Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Enters Next-Generation Heat Exchanger Market... Full-Scale Production of Large PCHE Begins

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyewon] Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction is accelerating its push into the printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE) market, known as the 'next-generation heat exchanger.'

On the 23rd, Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction announced that it has secured core technologies such as flow path design and process technology, and recently completed the installation of a 600-ton high-temperature press (high-temperature diffusion bonding furnace) capable of manufacturing large-scale PCHEs.

A heat exchanger is a device designed to transfer heat for the purpose of cooling or heating fluids (water, air, hydrogen, nitrogen, etc.) between two or more fluids. PCHE is an upgraded heat exchanger manufactured by chemically etching and processing fine fluid channels on substrates, stacking multiple layers, and applying high temperature and high pressure.

Compared to conventional shell-and-tube heat exchangers, PCHEs can be manufactured at less than one-tenth the size, increasing heat exchange efficiency by more than 90%. Additionally, by using premium materials such as stainless steel and superalloys, they can be applied in harsh operating environments with ultra-high temperatures (below 900℃) and ultra-high pressures (below 1500 bar). In particular, the compact size of PCHEs offers the advantage of enabling heat exchange within limited spaces, leading to expanding demand across various fields.

Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction has been recognized for its technology by securing orders for domestic hydrogen refueling station PCHE prototypes and is currently preparing to supply follow-up projects. Furthermore, with the installation of the 600-ton high-temperature press, the company has secured orders and will manufacture large-scale PCHEs for gas turbines and the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER).

Na Giyong, Vice President of Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction, stated, "We have secured core flow path design technology by utilizing specialized research personnel with expertise in power generation heat exchanger design, and based on our experience operating conventional forging presses, we have early manufacturing capabilities for PCHEs. Moving forward, we will expand our business into various fields such as hydrogen, LNG ships, gas turbines, and fuel cells."

The domestic market size related to PCHE is expected to reach approximately 200 billion KRW annually by 2030.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.