Global engineering giant Econotherm has secured a major contract to supply a heat pipe-based fired heater air-preheater to a leading Thai refiner. 

 

The 6.6 MW unit is slated for delivery in 2027, with proprietary heat pipe components manufactured at Econotherm’s Bridgend, Wales facility. Engineering work is already underway.

 

The deal marks Econotherm’s first entry into the Asian refining market and its eighth commercial refinery reference overall. It follows a 2025 award of three heat pipe air-preheaters for a Rotterdam refinery.

 

Heat pipe heat exchangers are gaining traction among refiners seeking to maximize energy recovery while reducing operational risks and downtime. Their design redundancies help avoid single-point failures common in traditional tubular and finned exchangers, while also mitigating acid gas condensation risks.

 

“In a time where the world is facing extreme energy pricing volatility, the best thing a refiner can do is invest in itself through energy reduction initiatives,” said Warren Chung, Global Product Director of Econotherm. “Proper technology selection helps to ensure that the refiner can realize the heat recovery benefits for many years without concern.”