Plant Operation Practice Test

The primary purpose of a heat exchanger is to transfer heat between two or more fluids without allowing them to mix. This is a fundamental operation in many industrial processes where efficient thermal management is crucial. In a heat exchanger, one fluid, which is typically at a higher temperature, transfers its heat to another fluid that is at a lower temperature. This process enables the recovery of waste heat, improves energy efficiency, and supports thermal control in various systems, such as HVAC, power plants, and chemical processing.

The design of a heat exchanger ensures that while heat exchange occurs, the two fluids do not come into direct contact, which is essential for maintaining the integrity of the individual process fluids and preventing contamination. This separation is what distinguishes heat exchangers from other heat transfer methods that might involve mixing the fluids.

In contrast, generating electricity, filtering impurities, and storing energy serve different primary objectives that are not the main function of a heat exchanger. Generating electricity typically involves conversion processes such as those found in turbines or generators. Filtering impurities is related to the purification of fluids, which usually utilizes different kinds of filtration systems, and storing energy involves systems like batteries or thermal energy storage that are designed to hold energy for later use.