One type commonly used today is the spiral heat exchanger, also known as the SHE. These features a coiled tube set-up that can usually be seen installed in pairs of flat surfaces that are coiled in such a way that the two channels will feature a counter-flowing arrangement. Each channel possesses a curved path where the mediums usually go during the exchange of heat process.

Efficiency in spacing is the main selling point of the spiral heat exchanger. This spacing can also be improved and configured to provide more efficiency during the exchange of heat process. Developers can actually tweak their designs a bit in order to fully maximise their heat exchanger designs.

These types can be used to lower capital costs and obtain a smaller footprint in your processes. A big SHE, on the other hand, can be used by businesses that are conscious of their energy costs and would want this aspect of their business lower. Bigger SHEs provide less pressure and pumping energy therefore using lesser energy while operating.

Spiral heat exchangers are constructed in such a way that it would maximise space and efficiency when it is used. The spiral channels used by the SHE are usually separated by the use of spacer studs. Once this has been done, the heat exchanger is enclosed once the main spiral tubes have been placed.

The coverings are welded and are then enclosed by bolting a gasket flat or a cone cover on the SHEs body. This efficiently separates the two mediums involved during the exchange of heat process. This set-up also avoids leakages. Since the liquids that the SHE typically processes are combined with some solids, the tendency for these is to cause a stink in the machine usually. But the lower pressure in which a spiral heat exchanger works with enables it to hold up against fouling up more efficiently than other types of sludge heat exchanger.

The set-up of the SHE also helps it in battling foul substances being stuck during its processes. Foul surfaces inside the device increase the fluid velocity of the SHE thus producing fluid friction that ultimately cleans up the fouled parts of the device. This particular feature can be dubbed as the SHEs self-cleaning feature.

There are three main types of current produced by a SHE. These are counter current flows, cross flows and the distributed vapor flow.

Because of the SHE's set-up and ability to create different kinds of flows in its processes, they are extensively used by companies involved in the business of digester heating, heat recovery, recuperation, effluent cooling and even pasteurisation. It can also be used for waste and sludge treatment. In this case, the spiral heat exchangers would be typically smaller.

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