HEAT EXCHANGERS

Industrial heat exchangers enable the transfer of thermal energy between two or more fluids at different temperatures without direct contact. They are key equipment for heating, cooling, condensing, evaporating, or recovering heat within industrial processes, improving energy efficiency and reducing operating costs.

At BOIXAC, we design custom-built heat exchangers, precisely adapted to the real operating conditions of each industrial process across sectors such as food processing, chemical, pharmaceutical, energy, paper, steelmaking, oil & gas (refineries), wastewater treatment, glass, and ceramics, among many others.

This page serves as the canonical guide to BOIXAC industrial heat exchangers, bringing together all available models, typologies, and applications.

What is an industrial heat exchanger?

A heat exchanger is equipment designed to transfer heat from one fluid to another in a controlled and safe manner, optimizing the thermal performance of the process while complying with current industrial regulations and standards.

Main objectives

  • Energy recovery

  • Reduction of energy consumption

  • Process stability

  • Temperature control

  • Increased industrial sustainability

How are industrial heat exchangers classified?

There are several engineering-based criteria used to classify heat exchangers.

By type of fluids

  • Gaseous fluids

  • Liquid fluids

  • Solid fluids (granulated or bulk)

  • High- or low-viscosity fluids

  • Corrosive or contaminating fluids

By mechanical construction

  • Tubular heat exchangers

  • Plate heat exchangers

  • Tube coils

  • Spiral heat exchangers

  • Custom-designed special equipment

By industrial application

  • Waste heat recovery

  • Product cooling

  • Fluid preheating

  • Condensation and evaporation

  • HVAC and industrial climate control

BOIXAC industrial heat exchanger models

At BOIXAC, we structure heat exchangers into technical families, each optimized for specific operating conditions. These families form the core of our industrial heat exchanger cluster.

By operating principle

Image of a custom-designed industrial economizer conceived by BOIXAC, available in stainless steel or carbon steel. Engineered for heat recovery from clean or dirty flue gases generated by boilers operating on natural gas, biomass, diesel, fuel oil and other fuels. The system is suitable for superheated water, steam, thermal oil and a wide range of process fluids, maximizing energy efficiency, reducing fuel consumption and lowering emissions in industrial applications.

Gas-to-liquid heat exchanger

Thermal transfer between gases and liquids in gas recovery, condensation, or cooling processes. Typical applications:

  • Economizer
  • Industrial boilers
  • Combustion processes
  • Flue gas treatment
Gas-to-gas heat exchanger engineered for combustion and process gases at high temperatures, enabling effective energy recovery in industrial systems.

Gas-to-gas heat exchanger

Designed for the treatment of combustion or process gases at high temperature, enabling thermal energy recovery in harsh industrial environments and improving overall system efficiency. Typical applications:

  • Combustion flue gases
  • Air preheating
  • Heat recovery units
  • Recuperative thermal oxidizers (RTO)
Industrial tube-in-tube heat exchanger with concentric tube design, suitable for compact installations requiring reliable thermal control under demanding operating conditions.

Liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger

Heat transfer between liquid fluids in process or secondary circuits. Typical applications:

  • Chemical industry
  • Food industry
  • Thermal circuits
  • Product cooling
Stainless steel BOIXAC pillow plate featuring enhanced thermal channels for maximum heat transfer efficiency, superior cleanability and reliable operation in harsh industrial environments.

Solid-to-liquid heat exchanger

Specific solutions for heating or cooling solids using a liquid fluid. Typical applications:

  • Granulated solids
  • Fluidized beds
  • Drying towers
  • Bulk products

By construction

The BOIXAC finned tube heat exchanger delivers high thermal performance for air treatment, industrial gases and thermal fluids. Robust construction, advanced conductivity and fully customizable configurations for water, steam, thermal oil and diathermic fluids. Engineered for HVAC, refrigeration and industrial heat-recovery applications.

Tubes heat exchanger

Robust and reliable designs for high pressures and temperatures. Product typologies:

  • Bare tubes
  • Tubes and fins
  • Finned tubes
Industrial heat exchanger designed for clean ambient air preheating in environmental and industrial applications, combining energy efficiency with strict air quality requirements.

Plates heat exchanger

High thermal efficiency in compact spaces. Product typologies:

  • Pillow plate / Dimple plate
  • Cross-flow
  • Gasketed plates
  • Removable plate heat exchangers
Steam heat exchanger engineered for industrial processes requiring fast, controlled and efficient heat transfer.

Tube coils

Compact solutions adapted to limited spaces or specific operating conditions. Product typologies:

  • Smooth tubes
  • Flat tubes
  • High temperature, thermal oil, steam
  • Seamless / Weldless coils

Special equipment

Heat exchanger designed for ice storage and thermal energy accumulation systems in industrial cooling applications.

Special heat exchangers

Designed for unique or extremely demanding applications, such as:

  • Cooling jackets
  • Ice accumulators
  • Pressurized heat exchangers
Aerotherm heater with integrated heat exchanger designed for industrial air heating and space conditioning applications.

Fan-assisted equipment

Incorporate forced ventilation to optimize heat dissipation or transfer. Applications:

  • Air coolers
  • Unit heaters
  • Chillers
  • Heat pumps

How to choose the right heat exchanger model

Selection depends on the type of fluid, temperatures, pressure, process objective, and installation conditions.

  • Identify fluid types and properties

  • Define operating temperatures and pressures

  • Determine the thermal objective of the process

  • Evaluate available space and maintenance requirements

  • Select materials and applicable standards (PED, ATEX, hygiene)

Common industrial applications

Heat exchangers are used in applications such as:

  • Cooling of chemical products

  • Preheating before reactions

  • Vapor condensation

  • Energy recovery

  • Industrial HVAC

  • Food and pharmaceutical processes

Custom heat exchanger manufacturing

At BOIXAC, we design tailor-made solutions, optimized for:

  • Energy efficiency

  • Durability and reliability

  • Ease of maintenance

  • Regulatory compliance

Contact our technical team and we will analyze your project

Agility

Service

Strength

Quality

FAQs

What is the best industrial heat exchanger model?

There is no universal model. It depends on the fluid, temperatures, pressure, available space, and process objective.

In industrial environments, the optimal solution is usually a custom-designed heat exchanger.

What types of heat exchangers exist?

Gas-to-liquid, gas-to-gas, liquid-to-liquid, solid-to-liquid, tubular, plate, coil, and special heat exchangers.

This classification allows selecting the most efficient model according to real operating and maintenance conditions.

What is the difference between a tubular heat exchanger and a plate heat exchanger?

Tubular heat exchangers better withstand high pressures and temperatures, while plate heat exchangers offer higher efficiency in a smaller footprint.

Tubular heat exchangers are especially suitable for processes with high pressures and temperatures, dirty fluids, or severe conditions. Plate heat exchangers, on the other hand, provide very efficient heat transfer in a compact volume, facilitating maintenance and cleaning in applications with clean fluids.

When is a custom heat exchanger necessary?

When a standard unit does not meet process requirements.

Corrosive fluids, high pressure, strict regulations, or special geometries require customized solutions.

What materials are used in industrial heat exchangers?

Carbon steel, stainless steel, special alloys, and corrosion-resistant materials.

Material selection depends on fluid type, temperature, pressure, and potential corrosion. Stainless steels are common in food and pharmaceutical industries, while special alloys are used in demanding chemical or petrochemical environments.

Which industrial applications use heat exchangers?

Chemical, food, pharmaceutical, HVAC, energy, and general industrial processes.

Heat exchangers are essential for energy recovery, product cooling, fluid preheating, vapor condensation, and industrial climate control systems. Each sector has specific requirements that determine the type of exchanger used.

How does energy efficiency affect heat exchanger selection?

Higher efficiency reduces energy consumption and operating costs.

An efficient heat exchanger improves heat transfer with lower losses, optimizes process performance, and reduces energy impact. In industrial environments, this translates into significant savings and greater sustainability.