Global Printed Circuit Heat Exchangers Market By Type (Stainless Steel, Nickel, Cobalt Based Alloys, Copper, Titanium), By Application(Hydrocarbon Processing, Petrochemical, Refining Industries, Other applications), By Region and Key Companies - Industry Segment Outlook, Market Assessment, Competition Scenario, Trends and Forecast 2020-2029

The printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE) was invented at the University of Sydney in 1980 as a result of research.  It was first used in the industrial refrigeration system. Later it was found that this technology had more use in offshore gas processing where weight and space need minimizing. Other applications include ethylene oxide, LPG, naptha reforming, caustic soda and sulphuric acid. Compared with shell and tube heat exchanger, PCHE is 85% smaller and lighter as a result of high heat transfer coefficient, high surface area density, and potentially counter-current flow.

PCHE can be designed for high pressure up to 500 bar and a temperature of over 800-degree Celsius. They can also be designed for low pressure drops even while handling hot gas and viscous liquids. There are many opportunities for PCHE technology like heating/cooling with heterogeneous catalysts, mixer-reactors, cooling of electronics, cooling and flow distribution plates for fuel cells, reactions using supercritical solvents. PCHE is manufactured by the process known as ‘diffusion bonding’ by a specialized solid-state joining process. In the process used by diffusion bonding, the heat exchanger has no welds, joints, or point of failure. This process results in high integrity and exceptional strength with high performance and efficiency.

Printed circuit heat exchangers can be categorized by type as stainless steel, nickel, cobalt-based alloys, copper, and titanium. Amongst all, the stainless steel is expected to grow and capture a significant market share in the future. In general, 300 series stainless steel is used for manufacturing PCHE. Stainless steel is ideal for PCHE as it has a wide range of benefits having innate properties. Stainless steel can withstand extreme hot as well as cold temperatures without any breakdown. The property of withstanding heavy industrial machinery drives the growth of the stainless steel segment.

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Printed circuit heat exchangers based on the application include hydrocarbon processing, petrochemical, and refining industries. Among all, petrochemical is expected highest CAGR in the future. Usually, fuels such as diesel may require heating before sending it to a diesel generator, whereas petrochemical plants produce volatile hydrocarbon with temp more than 260-degree Celsius, which initiate cooling. According to IEA, the petrochemical sector will hold more than one-third of the growth in world oil demand by 2030 and about half by 2050. With this increase in demand, international and national oil companies are investing substantially to set new production facilities. This is expected to create a huge opportunity for PCHE in the petrochemical sector.

The global PCHE market has been segmented geographically into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. With the rising demand in the petrochemical, chemical, and oil & gas industry, North America is expected to grow dynamically in the PCHE market. This region has several oil & gas industries and oceanic basin, the Gulf of Mexico. Government undertakings and initiatives are also expected to grow the market. Extensive utilization of PCHE in the chemical industry and refineries along with stringent government regulations, is expected to raise the market in Europe during the forecast period.  An increase in domestic gas production is responsible for a substantial growth rate in the PCHE market in Middle East Asia.  Due to industrialization, the Asia Pacific region is expected to accelerate growth. Many Asian countries are making efforts to create opportunities in the PCHE market such as the Central Processing Platform in Malaysia. With oil and gas companies looking forward to reinvigorating their network of refineries to maximize diesel and oil import, it is expected for considerable growth in South America.

Global printed circuit heat exchangers market can be segmented based on:

 By Type

• Stainless Steel
• Nickel
• Cobalt Based Alloys
• Copper
• Titanium

By Application

• Hydrocarbon Processing
• Petrochemical
• Refining Industries
• Other applications

Some Major PCHE manufacturers

• Alfa Laval
• Heatric
• Hexces
• Tanktech
• DongHwa Entec
• Shaanxi Zhituo Solid-State Additive Manufacturing
• Asvotec
• Vacuum Process Engineering
• Vacco Industries