Real-Time Bench-Top Heat Exchanger Simulator

Experience double-pipe and shell-and-tube heat exchanger dynamics in real time — purpose-built for chemical engineering education, process training, and research.

info@PiControlSolutions.com, Tel: (832) 495-6436

Click on Schedule a Demo to download and to examine a full-blown demo of PiHEx-Bench.

• Real-Time Simulation: Physics engine updates every second. All instruments respond dynamically to valve and pump changes, just as in a physical laboratory.
• Two Exchanger Geometries, One Instrument Panel: Switch between a double-pipe (tubular) exchanger and a shell-and-tube exchanger from the startup screen — each with independently configurable tube diameter, length, tube count, and overall heat transfer coefficient — without leaving the application.
• Co-Current and Counter-Current Flow: A single click reroutes the cold water path, automatically switching four solenoid valves and reversing the effective inlet/outlet role of the two cold-side temperature indicators — giving eight distinct experimental runs (2 exchangers × 2 flow directions × 2 flow rates) from one rig.
• Temperature-Dependent Fluid Properties: Specific heat and density are computed from temperature-dependent polynomial fits to steam-table data rather than fixed constants, so the energy balance reflects how water properties actually vary across the hot and cold streams.
• NTU-Effectiveness Heat Transfer Model: Both exchanger types use the standard ε-NTU method — the double-pipe exchanger with the classical co-current/counter-current formulas, and the shell-and-tube exchanger with the 1-shell-pass TEMA effectiveness formula for counter-current operation.
• Startup Configuration Screen: Tube diameter, tube length, number of tubes, overall heat transfer coefficient, and hot/cold water supply temperatures are entered before the simulation begins, with input validation against realistic engineering ranges.
• Real-Time Trend Charts: Separate chart panels display time-histories of all four temperatures and both flow rates. Charts scroll automatically and can be zoomed for detailed transient analysis.
• Data Logging & CSV Export: All process variables are logged at every simulation step and exported to a comma-separated values (CSV) file for post-processing in Excel, MATLAB, or Python.
• Configurable INI File: Flow-meter dynamics (gain, dead time, time constant) and the shell-and-tube parallel-flow correction factor are stored in a plain-text INI file, allowing instructors to recalibrate the model without recompiling the software.
• No Internet Connection Required: Installs and runs entirely on a Windows PC. No licence server, no cloud dependency, and no user data ever leaves the local machine.

• Chemical Engineering Students: Visualise and experiment with double-pipe and shell-and-tube heat exchanger theory studied in heat transfer and unit operations courses. Calculate LMTD, overall heat transfer coefficient, and effectiveness from live readings — no physical equipment required.
• Process Engineers & Technicians: Use the simulator for preliminary exploration of heat exchanger performance at different flow rates and configurations before implementing changes on real plant.
• Educators & Instructors: Design structured experiments around LMTD, energy balance closure, NTU-effectiveness, and TEMA correction — or demonstrate live how switching flow configuration changes outlet temperatures and exchanger performance.
• Researchers: Validate heat transfer correlations, explore NTU-effectiveness model parameters, and generate synthetic steady-state and transient datasets for comparison with experimental data.

• Hands-On Without the Hazards: Bench-top heat exchanger experiments involve hot circulating water and pressurised flow lines. PiHEx-Bench eliminates all associated risks while preserving the full learning value of a real startup, steady-state run, and configuration comparison.
• Cost-Effective: No equipment, consumables, or maintenance costs. A single software licence supports an entire class of users simultaneously.
• Flexible & Repeatable: Users can reset the simulator instantly and repeat startup procedures or steady-state experiments as many times as needed — impossible on shared physical equipment with limited laboratory hours.
• Accessible Anywhere: Runs on any Windows PC. Users can continue their work at home, in the library, or remotely — making it ideal for hybrid and online delivery.
• Instructor Customisable: The plain-text INI configuration file lets instructors adjust flow-meter dynamics and the shell-and-tube correction factor to create different operating scenarios without modifying source code.
• Industry 4.0 Ready: Simulates a process operator station experience, preparing users for the digital control environments found in chemical, petroleum, and power generation heat exchange operations.

• User Manual: Step-by-step guide to all simulator features: startup screen, process diagram, valve and pump controls, flow configuration, real-time trends, CSV data export, and the Tag Legend.
• Case Study: Eight guided experimental runs across both exchanger types, flow configurations, and flow rates — covering energy balance closure, LMTD, overall heat transfer coefficient, NTU-effectiveness, and TEMA correction — with startup procedures, data tables, equations, exploration tasks, and discussion questions.
• Configuration Reference: Description of every parameter in PiHExConfig.INI with units, default values, physical basis, and guidance for customisation.

Request a demo, ask about pricing, or schedule an online walkthrough.