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Plastic Extrusion Cooling-Air Recovery with Heat Pipe (Case Study)

A profile extruder cools lines with 45,000 m3/h of 60 C exhaust air. EN159 recovered heat with a heat-pipe unit to warm the shop make-up air.

The Challenge

Cooling exhaust carried heat that was vented while the shop needed make-up air heating in winter. The exhaust carried plastic fines.

Why Heat Pipe Air-to-Air Recovery

Heat pipes handle dusty exhaust with separated streams and no rotating seal to foul. For plastic-fines laden air, separated recovery is safer than a rotary wheel.

The EN159 Solution

EN159 heat-pipe modules, 45,000 m3/h, shop make-up air preheated from 10 C to 35 C, 4 degree tilt, prefiltered exhaust.

Measured Results

  • Recovered heat: about 0.6 MW
  • Make-up air preheated from 10 C to 35 C
  • Winter heating cost cut by 41 percent
  • Estimated payback: 18 months

Compliance and Selection Notes

Heat-pipe recovery, separated streams, prefiltered. Rotary wheel excluded for fines-laden duty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do plastic fines damage it?

A prefilter upstream protects the core; heat pipes themselves have no moving parts to wear.

Where does the recovered heat go?

To shop make-up air, reducing central heating load in winter.

Related Guides and Tools

Heat Pipe Heat Exchangers · Industrial Dryer Heat Recovery · Industrial Waste Heat Recovery · Contact EN159

Get a Site-Specific Recovery Estimate

Talk to an EN159 application engineer about your plastic extrusion exhaust stream. Call 15753355505 or visit our contact page for a site-specific recovery estimate.

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