positions are harmonized with the standards for plate coolers, so it is easy to replace a plate cooler with a Sperre Pleat cooler. Range and specifications Pleat specifications DN65 DN80 DN100 DN125 DN150 DN200 Titanium height (cm) 50 50 100 100 100 100 Titanium width (cm) 25 25 38 38 56 56 Folding height (cm) 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 10 8 12 10 14 Cooling surface per element (m ) 1,8 1,8 5,8 5,8 8,5 8,5 Max cooling surface (m ) 11 18 46 70 85 119 Titanium weight per element (kg) 4,6 4,6 12,2 12,2 20 20 Total weight per element (kg) 16,6 16,6 33,5 33,5 50 50 x x x x x x x x x x x Max elements 2 2 Range guideline Propulsion engines 1 – 3 MW x Propulsion engines 3 – 6 MW Propulsion engines 6 MW + Auxiliary engines 0,5 – 1,5 MW x x x Central coolers 0,5 – 2 MW x x x Central coolers 2 – 6 MW Any other marine application Ready for delivery 18 x x x x x x x YES YES Q1 2013 Q1 2013 Q3 2013 Q3 2013 Optimizing the central cooling system Sperre Pleat cooler calculator Sperre has developed the Sperre Pleat cooler calculator to help technical personnel to optimize their cooling needs based on the Sperre Pleat cooler. From experience, we realize that overall cooling system designs can be optimized, if the cooler capacities and best performance areas are known at an early design stage. By using this, designers can optimize the systems, and minimize the coolers – and as a result, the amount of cleaning and operational cost. The calculator is now available on www.sperre.com/pleat/calc. Sperre Rack cooler calculator For vessels with several main engines, the Sperre Rack cooler combines the best of three worlds. The Rack cooler frees space in the engine room like box coolers and provides constant cooling like plate coolers, with unique maintainability – like no other traditional cooler. The Sperre Rack cooler is a heat exchanger system made for central cooling. It is a module-based system, and can easily be configured for different numbers of elements, serial or parallel connections and different numbers of flows through the cooler. Sperre has developed a calculator to help the ship designers and other technical personnel to find the needed number of elements and test different solutions and combinations of cooling. By filling in the required capacities in the Sperre Rack cooler calculator, the ship designer will get an optimized calculation for the vessel’s cooling needs. 19 Performance Sperre Rack coolers Sperre Pleat coolers The best of three worlds The solution to the seawater cooling problem • Saves engine room space - like a box cooler • No lack of cooling capacity in critical situations • Constant and efficient cooling - like a plate cooler • Unique maintainability - like no other traditional cooler • Replace elements within minutes • Clean cooler within an hour • Maintenance cost reduced by 90% • No need for expensive service personnel • Competitive cost A joint invention www.sperre.com/rack www.sperre.com/pleat Sperre has intensified its commitment to coolers The Sperre group group has intensified its commitment to coolers by establishing a new company, Sperre Coolers AS. The company was established on 1 January 2012 to dedicate resources to the development, sale and production of heat exchangers for the marine market. Sperre Mek. Verksted AS wholly owns the new company. our existing shell and tube cooler range,” says Rune Myklebust. “Sperre has delivered coolers for the marine market since the early 1970s. We aim to revolutionize the market for cooling of ships by introducing two unique solutions challenging the competition in plate coolers and box coolers. Our coolers have the potential to change the industry’s perception of how maintenance-friendly marine coolers can be,” comments Managing Director Rune Myklebust at Sperre Coolers. The product portfolio for Sperre Coolers consists of the existing shell and tube heat exchangers, as well as the newly developed Sperre Pleat coolers and Sperre Rack coolers. Manufacture of all the products will initially take place at the existing premises at Ellingsøy in the municipality of Ålesund, Norway. “We are focusing on the marine sector, and expect strong growth for our new cooler ranges. We also expect that marketing and growth of the Sperre Pleat and Sperre Rack range will have a positive impact on The Sperre Rack central cooler (www.sperre.com/rack) has been developed in cooperation with STX OSV. The solution is specifically designed for offshore vessels, and primarily competes with box coolers. The Sperre Rack cooler frees space in the engine room like box coolers and provides constant cooling like plate coolers, with unique maintainability. The Sperre Pleat coolers (www.sperre.com/pleat) primarily compete with traditional plate coolers. The new Sperre Pleat cooling technology offers the benefits of conventional plate coolers, with one major differ-ence: exceptional ease of maintenance. Two strong patents protect the Sperre Pleat coolers. Sperre Coolers AS has the exclusive rights for the sale of Pleat coolers to the marine market. Genuine Sperre spare parts at these addresses only: Sperre Coolers AS Ellingsøy, Norway Tel. +47 70 10 42 00 Fax.+47 70 16 11 10 [email protected] Sperre Industri AS Ellingsøy, Norway Tel. +47 70 16 11 00 Fax. +47 70 16 11 10 [email protected] Sperre Asia PTE Ltd Singapore Tel. +65 6 763 6300 Fax. +65 6 763 1811 [email protected] Sperre Rotterdam BV Ridderkerk, The Netherlands Tel. +31 180 463299 Fax. +31 180 463264 [email protected] www.sperre.com Sperre China Shanghai, P. R. China Tel. +86 21 6507 0436 Fax. +86 21 6507 0402 [email protected] Agent Network www.sperre.com/agents TIBE 12098 through superior technology