Heat Transfer Equipment & Pressure Vessels

How This Division Works: Procurement Partner Model

Unlike standard catalogue supply, heat transfer equipment and coded pressure vessels are always engineered to order. Hicool’s role in this division is as a procurement intermediary and technical interface: we receive buyer-supplied datasheets, P&IDs, and project specifications, identify the most suitable fabricator from our qualified manufacturer network, manage the RFQ and technical clarification process, and oversee production to ensure compliance with the specified code and documentation requirements.

This model benefits international buyers in several ways: a single English-language point of contact throughout the project, consolidated documentation packages (MDR, data books, NDE reports, hydrostatic test records), and active expediting to support EPC schedules. We have supplied equipment to projects in Malaysia, South Korea, UAE, Egypt, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, and across Europe, with end-users including major process licensors and EPC contractors.

Shell & Tube Heat Exchangers

Shell and tube heat exchangers are supplied to TEMA Class B, C, and R standards, covering all standard front end, shell, and rear head configurations. Our fabricator network holds ASME U-stamp authorisation and PED Module H or H1 certification, enabling supply to both North American and European-specification projects.

• BEM (fixed tubesheet), BEU (U-tube), AES (floating head) and other TEMA front/rear combinations
• Tube materials: carbon steel (SA-179, SA-214), stainless steel (SA-249 TP304/316L), duplex (S31803/S32205), super duplex (S32750/S32760), titanium Gr.2, and Hastelloy
• Shell materials: carbon steel (SA-516 Gr.60/70), stainless, clad plate
• Design pressures to 250 bar; temperatures from cryogenic (-196°C) to +450°C
• Falling film evaporators and thermosyphon reboilers for distillation and evaporation service
• Kettle reboilers, partial condensers, and trim coolers for process plant

Datasheets prepared to TEMA or buyer-standard format are the preferred basis for inquiry. HTRI or ASPEN heat transfer software calculation reports can be provided where required by the buyer’s engineering team.

Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers (ACHE)

Air-cooled heat exchangers (fin-fan coolers) are designed to API 661 and supplied with either forced or induced draft fan configurations. Tube bundles are manufactured with carbon steel or alloy tubes (stainless, duplex) and aluminium or steel fins. Fan drives are electric with variable-frequency drive (VFD) options available for energy optimisation. ACHE units have been supplied for gas cooling, product rundown, and overhead condenser duties at refineries and petrochemical plants.

Structural design follows applicable wind and seismic loading requirements. Noise attenuation options (low-speed fans, acoustic hoods) are available where site noise limits apply. Third-party inspection (TPI) and expediting during fabrication can be coordinated through Hicool’s project management team.

Process Columns, Towers & Reactors

Fabricated columns and towers are supplied for distillation, absorption, stripping, and extraction service. Both packed and tray-type internals are available, with trays supplied in sieve, valve, and bubble-cap configurations. Column shells are fabricated from carbon steel, stainless steel, duplex (S31803), super duplex (S32750), and clad-plate materials. Structured and random packing selection and sizing can be supported in coordination with the process licensor’s requirements.

High-alloy columns — including duplex and super duplex stainless towers for chloride-bearing environments — have been manufactured for licensors including Sulzer Chemtech and delivered to projects in Singapore, Korea, and China. Full weld procedure qualifications (WPS/PQR) and PWHT documentation are included in the MDR package as standard.

Reactors and pressure vessels are supplied to ASME VIII Div.1 and Div.2, PED, and GB 150 as required. ASME U2 stamp (Div.2) is available for high-pressure applications. Vessels up to 200 tonnes fabricated weight have been delivered from our partner network.

Documentation Packages: MDR, NDE, Data Books

Complete documentation is a non-negotiable deliverable for coded pressure equipment. Hicool’s standard documentation package for ASME-stamped equipment includes:

• Manufacturer’s Data Report (MDR) — ASME Form U-1 or U-1A
• Material test reports (MTRs) traceable to heat number for all pressure-bearing components
• Weld maps and NDE reports (RT, UT, PT, MT) with interpreter qualification records (AWS/CSWIP/ASNT)
• Hydrostatic and pneumatic test records, witnessed by ASME Authorised Inspector (AI)
• Impact test records where required by the UCS curve or low-temperature design
• Nameplate photographs and ASME code stamp verification
• Packing and preservation records for export shipping

For PED-certified equipment, Notified Body (NB) involvement and EC Declaration of Conformity are included. For DOSH Malaysia-registered vessels, JMN registration documentation and DOSH Form 1/2 are supported. Buyers with project-specific documentation requirements — such as ITP hold and witness points, third-party inspection coordination, or SAT procedures — are asked to advise these at inquiry stage.

Typical Project Scope & Industries Served

This division has supplied equipment to petrochemical plants (ethylene, propylene, PE, PP, PVC, EDC/VCM), LNG/LPG facilities, gas processing plants, hydrogen production, refinery units (atmospheric distillation, hydrotreating, catalytic reforming), and specialty chemical plants. EPC contractors that have procured through Hicool’s network include international firms working on projects in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Africa.

Typical single-project scope ranges from one to fifteen vessels. Multi-unit projects benefit from consolidated factory inspection trips, unified documentation numbering, and single-shipment freight consolidation managed by Hicool’s logistics team.