Jan-2025
Achieve high efficiency in heat transfer equipment with HTRI digital twin tech (NARTC 2025)
Attendees at the COP29 conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, reiterated critical pledges to accelerate climate actions across various industrial sectors.
Simon Pugh, Hans Zettler, James Kennedy and Edward Ishiyama
Heat Transfer Research Inc
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Article Summary
Among these, improving energy efficiency in the process industry emerged as a pivotal area of focus. While heat transfer efficiency is just one contributor to overall sustainability goals, its role cannot be overlooked. Achieving high efficiency in heat transfer equipment is integral to reducing energy consumption and emissions, aligning directly with the ambitious climate action targets. In this context, the adoption of digital twin technologies has evolved from a luxury to an operational necessity.
Role of Digital Twins in Heat Transfer Efficiency
A digital twin should be a highly accurate virtual representation of a physical system that is directly connected to real-time monitoring data. By creating a near-real-time replica of a heat transfer system, digital twins enable detailed forensic analysis, providing critical insights into system performance. They answer pressing operational questions, such as the following:
• How well or poorly is the equipment performing?
• When might it move outside safe operational ranges?
• How can operations be optimised to maintain safety, reduce emissions, and maximise profitability?
Through these capabilities, high-fidelity digital twins empower operators to proactively manage equipment, ensuring peak performance and reliability.
HTRI: Innovating heat transfer research and solutions
Heat Transfer Research, Inc. (HTRI) is at the forefront of developing solutions to advance predictive and preventive maintenance. At our advanced research facility in Navasota, Texas, we conduct real-world applied research using pilot-scale units designed in collaboration with industry members. These units replicate the conditions of operating refineries and process plants, providing unparalleled insights into the performance of heat transfer equipment.
Complementing our physical experiments, we leverage advanced computational tools such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and laser anemometry for detailed visualisation and analysis. Our experimental data represent the largest repository of heat transfer expertise globally, supporting rigorous evaluations of thermal and hydraulic performance, vibration analysis, flow maldistribution, two-phase flow regimes, and their impact on overall performance.
Integrating Research Insights into Digital Solutions
HTRI incorporates research results into proprietary software solutions. These tools enable users to assess heat transfer performance across micro, meso, and macro scales (see Figure 1):
• Micro level: Tube bundle vibration and skin temperature monitoring linked to corrosion and creep.
• Meso level: Individual heat exchanger performance.
• Macro level: Total network economics.
HTRI’s flagship software, Xchanger Suite®, supports the design, simulation, and rating of a wide variety of heat transfer equipment, including shell-and-tube exchangers, air coolers, economisers, and fired heaters. This suite is integrated with HTRIconnect™, which serves as a bridge from HTRI software to data historians and automates performance analysis (see Figure 2).
HTRIconnect provides the following benefits:
• Organising and tagging HTRI files with metadata for streamlined management.
• Generating detailed performance reports using precision analytics.
• Linking rigorous HTRI exchanger models to data historians for real-time monitoring.
• Harnessing parallel processing for efficient computation of hundreds of digital twins.
HTRI SmartPM™: Performance monitoring, predictive and precision maintenance
HTRI’s SmartPM models are dynamic digital twins that offer predictive capabilities. These models integrate advanced AI-driven analytics to deliver high-definition insights into fouling behaviour and system performance.
This advanced methodology enables plant operators to optimise maintenance schedules, extend equipment run times, and enhance operational efficiency. Figure 3 illustrates the predictive analytic capabilities of SmartPM, specifically how past and future performance metrics are tracked and used to inform decision-making.
Proven Success of Digital Twin Modelling
HTRI tools have been successfully applied across numerous real-world scenarios. Several case studies, available on https://www.htri.net/software/smartpm/case-studies, highlight the tangible results:
- Monitoring fouling and slagging in fired heaters: SmartPM identified critical links between furnace fuel types and operational lifespan, enabling energy efficiency improvements.
- Optimising cleaning and energy savings: Strategically implementing exchanger bypasses and optimising cleaning schedules resulted in significant fuel savings and reduced CO₂ emissions.
- Maximising productivity across refineries: Adopting SmartPM within digital transformation programs allowed operators to maximise energy recovery and validate in-house research.
- Forensic analysis of heat exchanger networks: SmartPM facilitated detailed analysis of individual exchangers and entire networks, aiding in operational planning and turnaround activities.
Driving the Future of Heat Transfer Innovation
As industries embrace digital transformation, tools like HTRI’s Xchanger Suite, HTRIconnect, and SmartPM provide a solid foundation for achieving climate goals while enhancing operational efficiency. These innovations not only support COP29 pledges but also establish a framework for sustainable practices in the process industry. Leveraging digital twin technologies makes a company’s journey toward reducing emissions and optimising energy usage both attainable and profitable.
HTRI remains committed to leading this transformation through rigorous research, advanced software, and practical solutions for the process industry. Together, these efforts position us to make meaningful contributions to global climate action, one heat exchanger at a time.
This short article originally appeared in the 2025 NARTC Newspaper, which you can VIEW HERE
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