Read more in Sperre Performance vol. 1 2012

Performance
through superior technology
Sperre Technical Review No. 1 - 2012
Solving the
challenges of seawater cooling
Sperre Pleat coolers
www.sperre.com/pleat
Out in the market
3
Norled expects
improved
operational
regularity
6-7
Designed for easy
handling
12-14
www.sperre.com
New technology
solves old challenges
We have brought two unique cooler solutions to the market,
challenging competitors in plate coolers and box coolers.
Considering the way our technology has been received in terms
of sales, and praise from prominent players in the market,
we honestly believe we have started to change the industry’s
perception of how maintenance-friendly marine coolers can be.
The development of the proprietary Sperre Pleat cooler technology is based on a meticulous research and development
programme, going on for the last three years in Sperre. As a part
of this programme, markets have been researched, methods
for industrialization have been evaluated, end-users have been
interviewed, and prototypes have been continuously field-tested
in commercial operation – all with compelling and outstanding
results.
Seawater quickly leads
to fouling of the cooling system. More on page 4.
To strengthen our assumptions regarding the demand in the
marine industry, we have had discussions with ship owners,
engineers, officers, ship designers, shipbuilders and engine
suppliers to reveal current practice. The unambiguous answers
we have received tell us that there is a significant potential for
savings as a result of easier maintenance of coolers.
The Sperre Pleat solution has many similarities with conventional
plate coolers, which have been widely used in the marine industry
for decades. But there is one major difference: ease of maintenance. All heat exchangers need to be disassembled and cleaned
periodically to prevent pressure drop due to fouling and other
pollutants. With the Sperre Pleat cooler, the cleaning challenges
related to seawater as a cooling source have been solved,
increasing uptime for the vessel, and enabling an efficient and
problem-free working day for the crew.
A senior marine specialist told us: “Finally there is a cooler made
for the nature of our business”. The marine industry has found the
solutions to the challenges of cooler maintenance. It is all about
performance through technology.
Erik Langseth
CEO of Sperre
It takes less than an hour for one person to maintain a medium-sized
Sperre Pleat cooler.
Sperre has delivered coolers, like
the Sperre Tube cooler, for the
marine market since the early
1970s.
Sperre Performance, No. 1, 2012
Published by Sperre Mek. Verksted AS
NO-6057 Ellingsøy, Norway
Tel. +47 70 16 11 00
www.sperre.com
2
Editor in Chief: Erik Langseth
Editor: Øyvind Michael Olsen, Doxacom AS
Translations: Margaret Forbes,
Forbes Translation and Text
Photos: Tony Hall, Marius Beck Dahle
Production: TIBE Ålesund
Illustrations: Sperre, Fuglefjellet, Global Maritime
and TIBE
Sperre Rack coolers
The best of three worlds.
More on page 19 - 20.
Sperre Pleat coolers
Out in the market
Presenting the seawater cooling solution: The patented Pleat technology presented by (from left) Erik Langseth (CEO, Sperre Group), Stein Oddvar Sægrov (CEO, Pleat
AS), Ole Kristian Sperre (Managing Director, Sperre Industri AS) Rune Myklebust (Managing Director, Sperre Coolers AS) and Sindre Lorgen (Production Manager, Sperre
Coolers).
“Our original plan was to launch the Sperre Pleat coolers in the
after-sales market first. But shipowners and designers wanted
to get these coolers for newbuilds as well. So we changed the
plan. We are pleased to serve both markets, and are ready to
deliver coolers to everyone who wants to reduce maintenance
problems and cost,” reports Rune Myklebust, Managing Director
at Sperre Coolers AS.
“As coolers leave our factory, our experience
is that our approach to seawater cooling fits
well in all the applications that challenge us.
The cooling basics are the same for everyone.
With the Sperre Pleat coolers in a variety of
sizes, we can offer effective solutions for
central cooling, auxiliary cooling, and various
combinations of high- and low-temperature
engine cooling,” says Rune Myklebust.
problem for the crew or the budget. Make
a good plan and clean whenever a few
minutes are available, and the systems will
work well continuously with no downtime,”
says Myklebust.
“There is no longer any reason to consider
the cleaning of coolers to be a hassle, a task
that is easy to postpone, or a substantial
3
Challenges of seawater cooling
Seawater presents major cleaning challenges:
This photo (from MF ”Rennesøy”, 29 November
2010) shows that seawater quickly leads
to fouling of the cooling system.
MF ”Rennesøy”
Photo: Erlend Widerøe Henning
4
Sperre Pleat coolers
The solution to the challenges
“A Sperre Pleat solution
means peace of mind
for the shipowner.”
Rune Myklebust, Managing Director, Sperre Coolers AS
The new Sperre Pleat
cooling technology offers
the benefits of conventional
plate coolers. But there
is one major difference:
ease of maintenance. With
the Sperre Pleat cooler,
Sperre has solved the
cleaning challenges related
to seawater as a cooling
source. This helps to increase
operational reliability for the
vessel, and enables a more
efficient and problem-free
working day for the crew.
“Seawater is a very stable and reliable
cooling source in marine cooling, but
it presents major cleaning challenges.
Seawater quickly leads to fouling of the
cooling system, and so it is important
to design for simple and effective
maintenance operations,” says Rune
Myklebust, Managing Director at Sperre
Coolers AS.
Unique ease of maintenance required
“Lack of maintenance friendliness is the
biggest problem with today’s plate coolers.
It means high costs as well as considerable
time and use of resources for shipping
companies. The complexity of cleaning
and assembly is so great that a number of
shipping companies use expensive service
teams to do the job, and they have to
plan carefully to avoid problems caused by
fouling of coolers. The Sperre Pleat coolers
are designed from scratch - purely to solve
these substantial problems, and make the
task simple for the crew,” adds Myklebust.
Increased operational reliability
The Sperre Pleat cooler is especially suitable
for cooling critical applications such as
propulsion and auxiliary engines. Shipping
companies often postpone maintenance
of the plate coolers until a problem arises.
Because propulsion power is limited
to available cooling capacity, this is an
undesirable situation.
“A Sperre Pleat solution means peace of
mind for the shipowner,” concludes Rune
Myklebust.
Success at the first attempt: “Cleaning a Sperre Pleat
cooler is a matter of quick disassembly, powerful high
pressure cleaning, and easy assembly. Any crew member
will succeed at the first attempt,” says Ellen Aakre at Sperre.
5
Sperre Pleat coolers
Expects improved operational
regularity
In the upgrade of the car ferry MF “Folgefonn”, Norled AS has chosen to install the extremely maintenance-friendly Pleat coolers from Sperre. Sperre Coolers will supply
efficient and continuous cooling with Sperre Pleat coolers for four new Caterpillar generator sets on board.
“The great advantages of Sperre Pleat coolers are that they have a simple design, they are
lightweight, and not least, they are very maintenance-friendly. This influences operational
regularity,” says Project Manager Peter Hansen at Norled AS.
Norled AS is the new name of the former Tide Sjø AS. The enterprise
is now a dedicated shipping company and a wholly owned subsidiary
of Det Stavangerske Dampskibsselskab (Stavangerske). Norled has
upgraded the car ferry MF “Folgefonn” with eight Sperre Pleat
coolers for four new Caterpillar generator sets on board. Each of the
four generator sets has one cooler for high temperature (HT) and one
for low temperature (LT), with one cooling element in each of them.
As an operator of ferry and express boats, what are your
challenges as far as cooling is concerned?
“Cleaning coolers is a known problem for everyone in the industry.
Fouling by mussels and other shellfish is the major problem. We also
find that the cooling effect is reduced by sand, rust and scale in the
cooling systems and by external objects such as jellyfish and refuse
from the harbour basins, which clog the systems.”
What expectations for improved operational regularity do you
have with the new Sperre Pleat coolers?
“These coolers are very lightweight and easy to handle. This makes
them more maintenance-friendly for the crew. With four generator
sets, we expect to be able to take out one or two coolers for
maintenance even when the ferry is in operation. This means we
can alternate use of the engines and carry out maintenance during
normal operation. While testing Sperre Pleat coolers on board
another ferry, MF “Rennesøy”, we have seen that we can dismantle,
clean and assemble the cooler in 15 minutes. So there is nothing to
stop us doing maintenance during short stops in port,” says Hansen.
He says that it is important for the shipping company that the
6
crew do not need any special knowledge to be able to perform
maintenance of the coolers without the risk of leaks.
“With Pleat coolers, there is little chance of making mistakes along
the way. The cooler is simple with a robust structure so that there
are few parts that could break. The simple design helps to make it
easy for us to identify whether it is the cooler or something else that
is influencing the cooling effect. You can see this by measuring the
temperatures on the equipment around the cooler, or it is easy to
open the cooler to check whether it is watertight.”
All the eight coolers use exactly the same elements. The robust
elements have inlet filters with good capacity and a practical handle
for carrying them, and they weigh only 16.6 kg each.
“All these factors increase the operational regularity, and they help to
reduce costs. Since we now have identical coolers with standardized
elements and gaskets, we can reduce our stocks of spare parts, save
space, simplify our logistics, and reduce the risk of making mistakes.
For example, it is not possible to use the wrong type of gasket when
they are to be replaced. And the gaskets seem to be so robust that it
doesn’t look as though we need to keep them in stock. Instead, we
can just contact Sperre when we need them”, Hansen comments.
MF “Folgefonn” was built at Trondheim Verft in 1998. The ferry has
a capacity of 300 passengers and 76 vehicles. The shipping company
has chosen to upgrade the ferry with four new Caterpillar generator
sets from Pon Power, which generate power for two Aquamaster
azimuth thrusters.
Looking forward to gaining
new experience
Project Manager Peter Hansen at Norled expects that the crew on board the MF “Folgefonn” will have a much simpler maintenance job related to the cooling of the main
engines on board.
“We are looking forward to gaining new experience with new and larger versions of Sperre
Pleat coolers on board MF “Folgefonn”. With more engines, we can cover a much broader
range of experience than we did on MF “Rennesøy”. This will now give us greater potential
to measure savings in maintenance and operational regularity, crew satisfaction both on
deck and in the engine room, and not least, reduced costs,” says Peter Hansen.
Full-scale testing of the first-generation Sperre Pleat coolers took
place on board Norled’s former car ferry MF “Rennesøy”. Norled
was involved in the development of the Sperre Pleat technology
through a collaborative project with Pleat AS (Sperre), Simon
Møkster Shipping and Innovation Norway. Peter Hansen has been
involved since Pleat AS started the development project about four
years ago.
Why is it important for Norled to take part in development
projects like this one?
“If the people who know the everyday operational challenges
can take part in influencing the development of the product,
we believe that will play an important part in achieving user
friendliness right from the start. We believe it is extremely
valuable for us as a shipping company to make our resources
and experience available to designers, engineers and equipment
suppliers. As a shipping company, we see the value of introducing
products that offer quality, reliability and maintainability. If we can
also help to make the product more competitive in terms of price,
it is obviously an advantage for us,” adds Hansen with a smile.
What experiences have you gained from the full-scale
testing on board MF “Rennesøy”?
“As long as we had the coolers on board, we only heard
approving comments from the crew,” said Hansen.
“Compared with other types of coolers, especially plate coolers,
but also shell and tube coolers and box coolers, these are far more
maintenance friendly. It is easier to ensure that they do not get
clogged, we avoid operational disruptions, and so everyday life on
board is safer and more secure. When the ship is on schedule, the
crew feels that the workday goes better, and with the reduced risk
of downtime there is also less potential for adverse events. All in
all, we feel that this has been a successful project, and that it has
met the expectations we had when we decided to take part,” says
Peter Hansen at Norled.
The first generation of the Sperre Pleat cooler was tested on board the car ferry MF
“Rennesøy”. During the test period, Sperre and Norled could confirm that the new
cooling technology fulfilled the expectations.
Photo: Erlend Widerøe Henning
7
Norled has upgraded the car ferry MF “Folgefonn” with
eight Sperre Pleat coolers for four new Caterpillar generator
sets on board.
8
Edmund Stenseth prepares the shipment of the Sperre Pleat coolers,
a part of this Pon Power package delivery, from the Sperre factory
at Ellingsøy, Ålesund.
Sperre Pleat coolers
A part of Pon Power’s package
Norled has upgraded the car ferry MF “Folgefonn” at Westcon. The upgrade includes
a package delivery from Pon Power, consisting of four complete generator sets where
Sperre’s new Pleat coolers have been selected. Westcon is responsible for the delivery
and the installation in relation to the shipping company Norled (previously Tide Sjø).
Each of the four generator sets has one cooler for high
temperature (HT) and one for low temperature (LT), with a
cooling element in each, amounting to eight Sperre Pleat
coolers.
Terje Willumsen is Pon Power’s account manager for Westcon.
He says that they have a strong focus on making sure that their
solutions enable smooth operation of the shipping company’s
vessels. Sperre Performance asked him what
he expects from the delivery and Sperre Pleat
coolers.
“We hope that the choice of Sperre Pleat
coolers for this project helps to make the crew’s
life easier as far as maintenance is concerned.
In this project, the capacity of the Pleat coolers
also helped to make it possible for us to keep
the existing pump installation, even though the
ferry’s original engine only needed one cooler.”
a single element ready on board to replace another one that
needs cleaning.”
Other advantages of Sperre Pleat coolers?
“It seems to be easier to position a Sperre Pleat cooler in the
engine room, both for installation in newbuildings and for
maintenance. In newbuildings, the coolers compete with many
other components that take up space in engine rooms with
limited space. And dismantling the Sperre Pleat
cooler for maintenance does not need much
elbow room.”
What do you think about using Sperre
Pleat coolers in future projects?
“Pon Power is continuously working with many
suppliers. Price, delivery time, and functionality
are important selection criteria.
We have an ongoing dialogue with our
subcontractors to optimize deliveries in the
future, and we are looking forward to trying
out this technology.”
What are the advantages of package
deliveries like this one?
We know that those who have Sperre Pleat
“There are fewer suppliers to relate to – it’s
coolers are satisfied so far, and we are keen
possibly the shipyard which benefits most from
to start the first project together with Norled
that. For example, as the engine supplier, it’s
Terje Willumsen is Pon Power’s account
and Westcon. Pon Power regards the
our responsibility – not the yard’s – to make sure manager for Westcon.
development of Sperre Pleat coolers as
that the coolers have the right dimensions in reinteresting, and we will be watching the project closely,”
lation to the total delivery. As well as the equipment itself,
concludes Terje Willumsen, Pon Power’s account manager for
our delivery includes project manuals with full drawings and
Westcon.
documentation, including for our subcontracts such as the
Sperre Pleat coolers.”
How much does it mean to have standardized elements,
gaskets, etc. for the coolers?
“If Sperre can build up a stock of standard components, one of
the great advantages will be a short lead time for deliveries. For
some projects, very fast delivery is a critical factor, for example
for retrofits or breakdowns. In the newbuilding market, delivery
time is not so critical, but not having to deal with special parts
can make it simpler for the shipping company to maintain stocks
and reduce maintenance costs. Standardization of components
can also help to keep costs down for Sperre as a supplier”
Can shipping companies expect improved operational
regularity with Sperre Pleat coolers?
“That depends on what experience the shipping companies
have with their coolers today, but one of the known challenges
related to traditional coolers is that maintenance is time
consuming. Assembly after cleaning is also a demanding
operation. Sperre Pleat coolers are designed for easy cleaning,
and it is easy to assemble them again afterwards. That also
minimizes the risk of leaks after assembly.”
Pon Power
Pon Power is an independent supplier of highly complex solutions
for engine rooms and propulsion, like Cat and Mak engines and
generator sets. The company supplies systems covering the entire
product range from 6.4 to 16,200 kW, which are primarily used as
propulsion engines, auxiliary engines, and for the supply of primary
power or emergency power.
Westcon
Westcon Yard AS is located in Ølensvåg on the west coast of
Norway. West Contractors AS (Westcon) was established in 1981,
but the shipyard’s history dates back to 1963. Today, the yard has
more than 500 employees. In 2011, it changed its name to Westcon
Yard AS.
“You don’t have to spend hours dismantling and assembling
individual plates. Instead, Sperre Pleat has large cooling surfaces
combined in one element, which is easy to remove and replace
in the cooler. That means that shipping companies can have
9
Sperre Pleat coolers
From idea to industrial product
The development of the proprietary Sperre Pleat cooler technology is based on a research
and development programme started five years ago by Pleat AS in Stavanger, continuing
in cooperation with Sperre from 2009. Now the first products are in the market after
compelling and outstanding results.
Development of the patented pleat technology started at Pleat AS in Stavanger, in
which Sperre has a holding and all the
proprietary rights for the use of the technology in the marine market from 2009.
Then Sperre and Pleat AS started the specific
development of the industrialized Sperre
Pleat cooler, and they are now in the market
with a marine-focused functional cooler
designed for effective mass production.
The enormous need for heat exchanger
technology that was more maintenancefriendly was discovered early in the first
stages of development.
Innovation Norway has supported the
development and test project with its
IFU programme (industrial research and
development contracts), playing an
important role in creating successful industrial
cooperation. Innovation Norway is the
Norwegian Government’s most important
instrument for innovation and development
of Norwegian enterprises and industry.
Required end-users attending
As early as the first half of 2007, Innovation
Norway approved the development
project with Pleat AS, and supported the
development, requiring the development to
be a joint effort based on their IFU model,
which required end-users attending.
The purpose was to prove the unique
10
features of the technology, and to verify
the overall performance and rigidity.
During the research and development
programme, markets have been researched,
methods for industrialization have been
evaluated, end-users have been interviewed,
and prototypes have been continuously
field-tested in commercial operation.
The cooler, consisting of one cooler element,
was connected to a Caterpillar 3406T engine,
and showed capabilities of delivery above the
expected cooling capacity. The cooler
has been in operation since 2008, and is
still in full operation. Even though the test
cooler element is a prototype, the results
are beyond expectations.
The Sperre Pleat cooler for marine applications has been developed in an industrial
cooperation with full-scale testing on board
operative vessels at Simon Møkster Shipping
AS and Norled AS (previously Tide Sjø),
respectively with their vessels “Stril Neptun”
(platform supply vessel) and MF “Rennesøy”
(car ferry) and their skilled marine personnel.
Prototype 1 - MF “Rennesøy”
In June 2008, the first prototype of the
Sperre Pleat cooler was installed on board
the car ferry MF Rennesøy for a full-scale
test. It showed that all the incorporated new
functionalities were delivering the expected
results, representing a quantum leap within
heat exchange and its maintenance features.
Prototype 2 – “Stril Neptun”
Later, the same year, the second prototype
of the Sperre Pleat cooler was subjected
to full-scale testing on board the platform
supply vessel “Stril Neptun”. Test results
were very promising from the start.
Stril Neptun. Courtesy of Simon Møkster Shipping.
MF “Rennesøy”.
Cooling the air compressors on board the “Ro Master”
Sperre Pleat delivered to the wellboat
specialist Aas Mek. Verksted
Needs little space: “The Sperre Pleat cooler,
which needs relatively little space, was easy to
position together with the compressors and the
oxygen tanks in an area in which there is very
little room in the first place,” says Olav Aas,
Technical Manager at Aas Mek. Verksted.
Sperre Pleat cooler on “Ro Master”: Sperre Coolers have delivered a Sperre Pleat cooler of the type
DN65 to Aas Mek. Verksted A/S for installation in “Ro Master”, a wellboat in the Rostein fleet.
Sperre Coolers have delivered a Sperre Pleat cooler of type DN65 to Aas Mek. Verksted A/S
for installation in “Ro Master”, a wellboat in the Rostein fleet. The cooler consists of two
cooling elements, and provides the cooling for two air compressors of the type Atlas Copco
GA75, using seawater as the cooling medium.
Wellboats transport live fish between fish
farms and fish processing plants. One
compressor produces ozone for cleaning
the piping and tank systems in the vessel,
and the other compressor produces
oxygen, which is added to the water in the
well for fish on board.
The Sperre Pleat cooler was recently
installed on board the “Ro Master” being
upgraded by Aas Mek. Verksted, and so it
has not been used until now, but Olav Aas,
Technical Manager at the shipyard, already
has some impressions of the new cooling
solution from Sperre.
“The Sperre Pleat cooler could be a good
alternative to shell and tube coolers, plate
coolers, and box coolers. Because it is
made of stainless metal and composite
materials, it does not corrode. The coolers
are relatively small, and it has been easy to
place them together with the compressors
and the oxygen tanks in an area where
there was very little room in the first place.
It is also very lightweight, which means
most of the sizes can easily be handled by
one person alone,” he says.
“Probably the greatest advantage of the
Sperre Pleat is that it is so service friendly.
It can be opened in an instant, it is easy
to take out the cooling elements, and it
is very easy to clean. On plate coolers,
which it is most natural to compare them
with, there are a lot of plates to deal with,
and you have to be careful when cleaning
both plates and gaskets to prevent leaks.
It is easy for the gaskets to loosen during
dismantling of the cooler, and if they do
loosen it is a battle to get them glued on
again,” Aas explains.
“Keeping in mind the placement of the
cooler between a number of oxygen
tanks, it was easy to position it with few
adaptations. It simply takes little space in
relation to its capacity, and that’s also in
comparison with plate coolers. As well
as the rack itself, plate coolers have long
bars to which the plates are connected to
ensure the right seal between plates and
gaskets. This is not necessary with a Sperre
Pleat cooler in which the cooling elements
can simply be tilted out and in of the rack.
“It is easy to extend the cooling capacity
of a Pleat cooler by adding more cooling
elements, and if you manage to utilize the
capacity effectively, it is no more expensive
than other solutions. On the other hand,
if the capacity is not quite enough for
the cooling load, so that you have to go
up a step by adding one extra cooling
element, the cost might be a little higher.
In other words - to pick out something
about Pleat coolers compared with plate
coolers - it is easier to increase the capacity
gradually in a plate cooler by adding one
plate at a time. But most people want a
good buffer for the cooling capacity, so it’s
not a problem that the capacity is slightly
oversized,” he says.
Olav Aas says that the good delivery time
was the main factor that influenced Aas
Mek. Verksted’s choice of Sperre Pleat
coolers this time.
“The delivery period was a critical factor,
but naturally we were curious about the
new technology. Usually the shipowner
or ship designer chooses coolers, but this
time it was up to us. We are committed to
using products from suppliers nearby us,
not only to support them, but because we
believe that it gives us a great advantage
to be able to deliver quickly and with high
quality through effective cooperation with
local manufacturers. Sperre is a long-term
business partner, and we have had a good
relationship with them over the years.
The compressors from Sperre are reliable,
and we always get the help and technical
support we need,” adds Olav Aas,
Technical Manager at Aas Mek. Verksted.
11
Sperre Pleat coolers
From a whole day of work to
less than an hour
“Getting a plate cooler
watertight after you have
cleaned it can be a real hassle.”
Per Arne Riksheim, Ulstein Design & Solutions
8 hours
Plate heat exchanger
1 hour
Sperre Pleat cooler
Cleaning time reduced from 8 hours to 1: A day’s work for one or two people is widely accepted as the time needed for maintenance of a medium-sized/large plate cooler
(left). With Sperre Pleat technology, the job takes less than an hour for one person (right).
A day’s work for one or two
people is widely accepted
as the time needed for
maintenance of a mediumsized to large plate cooler.
With Sperre Pleat technology,
the job takes less than an
hour for one person.
The maintenance operation with the
Sperre Pleat technology is considerably
simpler than for conventional plate coolers,
and involves dismantling, high-pressure
cleaning, and assembly of a few robust
elements – unlike conventional plate heat
exchangers, which may have more than
100 individual plates and gaskets.
Assembly problem is solved
In addition to the need for extensive
cleaning, the assembly of plate heat
exchangers is a well-known problem.
With old and worn gaskets, ever-greater
pressure between the plates is needed to
prevent leakage, if one succeeds in getting
the cooler sealed at all. In a Sperre Pleat
cooler, this problem is eliminated because
the sealing pressure between the elements
is ideal when the robust surfaces of the
frames meet. More on page 17.
12
Complex versus easy process: The assembly of plate coolers is a well-known problem. The assembly of a few
robust Sperre Pleat elements is very easy.
Few elements – easy handling
Fast and easy: 4 elements and 5 gaskets in a Sperre Pleat cooler (right) replace 60 plates and the corresponding number of gaskets in a plate cooler (left). A conventional
plate heat exchanger is difficult to assemble, and to get sealed after maintenance. A Sperre Pleat cooler is sealed on the first attempt. More on page 17.
Few elements: One Sperre Pleat cooling element (right) replaces about 15 to 20 plates in a conventional plate cooler. This simplifies the maintenance operation from
individual cleaning and probably gasket replacement for about 15 plates to a single high-pressure wash of one element. This also makes it very easy to replace elements
if needed.
One Sperre Pleat cooling element replaces about 15 plates
in a conventional plate heat exchanger.
“In brief, the Sperre Pleat cooler consists
of a small number of robust elements.
With handles, the lightweight elements
are designed for easy handling. The
cooling elements are open, and they are
easy to clean with a high-pressure spray.
Dismantling is not needed,” explains Rune
Myklebust, Managing Director at Sperre
Coolers AS.
“This saves time for the crew and reduces
gaskets and replacement parts to a
minimum. There is no need for expensive
expertise to perform maintenance. With
simple maintenance, regardless of detailed
planning, the solution ensures ongoing
operation for the vessel”.
Rune Myklebust.
13
Requires no special qualifications
Designed for easy cleaning
The Sperre Pleat cooler consists of robust
elements designed for fast and easy
maintenance and assembly. Open cooling
elements with handles and low weight are
easy to clean with a high-pressure spray
– they do not need to be dismantled.
The Sperre Pleat technology is built on the same basic principles
as conventional plate coolers, with one important difference:
every plate in the Sperre Pleat cooler is very much larger, and is
therefore formed as one element. Each cooling element consists
of continuous titanium from coil that is folded (pleated) and
sealed at each end, as well as a frame with handles that encloses
the titanium element.
A conventional plate cooler may consist of about 60 plates
(cooling elements) with a corresponding number of gaskets. In a
Sperre Pleat cooler, these are replaced by four cooling elements,
which are equipped with handles to make it easy to lift them out
and put them back into the frame for the cooler.
Ease of maintenance is therefore the major functional difference.
For end users, this means significant savings in time consumption,
fewer gaskets, and elimination of the need for third-party
expertise for overhauls.
Maintenance involves dismantling, high-pressure
cleaning, and assembly of a few robust elements
that are easy to get watertight again.
“The maintenance operation with the Sperre Pleat technology is considerably simpler
than for conventional plate coolers,” demonstrates Ellen Aakre at Sperre.
14
Unique multi-pass solutions
Fitting a cooler to an application requires
individual configuration, to achieve the
optimal flow / turbulence conditions on each
side, and thereby the overall heat transfer.
Flow principle: The flow principle for a single-pass Pleat Cooler is the same as
for a plate cooler. A plate cooler does not have the same possibilities for multipass solutions.
• The Pleat Cooler is the only heat exchanger in the market that
allows for individual configuration of 1-pass, 2-pass or 3-pass
per side.
• This multi-pass feature allows for shifting “gear” in the cooler,
without having to replace the element.
• Process ports are always on only one end-plate.
Sperre compressors and Sperre Pleat coolers
for Turkish cargo vessels
Sperre has signed an order with the
Turkish shipowner Kent Shipping for
the delivery of Sperre compressors and
Sperre Pleat coolers for two 4500 DWT
cargo vessels under construction at
Terme Shipyard Tersanesi.
The vessels will be trading in the Russian rivers between the
Black Sea and St. Petersburg. Each of the vessels will be supplied with
two starting-air compressors of the HL2/90 type, one working-air
compressor of the LL2/90 type, and two Sperre Pleat coolers of the
DN80 type, each consisting of six cooling elements. The agreement
includes an option for similar orders for eight more newbuildings of
the same type of vessels for Kent Shipping.
Sales & Rack Product Manager
Kenneth Myklebust at Sperre
Coolers is pleased to announce that
Sperre has signed an order with the
Turkish shipowner Kent Shipping for
the delivery of Sperre Compressors
and Sperre Pleat coolers.
15
The technology behind the Sperre Pleat cooler
Robust, efficient and smart
Structure as marine cooler: In principle, the Sperre Pleat cooler works in the same way as a conventional plate cooler. The two fluids (hot and cold) are separated by the
titanium layer, and flow through every second channel. Each channel has an embossed pattern designed to provide the necessary physical strength, and to create a turbulent
flow. Each Sperre Pleat cooling element consists of a pleated titanium element for heat transfer and two identical frame halves that enclose the titanium element.
The Sperre Pleat cooler is designed for use in harsh marine conditions, and can withstand
rough handling by the crew. The internal titanium element is well protected by the
surrounding composite frames, which also have a number of handles and positioning
guides. The plates in a plate heat exchanger are known to be very fragile – the Sperre Pleat
solution is the opposite, despite the minimal use of expensive materials.
Conventional plate coolers essentially
consist only of titanium plates, gaskets and
end plates. This also means that titanium is
used for all internal functions, such as heat
transfer, holding the gaskets, distribution
and inflow / outflow. Titanium is thus the
main material, while only about 60% of
the titanium is used for heat transfer.
In comparison, the Sperre Pleat cooler
consists of a pleated titanium element,
seals, frames and end plates. The titanium
is primarily used for heat transfer and
some sealing, which means that more than
90% of the titanium is used for the job it
is supposed to do. In summary, expensive
Competitive cost
60% titanium utilization
90% titanium utilization
Plate heat exchanger
Sperre Pleat cooler
• Consists only of titanium plates,
gaskets and end plates
• Titanium used for all internal
functions
Minimal use of expensive materials:
“Our philosophy is minimal use of expensive materials,
and maximum use of modern low-cost materials,” says
Sindre Lorgen, Production Manager at Sperre Coolers.
16
• Less use of expensive titanium
• More use of inexpensive composite
for internal functions
titanium is therefore used only where it is
necessary for heat transfer, and materials
that cost far less are used for distribution of
fluid and physical strength. This means that
conventional plate coolers use much more
titanium for the same cooling performance
as a Sperre Pleat cooler.
At the core of the Sperre Pleat cooler
The composite frames have a double advantage: they are soft enough to handle the impact of hard tools, or falling down on hard surfaces, but they also have a high
amount of fibre, making them strong enough to tolerate high pressure year after year. Production Manager Sindre Lorgen demonstrates the core of the Sperre Pleat cooler.
Permanent solutions for sealing, effective systems for fluid distribution and impressive
maintainability are built into the cooler elements. Scalable solutions to meet customers’
performance needs have also been emphasized.
In principle, the Sperre Pleat cooler works
in the same way as a conventional plate
cooler. The two fluids (hot and cold)
are separated by the titanium layer, and
flow through every second channel.
Every channel is thus surrounded by two
channels of the opposite fluid. The fluids
flow along the channels, and should
preferably flow in opposite directions to
achieve the best possible heat transfer.
Best possible heat transfer
Each channel has an embossed pattern
designed to provide the necessary physical
strength, and to create a turbulent flow. A
turbulent flow increases the heat transfer
and thus the efficiency, because it stops
the water from standing still along the wall
surfaces.
Smart sealing solutions
Leakage following the assembly of
conventional plate coolers is a well-known
problem. With old and worn gaskets, ever
greater pressure between the plates is
needed to prevent leaks.
In a Sperre Pleat cooler, this problem is
eliminated because the sealing pressure
between the robust cooling elements is
ideal when the surfaces of the frames are
in contact with each other.
Sperre have invested substantial resources
in developing smart industrial and servicefriendly sealing solutions for the complete
cooling elements. After pleating and
embossing, the titanium element is sealed
at the ends. The sealed titanium element
is then mounted between the two frame
halves with specially designed gaskets.
When the complete cooling element is
worn out or damaged, it can be replaced.
It is not intended for disassembly by the
customer.
Leakage control and detection
The solution provides full opportunity
for leakage detection and control, and
mixing of the fluids on the two sides is not
possible in any way. In the event of a leak
in a gasket, this leads to a visible leak on
the outside of the cooling elements, as on
a conventional plate heat exchanger.
All Pleat elements are
pressure tested to 9 bar,
corresponding to 1.5
times the design pressure.
Sealed at the first attempt
Random torque
Torque independent
Plate heat exchanger
Sperre Pleat cooler
Torque independent compared with random
torque: Sperre Pleat has ideal sealing pressure.
With old and worn gaskets, ever greater pressure
between the plates is needed to prevent leakage
on a plate heat exchanger.
Trial and error method
Mechanical stop
17
Sperre Pleat coolers
Performance like a plate cooler
Sperre’s full-scale laboratory
and customer tests prove
that the performance of
Sperre Pleat coolers is just
as good as for conventional
plate heat exchangers.
Market leader today
Plate heat exchanger
Unique maintenance
friendliness
Sperre Pleat cooler
• Heat transfer (K-value)
• Pressure drop
• Overall size
• Port positions
• Leakage control
• In-line seawater filter
The performance of Sperre Pleat coolers
is just as good as for conventional plate
heat exchangers in terms of both heat
transfer (K-value) and pressure drop. The
Sperre Pleat cooler has the same potential
for leakage control and detection as an
in-line seawater filter. The principles of the
framework, dimensions and port positions
are harmonized with the standards for
plate coolers, so it is easy to replace a plate
cooler with a Sperre Pleat cooler.
Range and specifications
Pleat specifications
DN65
DN80
DN100
DN125
DN150
DN200
Titanium height (cm)
50
50
100
100
100
100
Titanium width (cm)
25
25
38
38
56
56
Folding height (cm)
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
10
8
12
10
14
Cooling surface per element (m )
1,8
1,8
5,8
5,8
8,5
8,5
Max cooling surface (m )
11
18
46
70
85
119
Titanium weight per element (kg)
4,6
4,6
12,2
12,2
20
20
Total weight per element (kg)
16,6
16,6
33,5
33,5
50
50
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Max elements
2
2
Range guideline
Propulsion engines 1 – 3 MW
x
Propulsion engines 3 – 6 MW
Propulsion engines 6 MW +
Auxiliary engines 0,5 – 1,5 MW
x
x
x
Central coolers
0,5 – 2 MW
x
x
x
Central coolers 2 – 6 MW
Any other marine application
Ready for delivery
18
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
YES
YES
Q1 2013
Q1 2013
Q3 2013
Q3 2013
Optimizing the central cooling system
Sperre Pleat cooler calculator
Sperre has developed the
Sperre Pleat cooler calculator
to help technical personnel to
optimize their cooling needs
based on the Sperre Pleat
cooler.
From experience, we realize that overall
cooling system designs can be optimized, if
the cooler capacities and best performance
areas are known at an early design stage.
By using this, designers can optimize the
systems, and minimize the coolers – and
as a result, the amount of cleaning and
operational cost.
The calculator is now available on
www.sperre.com/pleat/calc.
Sperre Rack cooler calculator
For vessels with several main
engines, the Sperre Rack cooler
combines the best of three worlds.
The Rack cooler frees space in the
engine room like box coolers and
provides constant cooling like plate
coolers, with unique maintainability
– like no other traditional cooler.
The Sperre Rack cooler is a heat
exchanger system made for central
cooling. It is a module-based system,
and can easily be configured for
different numbers of elements, serial
or parallel connections and different
numbers of flows through the cooler.
Sperre has developed a calculator
to help the ship designers and other
technical personnel to find the needed
number of elements and test different
solutions and combinations of cooling.
By filling in the required capacities in
the Sperre Rack cooler calculator, the
ship designer will get an optimized
calculation for the vessel’s cooling needs.
19
Performance
Sperre Rack coolers
Sperre Pleat coolers
The best of three worlds
The solution to the seawater
cooling problem
• Saves engine room space - like a box cooler
• No lack of cooling capacity
in critical situations
• Constant and efficient cooling - like a plate cooler
• Unique maintainability - like no other
traditional cooler
• Replace elements within minutes
• Clean cooler within an hour
• Maintenance cost reduced by 90%
• No need for expensive service
personnel
• Competitive cost
A joint invention
www.sperre.com/rack
www.sperre.com/pleat
Sperre has intensified its commitment to coolers
The Sperre group group has intensified its commitment to coolers by establishing a new company, Sperre Coolers AS. The company was
established on 1 January 2012 to dedicate resources to the development, sale and production of heat exchangers for the marine market.
Sperre Mek. Verksted AS wholly owns the new company.
our existing shell and tube cooler range,” says Rune Myklebust.
“Sperre has delivered coolers for the marine market since the early
1970s. We aim to revolutionize the market for cooling of ships by introducing two unique solutions challenging the competition in plate coolers
and box coolers. Our coolers have the potential to change the industry’s
perception of how maintenance-friendly marine coolers can be,”
comments Managing Director Rune Myklebust at Sperre Coolers.
The product portfolio for Sperre Coolers consists of the existing shell and
tube heat exchangers, as well as the newly developed Sperre Pleat coolers
and Sperre Rack coolers. Manufacture of all the products will initially take
place at the existing premises at Ellingsøy in the municipality of Ålesund,
Norway.
“We are focusing on the marine sector, and expect strong growth for
our new cooler ranges. We also expect that marketing and growth of
the Sperre Pleat and Sperre Rack range will have a positive impact on
The Sperre Rack central cooler (www.sperre.com/rack) has been
developed in cooperation with STX OSV. The solution is specifically
designed for offshore vessels, and primarily competes with box
coolers. The Sperre Rack cooler frees space in the engine room like
box coolers and provides constant cooling like plate coolers, with
unique maintainability.
The Sperre Pleat coolers (www.sperre.com/pleat) primarily compete with
traditional plate coolers. The new Sperre Pleat cooling technology offers
the benefits of conventional plate coolers, with one major differ-ence:
exceptional ease of maintenance. Two strong patents protect the Sperre
Pleat coolers. Sperre Coolers AS has the exclusive rights for the
sale of Pleat coolers to the marine market.
Genuine Sperre spare parts at these addresses only:
Sperre Coolers AS
Ellingsøy, Norway
Tel. +47 70 10 42 00
Fax.+47 70 16 11 10
coolers@sperre.com
Sperre Industri AS
Ellingsøy, Norway
Tel. +47 70 16 11 00
Fax. +47 70 16 11 10
industri@sperre.com
Sperre Asia PTE Ltd
Singapore
Tel. +65 6 763 6300
Fax. +65 6 763 1811
asia@sperre.com
Sperre Rotterdam BV
Ridderkerk, The Netherlands
Tel. +31 180 463299
Fax. +31 180 463264
rotterdam@sperre.com
www.sperre.com
Sperre China
Shanghai, P. R. China
Tel. +86 21 6507 0436
Fax. +86 21 6507 0402
china@sperre.com
Agent Network
www.sperre.com/agents
TIBE 12098
through superior technology