Next Level heat exchanger

Next Level heat exchanger


The Next Level heat exchanger is in every way an improvement on the existing state of the art heat exchangers! Starting with the specifications: the effectiveness and pressure drop, determined by the shape of the ducts.

Until 2016 Level has tried to produce the ducts by thermoforming and it appeared impossible to produce ducts with parallel walls. The small angle of the walls resulted in a concentration of air flow in the wider part of the duct hereby increasing the distance between the flow-centers of the fresh and waste air flow and reducing the effectiveness. The new production method makes it possible to produce straight angles and the air is optimally distributed over the ducts, resulting in the highest effectiveness combined with the lowest pressure drop.

Another improvement is the achievement of producing a heat exchanger with 100% uniform ducts, starting directly at the side walls and at the lids. Uniform ducts are an absolute requirement to reach a high effectiveness. Uniform ducts ensure an equal flow and flow distribution in the heat exchanger, preventing local higher and lower volume flows.

Due to the integration of both the envelope and sheet, no space is wasted. The length of the counterflow ducts has increased up to 180 mm, resulting in the name of this new generation heat exchanger: The “Next Level 180” or “NL180”!

This is how it works


ducts of the next level  heat exchanger
Our new patented production method provides several advantages; the exchanger can be rightfully called the "next level" heat exchanger.
  • the outer envelope and the heat exchanging sheet are integrated into 1 part, reducing the number of parts.
  • the highly stretched channels feature straight walls, and are stacked on the ducts of the neighbouring sheet, resulting in a closed geometry. No flat foil is necessary, thereby reducing the number of parts by 60%!
  • the lid is stacked on top of the last sheet, forming equal ducts.
  • the sheets and the lid are mounted together without adhesives, thus no hotmelt is necessary.
  • the ducts are accurately produced (±0,01 mm). All ducts are equal, starting directly at the envelope and at the lid. This provides an increase of > 20% in the heat exchanging volume!
  • the product is robust; heat exchangers with lengths up to 800 mm are available.
  • the outer envelope and the sheet are integrated, making internal leakage impossible.
  • the complete heat exchanger is produced from one material, which is 100% recyclable.
  • no waste-material during production.

Next Level heat exchanger
The shape of the ducts determines the distance of the sheets in the header. In the past, limited by the available technology, the heat exchangers were composed of relatively wide triangles. In 2006 Level developed a geometry with small, highly stretched triangles. This led to a doubling of the distance of the sheets in the header, and to a decrease in pressure drop in the header with 75%!

The new patented next Level production method is again a step forward. The distance between the sheets in the header is 5 times larger, and the pressure drop is 8 times lower.

The highest effectiveness is reached when the heat transfer will occur in the counterflow part. Heat transfer in the header will cause a skewed temperature distribution, having a negative impact on the effectiveness. 

Due to the large distance between the sheets in the header of the Next Level heat exchanger, the ratio of heat transfer in the counterflow part increases from 75% to 97%!

Level-recuperator counterflow heat exchanger
In 1998 Level introduced the counterflow heat exchanger with an hexagon shape. From that point on more than 1 million heat exhangers of this shape have been produced according to Level patents, and the same order of numbers as copied by several other producers. 

The Next Level heat exchanger still has the same dimensions and can substitute the currently available heat exchangers. 

The Next Level heat exchanger is available in heights of up to 800 mm.

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