WIDE OPERATION RANGE SETTLED THE DECISION ... - Vahterus

VAHTERUS NEWS 1/2013NEW!p. 13WIDE OPERATIONRANGE SETTLEDTHE DECISION ONSTEAM GENERATORACQUISITIONp. 10

Dear Partner,VAHTERUS NEWS 1/2013PublisherVahterus OyEditor in ChiefSari KesäläLay-outMainostoimisto TekokuuInterviewsRaija Herrala, Kristiina Tolvanenand Elina AholaPressEuraprintOn the coverMr. Ari Aittamäki,Pori EnergiaVahterus OyPruukintie 7FI-23600 KalantiFINLANDTel.: + 358 2 840 70sales@vahterus.comVahterus Americas, LLCPO Box 77264CharlotteNC 28271USATel.: +1 704 846 5050sales.americas@vahterus.comVahterus Deutschland GmbHMagnolienweg 2663741 AschaffenburgGERMANYTel.: +49 6021 181 700webmaster@vahterus.deVahterus Heat ExchangersShanghai Co. LtdRoom 816, Enterprise SquareMei Yuan Road 228, Zha Bei District200070 ShanghaiCHINATel.: +86 21 638 00848*113sales_china@vahterus.comVahterus (UK) Ltd12-14 Derby RoadMelbourneDerbyshire DE73 8FEUKTel.: +44 1332 863175vahterus.uk@vahterus.comVAHTERUS & 2012Year 2012 was the 22nd year for Vahterus. Despite the world’s unstable financialsituation, we succeeded in growing our turnover into record numbers. Unlikeprevious years, last year’s turnover came mainly from the basic Vahterus PSHE heatexchangers. During 2012, Vahterus didn’t deliver large, individual projects eventhough we were glad to receive such orders for this year.One of the most important development areas in 2012 was strengthening theoperations of our subsidiary companies. We have noticed that especially in significantmarket areas, the company’s physical presence strengthens credibility, withoutforgetting the importance of local distribution networks.In the past year the operations of Vahterus China and Americas have beendeveloped. In these markets, we have advanced with significant steps. In China,we have established Vahterus’ first PSHE heat exchanger assembly plant. To ourknowledge, the plant is the first Finnish establishment in China with a local pressurevessel manufacturing license, giving significant value for our investment.VAHTERUS & GLOBALHEAT EXCHANGERMARKETSThe study ’Heat Exchangers – A Global Strategic Business’ published in 2012 byGlobal Industry Analysts Inc. evaluates the current situation of world heat exchangermarkets and their future. According to the study, the markets, which continue togrow, already account for 16 billion USD. The biggest growth area and increasingdemand, according to the study, will be especially in efficient welded plate heatexchangers, which can stand high pressures. The growth estimate for these particularapplications was almost 10% for the next years. On these pages we will tellyou more about Vahterus’ energy saving applications.For us, one of the most significant findings of the research was that Vahterus isthe world’s second biggest manufacturer of welded plate heat exchangers witha market share of 15%! The information of the research significantly supports thestrong growth strategy of Vahterus, Dynamo 100. Fulfilling the goals of Dynamo100 requires good and constructive cooperation with you, as well as continuousdevelopment of our products and operations to maintain competitiveness ininternational markets.VAHTERUS & 2013We believe that the current year will bring about strong growth. To ensure continuousgrowth also in the future, we are putting emphasis on developing our salesnetwork. The work is carried out together with Finpro, the national trade, internationalizationand investment development organization in Finland. Finpro is apublic-private organization, part of the Finnish Ministry of Employment and theEconomy, and employs hundreds of people all over world to help Finnish companiesto establish operations in international markets.Currently, we are also investing in marketing by renewing the Vahterus visualidentity. These developments can be seen for example in this magazine and thenew visual look of our products. The Vahterus website will also be renewed duringsummer 2013.In production, we are carrying out R&D work in order to further improve ourdelivery reliability and to shorten our turn-around time. This also requires developmentin product design. I believe that we will take significant steps ahead rapidly.More news and articles can befound at www.vahterus.com

VAHTERUS & CULTURELife is not only about heat exchange and work, dear readers. I would like toencourage you to consume culture in its many forms. I believe that culture givesus new, positive, even unpredictable stimuli for both work and our daily lives.To stimulate and refresh the mind, I for example, play the piano. Exercise is alsoon the top of my list of free-time activities, as the body also needs change andchallenge. Wishing you all an energetic spring!Together we succeed.Mauri Kontu3

MADEBYVACKAFINNARSINCE THE MIDDLE AGES SOUTHWEST FINLAND HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT CENTEROF INTERNATIONALITY, TRADE AND INDUSTRY. IN THESE PAGES WE WILL TELL MOREABOUT PRESENT PHENOMENA, COMPANIES AND INNOVATIONS OF THIS REGION.One of Uusikaupunki’s mainattractions is a unique woodwindinstrument festivalBernhard Henrik Crusell15.10.1775 Uusikaupunki - 28.7.1838 StockholmCrusell Week is an annual woodwindmusic festival in Uusikaupunki thatattracts top woodwind players fromaround the world year after year. Thefestival is organised by the Crusellsociety together with the city ofUusikaupunki.Crusell Week is inspired by the composerand musician B.H. Crusell, who was born inUusikaupunki in 1775. Crusell still plays a hugerole in the festivities, both in its name andrepertoire. The next Crusell Week will featuretwo premieres of Crusell’s music, which havenot been played in Finland until now.The festival, which runs for over a week, wasfirst organised in 1982. At first, the festivalfocused on organising woodwind instrumentcourses, but concerts were soon added to theprogramme because the course participantsneeded to be able to perform and also to heartheir teachers’ performances.“We have had the best woodwind artists asteachers right from the start,” explains RaunoMelos, Executive Manager of Crusell Week,who has been involved in organising the festivalfor several years.“Crusell Week has gained worldwide recognition,and nowadays it is very easy to persuadeartists to come perform or to teach.”The festival is a unique event in the world. Itdraws around 10,000 people, featuring around100 artists every year, and has a very internationalflavour.“International operations are the basis foreverything and international master classeshave also been extremely popular.” Accordingto Melos, many artists and course participantsare looking for something to spice up theircareer, and here they get new influences fromaround the world.Another interesting part of the festival is thecompetition organised every other year thatfeatures a different woodwind instrumenteach time. In 2014 it will be the oboe’s turn.Melos says there are usually dozens of participantsfrom almost every continent.“We have received very good feedback fromartists about how well everything works, howwell they are taken care of and how well allother operations are organised.”Woodwind instrumentsplay the leadMelos is impressed by how artists comingfrom different countries meet for the firsttime at the Crusell Week, practice only a fewof times before the concert and yet at the concertmanage to sound like they have playedtogether for years.“It is simply thanks to the musicians’ highlevel of talent,” he says.The idea behind Crusell Week is that woodwindinstruments play a central part whenthe concert programmes are planned. Theyhave a major role in every concert, althoughother performers, such as singers, are alsogiven more visibility. After all, a singing voicehas been said to be the basis and model forall instrumental music.“Woodwind instruments are suitable for variouskinds of music. In addition to traditionalchamber music, jazz, for example, can easilybe introduced with the help of saxophones,and folk music is included in the programmeevery year. This way we can offer a more variedprogramme without breaking our own rulesregarding Crusell Week’s main idea,” mentionsRauno Melos.4

VAHTERUS NEWS 1/2013Artistic directorshave their ownvisionsEach artistic director adds their own flavourto Crusell Week, and their ideas meanprogress for the festival.Throughout the years, the Artistic Directorsof Crusell Week have brought their ownunique flavours to the festival. With theirideas, it has been possible to develop theevent even further.-The first Artistic Director was conductorand clarinetist OsmoVänskä who tookon the task in 1989.Vänskä was followedby clarinetist KariKriikku who broughtthe opening eventsto the festival. Duringhis time as ArtisticDirector, every weekstar ted out witha special event,explains Melos.-Kriikku’s successorflutist PetriAlanko brought thepopular ” Tune ofthe Day” –events tothe market square ofUusikaupunki. Thenext Artistic Director,bassoonist Jussi Särkkä, being a sportsperson by background, introduced theCrusell Run as part of the week’s program.The latest artistic director, clarinettistHarri Mäki, who began last year,created a graspable and accessibletheme, Birds. The audience clearlyloved the theme. Melos hopes thatthe audience will also enjoy this year’stheme, Costumes and Masks.“We are planning to performcomposers’ works with the wronginstruments, so to speak, as well asarrangements of composers’ originalworks by other composers. Weare already looking forward to thenext festival.”Melos wants to thank the variousgroups for making it possible to organiseCrusell Week.“The audience’s support and enthusiasmare among the key factors thatmake the festival successful. The financialsupport from the city of Uusikaupunkiand the sponsors is extremelyimportant. It is great that the local businessessupport an local festival with aninternational scope. In addition, around 40 percent of the income is gained from grants paidby different foundations and organisations.”Marzi NymanOsmo VänskäIiro RantalaAnna-Mari KähäräPhoto Paula KukkonenTapiola SinfoniettaPhoto Sami PerttilaCrusell Week will be held on 27.7-3.8.2013More information about the event:www.crusellviikko.comHarri MäkiPhoto Sami Perttila5

Vahterus&WorldFROM AROUND THE GLOBEAmericas Greetings from IIAR 2013!Following an exceptional first year of businessin 2012, Vahterus Americas has started 2013 verystrongly. January 2013 sales were higher thanrecorded for the entire first quarter of 2012, withfurther strong results reported for February andMarch. Key successes have been in the Oil & Gassector; notably in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) onBP Thunder Horse and with Petrobras in Brazil.A further component to strong Americassales has been the consistency of business in theRefrigeration sector. For several years, Vahterus hasexhibited at the International Refrigeration Conference& Exhibition (IIAR), which has become anannual event in our calendar. In March 2013, theIIAR was held at the Broadmoor Hotel & Resort inColorado Springs.Vahterus exhibited their latest developments,with Jonathan Pascoe, presenting a Technomercialto the conference, detailing the Vahterus CombinedUnit. This was received very well and a strongresponse has already been observed to our presenceat IIAR. Vahterus were represented in Coloradoby Jonathan Pascoe and Elizabeth Corcoranfrom our US Office; supported by Tanja Välimäkiand Mauri Kontu, from Vahterus Oy.2013 in the Americas is expected to exceed allexpectations, and in the coming months, significantand strategic projects, are anticipated. Thesewill be reported in future updates but there areclear signs for a very prosperous year ahead. Welook forward to sharing our news and successeswith you. Best Regards from Charlotte!Elizabeth CorcoranProject and Sales Support EngineerVahterus AmericasUKChanges at Vahterus UKFrom 1st January 2013, Adrian Foster has takenover the role of Managing Director of Vahterus UK,having previously worked primarily in contractmanagement for both the UK and Oy businesses.Working with Adrian are Paul Button and PhilChesters – between the team there is over 60years of experience in the heat transfer industry.Adrian is enthusiastic about the future:‘ Our main challenge is to grow the business inline with the ambitious targets set for the VahterusGroup as a whole. One of the first things we havedone is to analyse our true customer base over the14 years since the formation of the UK business -this has proved to be a very illuminating processand is to be recommended for any sales organisation!Following on from this we have plannedour efforts going forward to ensure our resourcesare targeted in the right areas.In the past the UK working roles have beenmore fixed with individuals focussing on specifictasks such as sales visits/ designing & quoting/order handling etc. With a new way of working inthe future, we will each take a share of the workrequired to service our individual group of (crossindustry) customers giving a single point of contact.Although this may present some challengesand an initial steep learning curve, my belief is thatthis change will make us more flexible, motivatedand customer focussed in the future.A key to finding new opportunities in thefuture will be to share information and experienceswith our colleagues in Finland and in thewider Vahterus organisation and to take advantageof their expertise in the different market sectorsthat we operate in.The UK business has historically been strong inthe Oil & Gas sector and we will continue to seekout new projects & customers through existingcontacts and networking events. The lead time onprojects in this industry sector are typically long(1- 2 years is not unusual) so it is vital that we areinvolved now to reap the benefits in the future.As part of the changes being made, we havemoved over to the new M-Files system now beingused in Finland which promises to be a powerfuldata capture and sales management tool . We arealso planning to migrate most of our IT provisionto Finland, taking advantage of the full time ITsupport that this gives us. The ‘Holy Grail’ of thepaper-less office still seems some distance awaybut, with the technology available, it is a goal weare pursuing nevertheless!’A few months into the New Year, the feeling inVahterus UK is very positive – Together we succeed!Adrian FosterManaging DirectorVahterus UK6

VAHTERUS NEWS 1/2013GermanyFlexible energy solutions for new demandIn the past years, we have seen the worldchange its views about energy production,recovery and saving. To fulfill the requirementsof the new technologies, Vahterus Plate&ShellHeat Exchangers provide perfect solutions forvarious examples. Compared to S&T, the units aresmaller and lighter, and most importantly, theyare very efficient with a big heat transfer surfacein a very compact design.With the cancelation of the nuclear powerproduction in Germany, we have many new customers:existing companies and start-ups whoseengineers are going forward with new ways ofdoing. They have to save money and more importantlythe environment, reduce CO2 emissionsand minimize the use of existing resources. Weat Vahterus support the companies’ goals withour own ideas and flexible design, developed inour own R&D department. For example, we canchange our shell design according the customers’own ideas. We are also able to install the units inexisting infrastructures.Vahterus heat exchanger technology can beused as coolers directly connected in a gas turbineplant, as exhaust gas coolers installed in achimney, as column heat condensers to gain moreenergy efficiency out of the process as well asother needs. Moreover, our clients are using ourheat exchangers in very small solution block heatpower plants. These plants are small enough totransport on a 7.5t truck to the point-of-use andafter that to the next point.Nowadays the importance of heat recoveryin large companies and with global players isgrowing more than ever. Overheat can be usedto save money and Co2 emissions, and of coursemaking plants more efficient. With the benefitsof our products, we have sold a lot of VahterusPlate&Shell units to refineries, chemical plants andpower plants. Our clients have been convinced ofour heat exchangers and their efficiency: the sizeand design as well as Vahterus’ flexibility.To my view, one of our big advantages atVahterus is being a family owned, independentheat exchanger manufacturer. We can alwaysreact fast and be flexible, taking into account thewishes of our customers. We are able to produceprototypes and test units together with our clients.Both parties can present their ideas to finda suitable solution.Our slogan ”Together we succeed” and beingone of the world’s biggest manufacturer in fullywelded heat exchanger technology, is not a staticmission. It means that together with our customersand our fantastic team we are fully committed tohave the best knowledge with which we are ableto find successfully solutions for all of us.Sven WohlgemuthKey Account ManagerVahterus GermanyChinaVahterus Starts Pressure Vessel Manufacturing in ChinaThe Year of the Snake, also known as the “LittleDragon Year” has started off with a bright outlookin China. The start-up of the new assembly plant inZhangjiagang has achieved several encouragingmilestones: the first unit of Vahterus PSHE heatexchangers has been successfully assembled atthe new plant; the pressure vessel manufacturingaudit by local pressure vessel supervision bureauwas completed, and Vahterus was granted withthe D1 & D2 China Pressure Vessel ManufacturingLicense on January 6th, 2013.Equipped with all the necessary resources forpressure vessel manufacturing, the new assemblyplant has started to produce PSHE 2-5 heatexchangers for the Chinese market. The assemblyplant is located 130 kilometers Northwest fromShanghai in Zhangjiagang City, Jiangsu Province,and currently holds premises of 1300m2.Since 2011, Vahterus Group has been investingstrongly in the Chinese market. The sales and engineeringoffice in Shanghai was established in April2011. The Chinese sales team has been making continuousefforts to broaden Vahterus’ customer baseand industry coverage in China. In 2012, VahterusChina won its first order of heat pump condensersfrom a global leading refrigeration company, andthe units were delivered at the end of the year.Through this delivery, the two companies’ longtermpartnership expanded into new markets.Heat pumps have an important role in bringinglow value energy or waste energy to a useful level,thus enabling better energy recovery and saving.The Vahterus PSHE condensers delivered weredesigned for demanding conditions with a designpressure of 50 bar and condensercapacity of 2,4MW each. Compactsize, high efficiency of heat transfer,unique shell structure, ability tostand high pressure, safe for theenvironment: all the advantages ofVahterus PSHE, enable the client todevelop more energy efficient heatpump systems.With more than two decades ofexperience in industrial refrigeration,Vahterus expects to raise interest inthe emerging markets of China, in theYear of the Snake and years to come.The start of manufacturing operationsand increased number of sales& engineering resources also enableVahterus to provide better and fasterservices to our customers in China.Together we will develop smarter,more energy efficient solutions fora better future!Tracy HakalaManaging DirectorVahterus Heat Exchangers Shanghai Co., Ltd7

Vahterus&UsQUALITY THROUGH PEOPLEThe constant development of steel materialskeeps purchasers at Vahterus alert.-New materials are more and more madefor specific end-uses. For example, for thepetrochemistry industry, perfect materialsfor specific needs are constantly developed,says Project Purchaser Matti Luomahaara.The four purchasers at Vahterus constantlywork in close cooperation with project managersand designers within projects.Europe during the summer holidays and thishas to be taken into account.Challenges occur when material supplierslisted by the client expect orders of hundredsof units but we only need one or two unitsfor a unique project. In these cases it can beeven difficult to get an offer.-Then we try open every possible doorand call all possible contacts to discuss thecase. Open communication with clients andchallenges. We have the right tools and connectionsall over the world. There is nothingwe cannot handle. This is part of our companystrategy, emphasizes Luomahaara.In March, it will be four years since MattiLuomahaara got interested in the growingcompany and joined team Vahterus. Justbefore joining the company, Luomahaara,together with his wife, had found a place fortheir own house in Luonnonmaa in Naantali.Purchaser knows constantly developing materialsMatti Luomahaara, Purchaser-My responsibility is purchasing, in otherwords buying materials for ongoing projects.It’s my task to know the materials and makepurchasing decisions according to what isrequired by the project and the client, explainsLuomahaara.The most demanding purchases are usuallymade for the petrochemistry industry aswell as projects for large power plants.-We have big clients with specific needs.They are very precise about material qualityand quality testing. Only specific suppliersare qualified, explains Luomahaara.Luomahaara has worked as a purchaserat Vahterus for about four years. Accordingto Luomahaara, it is possible to acquire thebasic information of steel materials throughstudying but in the end the knowledge ismainly gained through work.-One’s has to be a multiply skilled person,be familiar manufacturing techiques as wellas know and recognize materials. New materialsare introduced every year, which makesthe work interesting.For materials that are needed on a regularbasis, Vahterus uses its own network of suppliers.Most of the needed materials is basicblack and clear pressure vessel steel andmost of the materials come from Germany,England, the Netherlands, Sweden and ofcourse Finland.-Suppliers that we have cooperated withfor many years know our demands and thatwe are always in a hurry. There are fast deliveriesand even faster, ”Vahterus –deliveries”,says Luomahaara and laughs.One of the main issues of the job is to makepurchases so that the required schedule canbe kept and to make sure that the price paidfor each material is the right one.-It is important to anticipate possible challengesof production. One has to communicatethem to project managers and designers.For example, we cannot get materials fromsuppliers is needed to find a balance. Sometimesthe solution satisfies all parties, sometimesit is better for one of them. However,these experiences teach us a great deal andthe information gained can be used for allparties’ advantage in future cases.The list of material suppliers approvedby the client can also be rather short andthe companies listed may be located faraway and be previouslyunknown for Vahterus.-The star tingpoint is that forus, there areno insurmountableThe house was finished in 2008. It’s locatedfive kilometres from the nearest suburb withsea and nature all around.-Most of my hobbies are at sea, I fish andhunt in the archipelago, explains Luomahaara.The family’s daughter is now threeyears old and she will be getting a new siblingin the spring.Matti Luomahaara8

VAHTERUS NEWS 1/2013On a weekly basis Vahterus sends outapproximately 50-70 product shipments allaround the world. Especially Friday is a busyday when large shipments head around theworld via Helsinki Port. The last stop for eachproduct is finalized in the morning allthoughit should be leaving for the harbour alreadybefore noontime. At rush times like thesethe production department helps out withthe shipping.Final glance over customer’s product brings inresponsibilityMika Rantala, Shippingproduct at Vahterus is the shipping departmentwhere the products receive their finalcheck.The Quality Controller goes through everything– for example that all laboratory testshave been done, welding seams have beenX-rayed, all in all that the product is ready tobe sent out to the customer. After this theproduct is packed in a wooden, usually tailor-made,crate where it is safe against bumps,shakes and changing weather conditions.-During the transportation crates aremoved around in terminals, cars and airplanes,explains Mika Rantala who has workedat Vahterus’ shipping department for overfour years.Rantala and his two colleagues make surethat everything is ready for shipments in time.-We need to stick to the agreed shipmenttimes. Ships and planes depart according totheir schedules and we have tohave our units on board!At the shipping departmentpacking starts withsecuring the unit tightly ontothe bottom of the crate. Theproduct is also supportedinside the crate with cradlesthat are placed so that norubbing marks are left on theunits. After thorough checkand careful packing of theproduct the crate is sealedand accompanied with consignmentpapers.-Then we just need to stickthe papers on to the craterand make sure that the truckis ready to take off on its waysafely, explains Rantala.All units from thesmallest of 20-30 kilos tothe biggest of almost20 tonnes are sentout through the shippingdepartment atVahterus. The largest units are moved witha crane directly to the truck and the crateis assembled around it from ready-madeelements. The products are moved to theshipping department after painting and thoroughdrying after which Rantala and his colleaguesadd the shipping plates and stickersand make sure that all else that is needed forthe shipment is ready. For long marine transportationcertain units are protected againstcorrosion by filling them with Nitrogen. Thisrequires that the connection nozzles are carefullyplugged.An important part of Rantala’s work isordering the tailor-made shipping crates.The elements come from the neighboringcity of Laitila. Some of Vahterus’ products fitin into standard shipping crates but usuallythe shipping department orders them separately.They try to predict and follow thefinalization of the products as precisely aspossible and order the wooden containersa week or two before the shipment.-If the customer wants to advance theshipment we need to have the crates ready,stresses Rantala.Schedules are usually tight and the shippingdepartment makes sure they are on topof the schedules. However, sometimes theRantala has earlier experience with internationalshipments from his previous job wherehe started up the operations for a new shippingdepartment. At Vahterus Rantala enjoyshis current work.-It’s a clean job indoors and we have awarm forklift truck to drive around with, hemuses.In his free time Rantala coaches his daughter’sringette team in Uusikaupunki. Thehobby began when Rantala started as a coachfor the team six years ago. After that Rantalahas spent a lot of his free time on skates. Oneof Rantala’s greatest sport achievements wascompleting the Paavo Nurmi Marathon inTurku a few years back. After that a badmintoninjury kept Rantala outside the running tracksfor quite a while but now he is already planningto participate in another marathon. Rantala’sfamily includes his spouse, a daughterand a son who is already out onhis own andcurrently completinghis militaryservice.Mika Rantala9

VAHTERUS NEWS 1/2013WIDE OPERATION RANGESETTLED THE DECISIONON STEAM GENERATORACQUISITIONA few years back Pori Energia Oy, a companyresponsible for the energy supply in thecity of Pori and its surroundings in westernFinland, was facing a decision. A thermalpower station supplying process steam foran industry client was nearing its end, and thestation’s oil based steam production would bereplaced with steam produced with renewableenergy, mainly with wood chips, in a powerplant 4,7 kilometers away.What Pori Energia Oy needed was Europe’slongest continuous vacuum steam pipe connectedto a transforming station, where the processsteam is made with power plant steam. Thetwo-year planning and construction project wascompleted in December 2012 and Pori EnergiaOy started supplying steam for Boliden Harjavalta’scopper electrolysis in the beginning of 2013.After long assessments, it was a plate and shellheat exchanger and more specifically Vahterus’steam generator that was chosen for the process.After the first weeks’ of production, constructionengineer Ari Aittamäki from Pori Energia Oy is satisfiedwith the results.-The minimum load has been reached, Aittamäkiexplains with content. – And even thoughwe had agreed on a minimum capacity of 30%from the nominal capacity, we have reached evenlower figures. All in all, the heat exchanger’s wideoperation range and adjustment possibilities areof great importance to us, says Aittamäki. PoriEnergia Oy has yet to try out the other end of theuse area, the maximum load.-We are trying to figure out where we could runthe steam at high load for a short time. This waywe would see the steam generators maximum,explains Aittamäki.The steam leaves the Aittaluoto power plantat +205C. At the transforming station, the heatis transferred to the industrial plant’s pipelines,where the temperature and pressure are lower.As the main component, Vahterus supplied PoriEnergia with a 13 MW steam generator, a condensatereceiver and a condenser pre-heater. For anindustry traditionally utilizing mainly shell andtube heat exchangers, the choice required a lotof thought.-We made a specified list of the pros and consand compared the findings, explains Aittamäki.One of the most important criteria was the wideoperation range of the Vahterus’ plate and shellheat exchanger. – Adjustability and the minimumload were the main reasons why we chose theplate heat exchanger and why we were confidentabout its functionability.-Of course the choice also had to be secure,long lasting and as maintenance free as possible.People-made machinery have the tendency toencounter issues sooner or later – Vahterus alsooffers maintenance service and many things canbe fixed within a couple of days. The lifecycles ofVahterus’ units seem credible, summarizes Aittamäki.New method for repairing andcleansing Vahterus’ fully weldedplate heat exchangersVahterus has developed a new methodfor repairing fully welded plate heat exchangers.The plates of the heat exchangercan now be repaired withouthaving to change the entire plate pack.The method, which has now also beensuccessfully tested, is similar to the onethat has previously been used for shelland tube heat exchangers. The repair offully welded plate & shell heat exchangerscan be done by Vahterus’ personnelbut later on also by the end-user with thehelp of Vahterus’ instructions.By enhancing the possibilities for repair,also the cleansing method of theplate pack has been further developed.More specifically, Vahterus has developeda structure that allows the end-user to carryoutmechanical cleansing easier thanbefore. Overall, new heat exchangers cannow be designed so that if needed, bothrepairing and cleansing can be done.In most cases, repairing and cleansingbecome timely when circulating fluidscontain a lot of impurities or if it is suspectedthat the process may break theheat exchanger’s heat exchange surface.People at Vahterus are happy to providemore information on the new plate heatexchanger structure allowing repairingand cleansing.When choices were being made, the lowerprice of the investment of course also had a roleto play. The steam generator had to be fitted inthe old thermal power center, in a space reservedfor the boiler. A compact unit fit the purpose well.-The fact that the installation is lighter andneeds less space, made the decision easier.Expanding the space would not have been possible.At the start of the project Pori Energia also hadto think about the possibility of fouling, whichcould be caused by possible impurities in the circulatingfluids. Maintenance solutions were foundtogether with Vahterus.-The old boilers will be kept as reserve. Whenheat exchange solutions are made for years ahead,a lot of things can happen in the long run. At alltimes, we still need to ensure supplies to our customers,says Aittamäki.-Our assumption and wish is that the newinstallation provides us with a long-term solution,functioning for the first 30 years without anyfurther actions.With the experience of a 100-year-old energyproducer, Pori Energia Oy produces electricity, districtheat and process steam for the Pori region. Inaddition to Boliden Harjavalta, Pori Energia suppliesprocess steam to UPM’s Seiku mill and Corenso’scartong production from its Aittaluoto power plantin the center of Pori city. In the north of the city,Pori Energia has a joint power plant with localindustry. From the plant, electricity and steam aresupplied to Sachtleben Pigments Oy.Around ten similar steam applicationsalready in useTo date, Vahterus has supplied its customersmore than ten similar steam generators that functionby the steam-to-steam principle.According to Vahterus’ Key Account ManagerValtteri Haavisto, the applications have workedexceptionally well. For the units supplied to PoriEnergia, innovative product development atVahterus was done according to the customer’sneeds. These developments will also be of use toother customers.-We cleared out the functions and made theunits smaller. Especially the condensate’s preheatersare now very functional and compact,says Haavisto. Moreover, during the project, newsolutions to tackle the customer’s challenges withcontamination and repairability, were developed.10

VAHTERUS NEWS 1/2013Ari AittamäkiPori EnergiaThe steam generator had to be fittedin the old thermal power center, in aspace reserved for the boiler.The compact Vahterus unit fit thepurpose well.11

Power from Heat:THE TRIOGEN ORCIn recent years, the urge for utilizing all formsof available energy has increased significantly.One of these sources is waste or residual heat,found in engine exhausts, process heat, flare gasburners, combustion of wood and other residuals.A remarkable way to utilize waste or residual heatis to convert it into electricity using a so-calledOrganic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system, marketedby Triogen B.V. of the Netherlands.The development work of the ORC systemstarted in the early nineties at the LappeenrantaUniversity of Technology in Finland, and the systemwas industrialized and commercialized by Triogen in2002. Deployment took place since 2006, resultingin 21 units built so far, 15 operational units and 10units on order or being commissioned.Figure 1: Cycle scheme and T-s diagramSystem Design of ORCFigure 1 shows the cycle scheme and the processof the ORC system in a T-s diagram. Liquid ispumped from the storage vessel into the mainpump, which is mounted on to the same shaft asthe turbine and the high-speed generator. Therethe liquid will get the maximum working pressureat which it will enter the recuperator and subsequentlythe evaporator.Residual or waste heat is led through the evaporator,where the working fluid is heated up to theboiling point, evaporated and superheated. Expansiontakes place in the turbine, which drives thehigh-speed generator and the main pump. Afterexpansion, the sensible heat in the fluid is re-usedin the recuperator, to preheat the liquid before itenters the evaporator. The condenser is situatedbelow the recuperator, where thevapor is condensed using a liquidcoolant, before it flows back intothe storage vessel.ORC plant designAs can be seen from the cyclescheme, the main componentsof the ORC system include anevaporator, a turbine-generator-mainpump assembly calledHigh Speed Turbo Generator(HTG), a recuperator, a condenserand a storage vessel. Thanks tothe high-speed generator andturbine, the HTG is a very energy-densecompact unit. The other componentsof the ORC process are heat exchangerswith relatively low temperature differences.One of the engineering tasks of Triogen wasto make a compact and, as much as possible,standardized unit for different applications. Asthe evaporator is determined by the propertiesof the residual heat offered, the module can besized accordingly. However, the internal cycle heattransfer in the recuperator and the condenser canbe standardized for all applications, keeping thesystem very compact. For the system, Vahterusoffered a compact solution based on their standardplate and shell type heat exchangers.The recuperator exchanges heat between vaporleaving the turbine and liquid working fluid beforeit is entering the evaporator, thus serving as a preheater.In the condenser, the working fluid is condensedfrom vapor to liquid at sub-atmosphericpressure, using a coolant, which rejects its heat toany available heat sink or to the atmosphere byexternal table coolers. As the turbine exhaust isvertical, both Vahterus heat exchangers are positionedbelow the turbine. After condensing, theworking fluid is stored in an appropriate quantityin the storage vessel, at its turn positioned belowthe condenser.The three vessels, recuperator, condenser andstorage tank, are factory assembled by Vahterus,and form the central element in the ORC processmodule. During assembly of the ORC, this Vahterusdelivered unit serves as the starting point, as shownin Figure 2. The three blue vessels are the mentionedVahterus components, with Triogen turbo-generatorHTG on top. The special connectionflange is delivered by Triogen and welded to therecuperator top by Vahterus.The ORC 160 kWe power plantThe complete ORC power plant consists of fourmodules for turnkey delivery:• The standard process module, consisting of HTG,recuperator, condenser, storage vessel, pre-feedpump, valves, including connecting piping andinstrumentation• The heat supply module: an evaporator tuned atthe conditions of the available heat, to be connecteddirectly to the heat source• The heat rejection module: table coolers forthe cooling water which cools the condenser,tuned to the ambient conditions at site. Alternatively,in the presence of a suitable heat consumer,this heat can be delivered up to a temperatureof 80°C.• The standard electrical cabinets, that containthe power preparation module, which connectsthe high speed generator directly to the grid tosupply the power at 400 V, 3 phase, 50 or 60 Hz,the control module to control the unit and theFigure 2: Vahteruscomponents as core ofthe ORC process module.independent safety system.A typical turnkey supply of an ORC is connectedto two biogas engines of 800 kWe each, whereasthe process module is centrally positioned. Theheat supply module (evaporator) is connected tothe flue gas outlet of two gas engines through aset of piping and valves, to allow single engineoperation and to isolate the ORC from the runningengines in the unlikely event of an ORC failure.All units are to be used as a typical ‘end-of pipe’solution: the process feeding the ORC is never disturbedby the ORC.Product for a vast range of applicationsAlthough initially set up for the use of exhaustgas from internal combustion engines, a numberof other application possibilities have arisen, suchas biomass combustion and residual heat fromindustrial processes like incinerators. Applicationsenvisaged are:• Gas engines running on natural gas, bio-gas, landfillgas, mine gas• Diesel engines• Small gas turbines• CHP for green houses, district and residentialheating• Combustion of biomass, wood, residuals and waste• Flares for landfill gas or other industrial flares• Process heat from e.g. (petro)chemical, metallurgical,glass or brick production plantsNearing 200 000 running hoursAfter having demonstrated more than 4000hours successful operation of the prototype,Triogen delivered their first commercial ORC in 2007for a greenhouse cogeneration plant equipped witha 2 MW e Deutz gas engine. After that, 19 plantsfollowed, gathering up to almost 200 000 runninghours. Demonstrated availability amounts to morethan 97 %. The fleet leader has now run more than36 000 hours.From the beginning, Vahterus components havebeen very valuable in setting up the standard andcompact process module of the ORC system. Productionis now well under way, and continuousproduct development has already led to severalimprovements. The first unit was contracted for 145kW e , now also 165 kWe has been demonstrated.In future, power range will be extended stepwisefrom the current 60 – 170 kWe towards 1000 kW e.Jos van Buijtenenwww.triogen.nl12

NEW VAHTERUS EGE-PSHE- OPTIMIZING WASTE HEATRECOVERY SYSTEMSAfter a few years of research anddevelopment work, Vahterus haslaunched a new product for wasteheat recovery.In the market, there is a need for specialPSHE heat recovery units: In the future,more and more environmental limitationsand regulations must be taken into considerationwith new industrial installations.With the new Vahterus EGE, we aimto fulfill a significant gap in heatexchanger markets.In industrial processes, it iscommon that waste heat is generatedin addition to actual process operations;in the past the waste heat wasdumped into the atmosphere withconsiderable losses in energy andcosts. The Vahterus EGE unit offers aconcrete solution to return waste heatto the process and achieve remarkablesavings in the system’s energy costs.After years of working togetherwith Spirax Poland, the first EGE-installationwas realized for a Polish livestockfood producer in May 2012. In this specificinstallation, the primary side boiler exhaustgases were used for producing hot wateron the secondary side. Direct integration tothe boiler body made the installation workconvenient for the end customer.After receiving the control data fromthe site it was clear that the requested, verylow-pressure drop limit was maintained andthe calculated capacity was achieved.With the new EGE open frame constructionit is possible to reach low-pressure dropneeded in exhaust systems while the unitsize is compact and light. Moreover, boilerefficiency is improved and it is possible toreduce CO2-emissions of the process.“In the end of April 2012, the end-clientcommissioned a gas-fired boiler fitted withthe first EGE-PSHE 3WH-150/5/1 unit. Sinceits installment, the Vahterus EGE has beenoperating in 3 shifts trouble free”, says MaciejGoszcz, Spirax Poland.The EGE (exhaust gas economizer)-PSHE innovation is now availablein the Vahterus product range foroptimizing different heat recoverysystems.“The water level control in the boiler iscontrolled by a master slave system. The slavecontrols the flue gas temperature after EGE,whereas the master controls the level in theboiler modifying the set point temperatureof the slave controller built in the inverterdriven pump. The START/STOP of the pumpis linked to the firing cycle of the burner. Thisprevents the EGE being heated at no flowcondition”, explains Goszcz.Goszcz continues: “The boiler capacityis 1,6t/h of steam at 8bar. The end-user hasreported up to 5% savings on gas. The paybackof the product time depends stronglyon the price of gas, in how many shifts theboiler operates, and finally on total cost ofthe investment which is about 3 times theprice of Vahterus EGE. In this particular case,the installment was carried out during twoconsecutive weekends, limiting the downtimeof the plant to minimum. Overall, theestimated payback time is under 1 year”.The new EGE type with an openableconstruction was introducedat the Energy Fair 2012 in Tampere,Finland. Vahterus EGE-PSHE canhandle high gas and liquid inlet temperatures.Different frame and platematerials are available, which makesthe unit resistant to corrosion for severaldifferent gas and liquid types. Byusing waste heat (e.g. exhaust gas) itis possible to produce hot water orsteam on the secondary side of theunit. In potentially fouling applicationson the gas side of the unit, Vahteruscan provide the unit with an openableframe construction to make mechanicalcleaning easier.For optimizing your heat recovery systemwith Vahterus EGE-PSHE, Vahterus Sales andVahterus’ official distributors all around theworld will be glad to help you. With this compactunit, high levels of heat recovery can beachieved with minimal reorganization of theprocess system and we can provide remarkablesavings within a significantly short time.Tuomas Aikkinen,Key Account Manager, Vahterus Oy13

VAHTERUS NEWS 1/2013SOLUTION FOR EFFICIENT STEAM RECOVERYFOUND WITH VAHTERUS’VENT CONDENSERIn the end of 2009, technicians at DONG’scombined heat and power plant (acquiredby VEKS in May 2012), in Köge Denmark contactedKenny Andersen at Spirax about thereplacement of an existing heat exchanger.Together they found great potential forenergy saving: For years, DONG and Junckers,to whom the former supplies steam, hadlived with a large flash steam leakage fromvarious return pipes. Utilizing this heat, significantenergy savings could be materialized.Junckers’ press facility uses steam, whichis condensed and returned at 3 bar (g). Condensate,which comes from the presses, iscollected in two large flash vessels that separateflash steam and condensate from eachother. When the condensate is pumped backto common flash vessels at VEKS’ CHP plant,the flash steam is reused in Junckers’ othersteam applications. Moreover, a significantamount of hot condensate (3 bar g, 143C)is pumped back to the CHP plant. Becausethe flash vessel is open (vented over the top)and the condensate can only exist at 100C atatmospheric pressure, the condensate of 143Ccreates a lot of flash steam (8.3%). The largeamount of flash steam is released throughtwo vent pipes over the roof.When looking into the replacement of theheat exchanger it was Vahterus’ Vent Condenserthat turned out to provide a solutionfor the energy leakage. The Vahterus Ventcondenser was designed to condense all theflash steam, which is released through theflash vessel’s vent pipes. In order to condensethe excess steam in the Vent Condenser, thecondenser requires cold water. At VEKS, coldcondensate from another condensate vessellocated close by could be used. The “cold”condense is circulated in the plate pack andthe flash steam is condensed in the shell. Thecondensed steam is returned to the flashvessel. This saves a lot of excess water, whichotherwise would have evaporated throughthe flash steam. And this is on top of energysavings gained by the recovered heat!The new heat recycling installation hasnow been in operation for three years. VEKS(formerly DONG) has found several warm condensepipes containing flash steam of whichheat can be recovered in the Vahterus Ventcondenser. The particular heat exchangeris a Vahterus PSHE 4HH-128/1/1 recovering1,3 MW.With a payback period of less than fivemonths including installation andcontrol equipment costs, the customerhas been more than satisfied: “We havenow a unit that, aside from the pump, isbasically maintenance free and constantlyshovels in money. At the sametime it is more flexible than the old heatexchanger, which was able to utilize theheat from the expansion vapor to onlyone of our two boilers”.Vahterus takes part in NANOprojectVahterus is taking part in a EU fundedresearch project aiming to develop new,innovative technologies bringing aboutsignificant energy savings in future HVAC(heating, ventilation and air-conditioning)systems. These technologies include forexample nanotechnological coatings andsurface treatments for improved heattransfer and new nano- and micro-materialsfor improved efficiency of refrigerants.The technologies used will addressthe heat exchanger efficiency on boththe air- and liquid side of heat exchangerssuch as condensors/evaporators and onheat recovery systems. In addition toVahterus, the project group consists offive other industrial partners: LuVe S.p.a.,Exhausto A/S, ESI G.m.b.H, Dansk VarmepumpeIndustri A/S, Carbodeon Ltd., andtwo research institutions, Danish TechnologicalInstitute and IK4 Tekniker.Vahterus took part in high-levelbusiness delegation in ChinaIn the beginning of April 2013, Vahterus tookpart in the business delegation of Finland’sMinister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade,Alexander Stubb, in China. The aim of the trip,organized by Finpro and Consulate GeneralFinland in Shanghai, was to promote businessopportunities of Finnish companies inChina and enhance the image of Finland as acountry of high and clean technology. As therole of government is pervasive in the Chineseeconomy, the presence of the Minister wassignificant for companies in the business delegation.During his visit in Shanghai, MinisterStubb for example met with local governmentrepresentatives and took part in a networkingevent for Finnish and Chinese companies(photo). In the delegation, Vahterus wasrepresented by Mauri Kontu (Vahterus Oy)and Tracy Hakala (Vahterus China).14

Thank you exhibition visitors!In the past six months Vahterus tookactively part in various exhibitions:Chillventa October 9-11th 2012, Nürnberg,GermanyEnergy October 28-30th 2012 Tampere,FinlandAOG February 20-22nd 2013 Perth,AustraliaCoolenergy March 6-7th 2013 Odense,DenmarkIIAR March 17-20th 2013 ColoradoSprings, the United StatesOMC 20.-22.3.2013 Ravenna, ItalyTo everyone visiting our stand, many thanks for your interesttowards Vahterus and for exchanging thoughts and ideas with us!NEWS & EVENTSPS.In 2013 Vahterus will also be participatingin the following exhibitions:ACHEMASIA 201313-16th May 2013 Beijing, ChinaStand: N32PETROCHEM ARABIA12-14th May 2013 Dammam, Saudi-ArabiaAQUATHERM KIEV 201314-17th May 2013 Kiev, UkraineStand: 3/J-17KOREA CHEM 201328-31st May 2013 Seoul, South-KoreaStand: G401BRASIL OFFSHORE 201311-14th June 2013 Macaé, BrazilAOG 20137-10th October 2013 Buenos Aires, ArgentinaKORMARINE 201322-25 October 2013 Busan, South-KoreaRefrigeration experts gathered in KalantiVahterus Refrigeration Days was organized for the first time in November 2012, bringingtogether over 50 refrigeration experts to Kalanti from all over Europe and afar. Duringthe event, Vahterus presented its production, products and product development to thevisitors. In addition to introducing latest developments of Vahterus, the event offered apossibility for meetings and change of thoughts with other experts in the refrigerationindustry.Vahterus is renewing itsvisual lookAs indicated for example by the pastnumbers of Vahterus Hot&Cold magazine,Vahterus is renewing its visual look.The blue and red, also present in the logo,still provide the basic color scheme forVahterus but also new, fresh elements willbe added to create a complete package.The new look will be present in everythingfrom Vahterus products to the newwebsite to be published in summer 2013.Vahterus Kytämäki hall completedThe new Kytämäki hall at Vahterus hassuccessfully been completed. The hallwas officially opened on January 18th2013, and was taken into use in March.The premises of the newly-established hallcurrently holds around 1400 m2, with thecomplete premises of Vahterus in Finlandbeing 12 000 m2. A new lasercutting stationfor thin plates and a pressing line areplaced at Kytämäki to increase quality andproduction efficiency for future growth.15

Vahterus Oy designs andmanufactures fully weldedPlate&Shell Heat Exchangers inKalanti, Southwest Finland.Over 90% of the production isexported all over the world,mainly to energy technology,process and chemical industryand refrigeration industry.Vahterus’ turnover is 25 millioneuros and the number ofpersonnel is 200.SubsidiariesVahterus Americas, LLCVahterus Deutschland GmbHVahterus Heat ExchangersShanghai Co., LtdVahterus UK Ltdwww.vahterus.com