Performance and Applicability of the New Material Heat Exchanger to Substitute for Titanium Available to Purchase

Heat exchanger takes important role in economic feasibility for Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) or Sea Water Air Conditioning (SWAC) systems. As the portion of heat exchanger made of titanium (Ti) with anti-corrosion function against seawater is more than 20∼30% of total initial cost, the economical feasibility can be enhanced by replacing titanium with cheaper corrosion-resistant materials or treatment methods. This study carry out to examine the corrosion-resistant property of Electrodeposited Oxy-Nitriding Steel (EONS) plate, it turns out life time of the EONS plate is more than 13.9 years. Also, the heat transfer performance for condensation and evaporation of the EONS plate heat exchanger were found to be 11.3% and 7% higher than those of Ti plate heat exchanger. If the life time of the EONS plate of 13.9 years compared to the Ti plate which could be assumed about 30 years, then practical application is possible whether its production cost is found to be less than 46.5% of Ti plate. Lower cost of mass-producing EONS plate by 45% than existing Ti plate seems to enable the substitution in OTEC and SWAC.