Heat Exchangers for Marine and Aquaculture Applications
Seawater-resistant materials, compact constructions and the design considerations for shipboard and recirculating aquaculture systems.
Why titanium
Seawater chlorides attack stainless steels rapidly, particularly at higher temperatures. Titanium plates and tubes are the standard solution, offering effectively unlimited service life in seawater up to ~120 °C. Titanium is now the default for marine central cooling, engine cooling and aquaculture seawater duties.
Marine central cooling
Shipboard cooling water systems use a central freshwater loop that is cooled against seawater in titanium plate or shell-and-tube exchangers. The compact footprint and low weight of plate units suit retrofits and new build programs alike.
Engine and lube oil cooling
Engine jacket water and lube oil cooling are typically handled by tubular or compact plate units, sized for the heat rejection of the prime mover and matched to seawater flow availability.
RAS and aquaculture
Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) use heat exchangers for energy recovery between intake and discharge water, and for temperature control of culture water. Material must resist seawater or brackish water and any cleaning chemistry used in the system.
Vibration, fouling and inspection
Marine installations must consider vibration, biofouling and ease of inspection. Removable bundles, full titanium construction and accessible plate packs all reduce lifecycle cost.
Send your working conditions to Evan
Share your medium, temperatures, flow rate and pressure — Evan will return a thermal selection and indicative pricing after reviewing the available data.