Heat exchanger
On an industrial heat exchanger, IoT sensors measure temperatures and pressure differences upstream and downstream and report deviations immediately. Blockages and falling heat output are noticed before supply or production fails.
Heat exchanger at a glance
Most frequent in the projects on this page
Technologies
Users in these projects
Verified projects featuring Heat exchanger
Industrial heat exchanger monitoring: temperatures and pressure
At Kögelhof, ifm TT1250 temperature probes sit upstream and downstream of a school's plate heat exchanger, on both the hot and cold water side. An AL2384 IO-Link temperature module takes up to four sensors and passes the values to the io-key, which sends them via cellular network to the moneo cloud. Because temperatures change only slowly, a transmission cycle of 60 seconds is sufficient. At the feed-in point, values run via an IO-Link master and the moneo edgeGateway. In cathodic dip painting, the Nexeed Industrial Application System from Bosch Connected Industry monitors not only the filter pressure but also the temperature and pressure difference upstream and downstream of the heat exchanger and the opening rate of the three-way valve.
The examples come from energy and agriculture and from the automotive industry, as temperature and filter monitoring within condition monitoring. Hermann Müller, operator of the Kögelhof biogas plant, supplies a school in Mochenwangen with heat via a 1.5-kilometre pipeline. He is alerted automatically if the incoming temperature or the difference between flow and return falls too far. In the paint shop, individually defined rules report as soon as a value becomes critical. Filter changes can be planned, even for weekends, and according to Bosch, unplanned breakdowns caused by clogged filters are a thing of the past.
Industrial heat exchangers: frequently asked questions
How can an industrial plate heat exchanger be monitored remotely?
An industrial plate heat exchanger can be monitored remotely with temperature sensors on all four connections and a cellular gateway. At the school in Mochenwangen, four ifm probes measure hot and cold water upstream and downstream of the heat exchanger. An IO-Link module collects the values and the io-key sends them to the moneo cloud, so no local network is required. Dashboards, calculated values and limit values are set up there.
How does heat exchanger fouling monitoring work on an industrial plant?
On an industrial plant, heat exchanger fouling shows up as changes in the temperature and pressure differences upstream and downstream of the unit. The condition of the filters often cannot be measured directly, and once clogged there is little time to change them. Bosch Connected Industry therefore records both differences as well as the opening rate of the three-way valve in addition to the filter pressure. If a value exceeds its defined limit, the maintenance technician receives a notification.
What does temperature monitoring show on an industrial heat exchanger?
On an industrial heat exchanger, temperature monitoring of flow and return shows whether enough heat reaches the unit and is transferred. At Kögelhof, they are measured to track heat loss along the pipeline and to avoid temperature fluctuations in the classroom. The service water is heated to at least 60 degrees Celsius to prevent legionella from multiplying. If the difference falls too far, or the return temperature of the service water drops, the operator is alerted automatically.
Why does heat exchanger pressure drop matter so much in e-coating?
Heat exchanger pressure drop matters because, in e-coating, the heat exchanger keeps the dip bath temperature constant and even a few degrees of difference cause high costs. A pump continuously circulates the paint through a filter and heat exchanger. If they become clogged with deposits, the paint flow through the cooling section is no longer sufficient. In the worst case, the entire e-coat bath has to be replaced unexpectedly, which can lead to a long plant shutdown.
More assets in “Machinery and Equipment”
Pump
Pump monitoring with IoT records vibration, temperature, pressure and energy consumption of running pumps. Operators detect damage and faults before a pump fails and plan maintenance by condition rather than at fixed intervals.
Compressor
With IoT, compressor maintenance follows actual condition: sensors record current consumption, pressure, temperature and running times. Operators detect creeping damage and unused running time early and cut energy and service costs.
Electric motor
Motor condition monitoring with IoT continuously measures the vibration, temperature and current draw of electric motors. Operators detect imbalance, bearing damage or winding faults early and replace motors based on condition rather than after a failure.
Packaging machine
OEE software automatically records run times, downtime, speed and rejects on packaging machines from the machine signals. Operators see where their lines lose performance, and machine builders use the same data for remote access and digital services.
Refrigeration system
A refrigeration monitoring system makes service plannable: temperatures, refrigerant circuit pressures, compressor status and energy consumption flow into a platform in real time. Operators and service partners detect faults early, avoid unnecessary site visits and reduce excess consumption.
Air conditioning system
Commercial air conditioning systems in offices, retail branches and data centres can be monitored remotely with IoT. Operators see energy consumption, temperatures and faults in one place, detect failing compressors or refrigerant shortages early and plan service visits precisely.
IIoT Use Case user group
What no project tells you
What did the project cost? Which sensor didn't survive in the field? How did you get maintenance on board? 300+ industrial users discuss questions like these with each other every month, openly and without vendors in the room.
Frequent topics in these projects, bring your questions:
- Condition Monitoring
- Predictive Maintenance
Online every month
Alternating tech and business focus
Users only
No sales pitches, exchange under NDA
300+ members
OT, IT and IIoT leads from industry
