Plate & Shell Heat Exchanger for CO₂ Supercritical Gas Cooling

Client: Anhui XX Chlor-Alkali Plant

CO₂ transcortical and supercritical systems operate under extremely high pressures and require precise thermal control to ensure process stability, equipment safety, and energy efficiency. Heat exchangers used in such applications must withstand severe mechanical loads while maintaining reliable heat transfer performance.

For this project, a plate & shell heat exchanger was delivered to Anhui XX Chlor-Alkali Plant for CO₂ supercritical gas cooling service. The exchanger is designed specifically for high-pressure CO₂ applications, where operating pressures far exceed those of conventional refrigeration or gas cooling systems.
The fully welded plate & shell construction provides a robust, high-integrity pressure boundary capable of safely handling supercritical CO₂ conditions. By eliminating elastomeric gaskets, the design minimizes leakage risks and ensures long-term reliability under continuous high-pressure operation and thermal cycling.
Chevron-pattern plates generate strong turbulence on the CO₂ side, promoting efficient heat transfer even at high densities and variable thermophysical properties typical of supercritical fluids. This allows stable and predictable cooling performance across a wide operating envelope, supporting precise process control.
Compared with traditional shell-and-tube heat exchangers, the plate & shell design offers significantly higher heat transfer efficiency and a more compact footprint while maintaining excellent mechanical strength. As a result, the plate & shell heat exchanger provides a safe, efficient, and pressure-resistant solution for CO₂ supercritical gas cooling in modern chemical processing systems.