A HEAT exchanger weighing 135 tonnes, measuring 20 metres long and four metres wide, was shipped from a Fenland factory on Wednesday. It was the heaviest vessel Chatteris-based Stainless Metalcraft has ever manufactured and delivered. Metalcraft was chose

A HEAT exchanger weighing 135 tonnes, measuring 20 metres long and four metres wide, was shipped from a Fenland factory on Wednesday.

It was the heaviest vessel Chatteris-based Stainless Metalcraft has ever manufactured and delivered.

Metalcraft was chosen by global engineering company Chart Industries to final assemble their core-in-kettle exchanger, a device which is used for the efficient transfer of heat from one liquid to another. It uses brazed aluminium "cores" which pack in about 10 times more heat transfer surface area than a standard "shell and tube" exchanger.

The deliveries were set to arrive at Ipswich docks yesterday (Thursday) and are destined for a large petrochemical complex in the Middle East.

Metalcraft also shipped an ethylene refrigerant condenser which is used in the process to create ethylene, a plant hormone. It weighs 45 tonnes and measures 10 metres long and 3.8 metres wide.