Over the past decade, there has been an increase in demand for industrial heat exchangers manufacturer Vitherm’s WeldPack range, owing to the strength and durability that it offers, says Vitherm SA director Tristan McLaren.

“We have seen increased demand for our WeldPack in diverse industries. Initially, the demand was primarily in the chemicals processing and petrochemicals sectors, but we have recently supplied these heat exchangers to the vegetable oil sector and to large-scale plastics manufacturing plants.”

He adds that there has also been increased interest from existing clients who have become ‘fatigued’ by the continuous need for spares for the conventional gasketed plate-type heat exchangers.

WeldPack, which is fully developed, manufactured and patented by Vitherm, is a process heat exchanger that can withstand extreme operating conditions, corrosive fluids, high pressures and high temperatures.

The heat exchangers are designed for extensive, low-maintenance life cycles, with easy access for regular servicing.

Their being fully accessible on both sides allows for regular inspections, easy cleaning and repair. These benefits are possible because of the plates’ geometry, assembly and patterns. The design of the corrugations of the plates have also been refined to provide the highest heat transfer efficiency available.

“With no need to replace any gaskets or plates over the life span of the heat exchanger, the total life-cycle cost means that this option is competitive,” he points out.

McLaren adds that the company has also refined the strength and integrity of the joints of the heat exchangers to make it the strongest among its competitors.

He highlights that, for Vitherm, the technological advancements available in tooling and manufacturing machinery have been relevant to efficiencies in its manufacturing process.

“Our workshop in France has high-quality precision laser-welding machinery. This positions our WeldPack as the best quality welded ‘block-type’ heat exchanger on the market, with precision accuracy welding our hallmark, compared with manually welded products.”

Additionally, Vitherm’s manufacturing process is ISO 9001 certified to ensure it caters for different countries. The international standard specifies requirements for a quality management system.

“The company maintains the highest in-house quality management system in full and complies with all the major engineering standards, such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the South African Bureau of Standards and European Standards, as well as British standards.”

Meanwhile, Vitherm’s ongoing research and development programmes are focused on process industries globally and its heat exchangers are used worldwide.

Vitherm SA expects further demand in the food and beverage sector, as well as continued steady demand in the previously mentioned sectors, concludes McLaren.