FR3117202A1 - Instrumented heat exchanger and method for estimating a lifetime of this heat exchanger - Google Patents

Abstract

Heat exchanger (1) comprising:- several adjacent rectangular frames (2), each rectangular frame (2) defining an interior volume (4) in which a fluid is able to circulate,- a separation wall (5) arranged between each frame (2, 6) adjacent to and separating the interior volumes (4) from each other,- a closure wall (9) arranged on each rectangular end frame (6) and intended to close the interior volume (4) of said rectangular end frames (6),- a plurality of fluidic inlets (10), each in fluidic communication with an interior volume (4) and a plurality of fluidic outlets (31), each in fluidic communication with a volume (4) ) inside, said fluidic inlets (10) and outlet (31) being located on the rectangular frames (2), - at least one fluid distributor (11) arranged to distribute a fluid to at least a part of the fluidic inlets (10) , - at least one fluid manifold (12) arranged for glue cter a fluid leaving at least a part of the fluid outlets (31), - at least one temperature gauge (20) capable of measuring a temperature of the fluid, - at least one pressure gauge (21) capable of measuring a pressure of the fluid,- at least one strain gauge (22, 26, 27) capable of measuring a deformation on the heat exchanger (1),- a communication device (23) capable of receiving the measurements of the gauges (20, 21, 22, 26, 27) and send them to a computer processing unit (24). Figure for abstract: Figure 1

Description

Instrumented heat exchanger and method for estimating a lifetime of this heat exchanger

Technical field of the invention

The invention belongs to the technical field of heat exchangers equipped with measuring instruments. In particular, the invention belongs to the field of industrial heat exchangers.

The invention relates to a heat exchanger equipped with measuring instruments and a method for estimating the service life of this heat exchanger thanks to the measurements carried out by said measuring instruments.

Technical background

Industrial heat exchangers are used in various industries.

For example, in the oil, gas and petrochemical industries, production requires the use of heat exchangers to cool or heat fluids. For example, gas is cooled to liquefy it and store a large volume for transportation by ship, while oil is heated to facilitate its movement through pipelines.

In these plants, heat exchangers play a central role in production. In the event of a heat exchanger failure, production is affected or even stopped, generating significant financial losses on a daily basis.

In some cases, damage to the heat exchanger cannot be repaired. Replacement of the heat exchanger becomes necessary. These industrial heat exchangers are specific and custom-made to meet the needs of the plant. Sometimes large (several meters) and often complex in their interior architecture, the manufacture of these heat exchangers requires several weeks or even months to assemble, cook, cool and finally check the seal. Delivery, often by ship, and finally on-site installation extends the time during which factory production is interrupted or disrupted.

The initial life of a heat exchanger is defined by the manufacturer. This service life is established for normal use of the heat exchanger, i.e. at pressures and temperatures that are within a predefined range. The manufacturer also provides a provisional schedule for stopping the use of the heat exchanger for maintenance. This schedule, like the initial service life, is established for normal use of the heat exchanger.

However, manufacturers sometimes make use of heat exchangers outside of these predefined intervals. These situations are frequently encountered in the oil and gas industry. Depending on the prices of each hydrocarbon, it may be interesting to produce this or that hydrocarbon. The same heat exchanger is for example used to produce a hydrocarbon in the morning and another hydrocarbon of a different type in the afternoon.

These interruptions followed by production restarts, to which are added different operating temperatures and pressures for each hydrocarbon, cause premature wear of the heat exchangers. This premature wear distorts the provisional schedule of shutdowns for the maintenance of the heat exchanger and reduces its lifespan.

The invention aims to remedy these drawbacks by allowing manufacturers to have in real time a provisional schedule for maintenance and replacement of the heat exchanger which is recalculated according to the actual use of the heat exchanger. By complying with the provisional schedule for maintenance and replacement of the heat exchanger as determined according to the invention, the untimely stoppage of production due to a failure of the heat exchanger is avoided and the financial losses are under control.

For this purpose, a heat exchanger is first proposed comprising:
- several adjacent rectangular frames, each rectangular frame defining an interior volume in which a fluid is able to circulate,
- a partition wall placed between each adjacent frame and separating the interior volumes from each other,
- a closing wall arranged on each rectangular end frame and intended to close the interior volume of said rectangular end frames,
- a plurality of fluidic inlets, each in fluidic communication with an interior volume and a plurality of fluidic outlets, each in fluidic communication with an interior volume, said fluidic inlets and outlet being located on the rectangular frames,
- at least one fluid distributor arranged to distribute a fluid to at least part of the fluid inlets,
- at least one fluid collector arranged to collect a fluid leaving at least part of the fluid outlets,
- at least one temperature gauge capable of measuring a temperature of the fluid,
- at least one pressure gauge capable of measuring fluid pressure,
- at least one strain gauge capable of measuring a deformation on the heat exchanger,
- a communication device capable of receiving the measurements from the gauges and sending them to a computer processing unit

Such a heat exchanger makes it possible to have in real time a forecast schedule for maintenance and replacement of the heat exchanger which is recalculated according to the actual use of the heat exchanger.

Various additional features may be provided singly or in combination:

- the rectangular frames define faces, the heat exchanger defining a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis extending respectively along a length and a width of said heat exchanger, each collector and each distributor is fixed to the faces and define a junction of end between said collector and/or distributor on the one hand and the closing walls on the other hand, at least one junction gauge is arranged on the closing wall, at a first distance away from the end junction between 44 and 150 millimeters, the first separation distance being measured along the longitudinal axis or the transverse axis;

- a plurality of junction gauges are arranged on the closing wall, the junction gauges being spaced from each other by a first gap distance of between 10 and 500 millimeters;

- the first deviation distance is substantially equal to 50 millimetres;

- the closure wall defines a rectangle, a central strain gauge being arranged on said closure wall at an intersection of the diagonals of said rectangle;

- several strain gauges are arranged on the closing wall in an aligned manner along the longitudinal axis of said heat exchanger;

- the strain gauges arranged on the closing wall are separated from each other by a second distance apart measured along the longitudinal axis, this second distance apart being between 0.6 meter and 1 .6 meter;

- the second distance apart is substantially equal to 1 meter;

- the heat exchanger comprises at least one sealing bar intended to separate the interior volume of a frame into at least two sub-volumes, each sub-volume being able to accommodate a different fluid, said sealing bar s extending along the transverse axis or the longitudinal axis, and in which the heat exchanger comprises at least one strain gauge arranged on the closing wall, the said strain gauge being located at a second distance away from the sealing bar between 10 and 50 millimeters, the second separation distance being measured along the longitudinal axis when the sealing bar extends along the transverse axis and along the transverse axis when the sealing extends along the longitudinal axis;

- a plurality of strain gauges are arranged around the sealing bar on the closure wall, the strain gauges being spaced from each other by a third distance apart measured along the longitudinal axis when the bar d the sealing extends along the transverse axis and along the transverse axis when the sealing bar extends along the longitudinal axis, said third distance apart being between 10 and 500 millimeters;

- the at least one sealing bar defines sub-rectangles on the closing wall, each sub-rectangle corresponding in projection on said closing wall to a sub-volume, and in which a central strain gauge is arranged on said wall closing at an intersection of the diagonals of each sub-rectangle;

- several strain gauges are arranged on each sub-rectangle of the closing wall in an aligned manner along the longitudinal axis of said heat exchanger, and in which said strain gauges are separated from each other by a fourth distance distance measured along the longitudinal axis, this fourth distance distance being between 0.6 meter and 1.6 meter and preferably substantially equal to 1 meter.

Secondly, an assembly comprising a heat exchanger as previously described and a computer processing unit is proposed.

Thirdly, a method is proposed for estimating a lifetime of a heat exchanger by means of an assembly as previously described, the heat exchanger having a predetermined initial lifetime in which the latter this includes:
- a step of continuous measurement of the temperature of the fluid by means of the temperature gauge,
- a step of continuous calculation of a mechanical stress by means of the measurement of the temperature of the fluid,
- a storage step in memory of the calculated mechanical stresses,
- a step of continuous measurement of fluid pressure by means of the pressure gauge,
- a step of calculating a mechanical stress by means of the measurement of the pressure of the fluid,
- a storage step in memory of the calculated mechanical stresses,
- a step of continuous measurement of a mechanical stress by means of the strain gauge,
- a storage step in memory of the mechanical stresses measured,
- a step of determining a series of mechanical stress value ranges,
- a step consisting in counting the occurrences in which the stored mechanical stresses are within a range of values established in the step of determining a series of ranges of values,
- a step for calculating an estimate of a lifetime by comparing the occurrences of the step with a database.

Brief description of figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear during the reading of the detailed description which will follow for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

There is a perspective view of a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the invention.

There is another perspective view of the heat exchanger of the .

There is a top view of the heat exchanger of the .

There is a perspective view of a heat exchanger according to a second embodiment of the invention.

There is a schematic representation of a method according to the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

On the a heat exchanger 1 according to the invention is shown. First, a longitudinal axis X extending along a length L of the heat exchanger 1 corresponding to its largest dimension is defined. Secondly, a first transverse axis Y substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X and extending along a width l of the heat exchanger 1 is defined. Finally, a second transverse axis Z is defined substantially perpendicular to the axes X and Y, and extending along a height H of the heat exchanger 1.

The heat exchanger 1 comprises several frames 2. As can be seen, the frames 2 are rectangular in shape. Each frame 2 is made by assembling several substantially rectilinear bars 3 bevelled at each of their ends to form a substantially right angle. Frames 2 are adjacent to each other. In other words, the frames 2 are juxtaposed on top of each other. Each rectangular frame 2 defines an interior volume 4.

The heat exchanger 1 comprises partition walls 5. A partition wall 5 is arranged between each rectangular frame 2. Thus, a given rectangular 2-frame is not immediately in contact with an adjacent rectangular 2-frame. A dividing wall 5 separates the rectangular frames 2 from each other. The partition walls 5 make it possible to separate the interior volume 4 of the rectangular frames 2 from each other, thus creating compartments along the Z axis.

On either side of the heat exchanger 1, the latter comprises an end frame 6, identical to the other rectangular frames 2 but located at the lower and upper ends 7, 8. A closure wall 9 is arranged on each end frame 6 to close their interior volume 4.

As can be seen on the , each frame 2 with the exception of the end frames 6, comprises at least one fluidic inlet 10 . Each fluid inlet 10 of a given frame 2 is in fluid communication with the interior volume 4 of this given frame 2.

Similarly, each frame 2 with the exception of the end frames 6, has at least one fluidic outlet 31. Each fluidic outlet 31 of a given frame 2 is in fluidic communication with the interior volume 4 of this given frame 2.

As can be seen in the drawings, the fluidic inlets 10 are substantially aligned along the Z axis and the fluidic outlets 31 are also substantially aligned along the Z axis.

The heat exchanger 1 comprises at least one fluid distributor 11 and at least one fluid collector 12. The distributor 11 and the fluid collector 12 have a substantially identical shape. It is a curved sheet metal part defining a closed volume. The distributor 11 and the collector 12 are respectively equipped with a supply pipe 13 and an evacuation pipe 14 opening onto the closed volume. The supply pipe 13 allows the fluid to be routed into the closed volume of the distributor 11 and the evacuation pipe 14 allows the fluid to be evacuated from the closed volume of the collector 12.

In what follows, reference is made indiscriminately to distributors and collectors by the expression “heads”.

The rectangular frames 2 define faces 16, 17, namely two side faces 16 extending along the X axis and two transverse faces 17 extending along the Y axis. The heads can be fixed to the side faces 16 and/or to the transverse faces 17, defining a junction between said heads 11, 12 and said faces 16, 17. The heads 11, 12 extend over the entire height H, measured along the axis Z, of the heat exchanger 1 . Thus the heads 11, 12 are fixed on the one hand to the rectangular frames 2 via a first junction 18 which extends substantially along the Z axis and on the other hand to the closure walls 9 via a second junction 19 which extends substantially along the X or Y axis along the face 16, 17 on which said heads 11, 12 are positioned. In what follows, the first junctions 18 and second junctions 19 are respectively referred to as side junctions 18 and end junctions 19 .

The fluid distributor 11 thus arranged makes it possible to distribute the fluid to the fluid inlets 10 . The fluid collector 12 thus arranged makes it possible to collect the fluid leaving the fluid outlets 31 .

According to a preferred embodiment, the junction is welded in order to make the heads 11, 12 integral with the rectangular frames and with the closure walls.

Advantageously, the heat exchanger 1 comprises at least one temperature gauge 20 capable of measuring a temperature of the fluid.

Advantageously, the heat exchanger 1 comprises at least one pressure gauge 21 capable of measuring fluid pressure.

Advantageously, the heat exchanger 1 comprises several strain gauges 22, able to measure deformations on the heat exchanger 1.

The heat exchanger 1 further comprises a communication device 23 able to receive the measurements of the various gauges 20, 21, 22 and to send said measurements to a computer processing unit 24.

Advantageously, the invention also relates to an assembly 25 comprising a heat exchanger 1 and a computer processing unit 24.

As can be seen in the drawings, the strain gauges 22 are advantageously arranged on the closing walls 9. The heat exchanger 1 comprises so-called “junction” strain gauges 22, hereinafter referred to as junction gauges 26. These junction gauges 26 are located in the vicinity of the end junctions 19, and arranged on the closing walls 9. The junction gauges 26 are located at a first distance D1 away from the end junctions 19 of between 44 and 150 millimeters. The first distancing distance D1 is measured along the longitudinal axis X.

This arrangement of the junction gauges 26 advantageously makes it possible to obtain measurements of the deformation stresses in a zone of the heat exchanger 1 liable to mechanical rupture and therefore to leakage.

Advantageously, the heat exchanger 1 may comprise several junction gauges 26 arranged on the closing walls 9. The junction gauges 26 are separated from each other by a first distance D2 of difference between 10 and 500 millimeters. The first distance D2 of difference is measured along the X axis when the head 11, 12 is located on one of the lateral faces 16 and along the Y axis when the head 11, 12 is located on one of the faces 17 cross sections.

In a preferred embodiment, the first gap distance D2 is substantially equal to 50 millimeters.

Such a first distance D2 of difference makes it possible to obtain a precise distribution of the stress in the vicinity of the junction 19 of end.

The end junctions 19 extend over a length substantially equal to a width of the heads 11, 12. As can be seen in the drawings, the junction gauges 26 are arranged substantially parallel to the end junctions 19 in an area corresponding to the length of the end junction 19.

Advantageously junction gauges 26 can be arranged beyond the length of the junctions 19 at the ends. An additional 26 gauge junction can be arranged along the length of the 19 end junction.

In what follows, reference is made to Figures 1 and 2 illustrating a first embodiment.

As can be seen in particular on the , the closing walls define a rectangle.

Advantageously, a so-called central strain gauge is arranged on the closing walls 9 at the intersection of two diagonals d of the rectangle formed by each of said closing walls 9.

The central strain gauge 27 makes it possible to measure the strains in an area of the closing walls 9 where the deformations are particularly significant.

Advantageously, several strain gauges 22 are arranged on the walls 9 of closure. The strain gauges 22 are aligned along the X axis.

The aligned arrangement of several strain gauges 22 including the central strain gauge 27 makes it possible to measure the stresses along the heat exchanger 1 along the X axis. 1 in the longitudinal direction thereof and passing through the center of the walls 9 of closures, are particularly likely to reduce its life.

Advantageously, the strain gauges 22 aligned on the closure walls 9 are separated from each other by a second distance D3 of difference measured along the X axis. The second distance D3 of difference is between 0, 6 meters and 1.6 meters. Preferably, the second distance D3 of difference is substantially equal to 1 meter.

The strain gauges 22 thus arranged make it possible to mesh the closing walls 9 in order to obtain reliable measurements.

In the following, reference is made to the illustrating a variant embodiment.

The heat exchanger 1 comprises sealing bars 28. The sealing bars 28 make it possible to separate the interior volume 4 of a frame 2 into two sub-volumes. In other words, the sub-volumes form watertight compartments. The sealing bars 28 therefore allow a first fluid to circulate in a first compartment 29 and a second fluid to enter a second compartment 30, without these fluids mixing.

On the drawing of the , the sealing bars 28 are arranged along the Y axis. However, they can also be arranged along the X axis. , the sealing bar 28 is visible in order to facilitate understanding. From the outside of the heat exchanger, the sealing bars 28 are not visible because they are located in the rectangular frames.

When the heat exchanger 1 comprises sealing bars 28, as is the case in the second embodiment, several strain gauges 22 are arranged on the closing walls 9, around the sealing bars 28.

Advantageously these strain gauges 22 are located at a second distance D4 away from the sealing bar 28 which is between 10 and 50 millimeters. When the sealing bar 28 is arranged along the Y axis as is the case in the second embodiment, the second separation distance D4 is measured along the X axis. When the sealing bar 28 is arranged along the X axis (not shown), the second distancing distance D4 is measured along the Y axis.

The strain gauges 22 thus arranged make it possible to measure the stresses around the sealing bar 28 . Indeed, the zone surrounding the sealing bar 28 can be the seat of leaks.

The strain gauges 22 located around the sealing bar 28 are separated from each other by a third distance D5 between 10 and 500 millimeters. The third difference distance D5 is measured along the Y axis when the sealing bars 28 are arranged along the Y axis as is the case on the . The third difference distance D5 is measured along the X axis when the sealing bars 28 are arranged along X (not shown).

The strain gauges 22 thus arranged make it possible to mesh the area around the sealing bars 28 in order to best detect overruns that are potentially dangerous for the heat exchanger 1 and useful in the calculation of the service life of said heat exchanger 1 . Indeed, analyzes carried out by the applicant have made it possible to highlight the fact that the zones around the sealing bars 28 cause deformations on the closing wall 9.

As can be seen on the , the sealing bar 28 defines sub-rectangles on the closing wall 9 . Each sub-rectangle corresponds to a compartment 29, 30 projected along the Z axis onto the closing walls 9. Each sub-rectangle comprises a central strain gauge 27 arranged at an intersection of the diagonals d of said sub-rectangles, on the walls 9 of closure.

Each sub-rectangle corresponds to an interior sub-volume in a frame.

It has been determined by the applicant that deformations in the central zone of each sub-rectangle have an impact on the life of the heat exchanger 1. The central strain gauge 27 arranged at this location advantageously makes it possible to measure the deformations in this zone.

As can be seen on the , several strain gauges 22 are arranged on each sub-rectangle of the wall 9 of closure. These strain gauges 22 are aligned along the X axis.

The aligned arrangement of several strain gauges 22 including the central strain gauge 27 makes it possible to measure the stresses along each sub-rectangle on the closing walls 9. The applicant has determined that the deformations of the sub-rectangles on the closing wall 9 along the longitudinal direction of the latter and passing through the center of the sub-rectangles are particularly likely to reduce its lifespan.

The strain gauges 22 are separated from each other by a fourth distance D6 between 0.6 meter and 1.6 meter. The fourth distance D6 of difference is substantially equal to 1 meter.

The strain gauges 22 thus arranged make it possible to mesh the closure walls 9 in order to obtain reliable measurements.

In the following a method 35 for estimating a lifetime of the heat exchanger 1 will be described. The estimation method 35 applies to the heat exchanger 1 previously described regardless of the embodiment described. Heat exchanger 1 has a known initial lifespan. This initial service life is calculated by the manufacturer of heat exchanger 1.

The estimation method comprises a first step E1 of measuring the temperature of the fluid by means of the temperature gauges 20.

During a second step E2, the computer processing unit 24 calculates in real time a thermo-mechanical stress for each temperature measurement taken. The thermo-mechanical stress is calculated using the following formula:

Or

E is the coefficient of elasticity of the material of the closing walls,

α is the coefficient of thermal expansion of the material of the closing walls,

is the temperature measured between two different fluids separated by a dividing wall.

In a third step E3, the calculated thermo-mechanical stresses are stored in a computer memory.

The method 35 further comprises a fourth step E4 of continuously measuring the pressure by means of the pressure gauges 21 .

During a fifth step E5, the computer processing unit 24 calculates in real time a mechanical pressure stress for each pressure measurement taken.

In a sixth step, the calculated mechanical pressure stresses are stored in a computer memory.

The method comprises a seventh step E7 of continuous measurement of the mechanical stresses on the closing walls 9 by means of the strain gauges 22 .

In an eighth step E8, the measured mechanical stresses are stored.

The method further includes a ninth step E9 of determining a series of ranges of mechanical stress values. These ranges of values are determined by taking the interval between the maximum value and the minimum value of the stresses previously calculated and measured. The interval between the minimum and the maximum is discretized to obtain ranges of values. The discretization can be more or less coarse depending on the precision that one wishes to achieve. By way of example, a discretization can be done with a step equal to 10. According to this non-limiting example, the interval between the extrema is divided into 10 ranges of values.

The method includes a tenth step E10 during which the constraints calculated and stored in memory are associated with a range of values. In other words, each time a stored constraint has a value within a range of values, said stored constraint is associated with the corresponding range of values.

The method 35 comprises an eleventh step E11 during which the number of occurrences for each value range is determined. In other words, for a given value range, it is determined how many times the previously calculated and measured stresses fall within this given value range.

This allows in a twelfth step E12 of the method to determine an estimate of a lifetime. This is carried out in a comparative way with a database developed empirically by carrying out numerous laboratory tests.

Claims (14)

Heat exchanger (1) comprising:
- several adjacent rectangular frames (2), each rectangular frame (2) defining an interior volume (4) in which a fluid is able to circulate,
- a dividing wall (5) arranged between each adjacent frame (2, 6) and separating the interior volumes (4) from each other,
- a closure wall (9) arranged on each rectangular end frame (6) and intended to close the interior volume (4) of said rectangular end frames (6),
- a plurality of fluidic inlets (10), each in fluidic communication with an interior volume (4) and a plurality of fluidic outlets (31), each in fluidic communication with an interior volume (4), said inlets (10) and fluid outlet (31) being located on the rectangular frames (2),
- at least one fluid distributor (11) arranged to distribute a fluid to at least part of the fluid inlets (10),
- at least one fluid collector (12) arranged to collect a fluid leaving at least a part of the fluid outlets (31),
- at least one temperature gauge (20) capable of measuring a temperature of the fluid,
- at least one pressure gauge (21) capable of measuring fluid pressure,
- at least one strain gauge (22, 26, 27) capable of measuring a deformation on the heat exchanger (1),
- a communication device (23) capable of receiving the measurements from the gauges (20, 21, 22, 26, 27) and sending them to a computer processing unit (24). Heat exchanger (1) according to Claim 1, in which the rectangular frames (2) define faces (16, 17), the heat exchanger (1) defining a longitudinal axis (X) and a transverse axis (Y) extending respectively along a length (L) and a width (l) of said heat exchanger (1), each collector (12) and each distributor (11) is fixed to the faces (16, 17) and define a junction (19 ) end between said collector (12) and / or distributor (11) on the one hand and the walls (9) of closure on the other hand, at least one gauge (26) junction is arranged on the wall (9 ) closing, at a first distance (D1) away from the end junction (19) of between 44 and 150 millimeters, the first distance (D1) away being measured along the longitudinal axis (X) or the transverse (Y) axis. Heat exchanger (1) according to Claim 2, in which a plurality of junction gauges (26) are arranged on the closing wall (9), the junction gauges (26) being spaced from each other by a first distance (D2) of difference between 10 and 500 millimeters. Heat exchanger (1) according to Claim 3, in which the first distance (D2) of difference is substantially equal to 50 millimetres. Heat exchanger (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the closing wall (9) defines a rectangle, a central strain gauge (27) being arranged on the said closing wall (9) at an intersection of the diagonals (d) of said rectangle. Heat exchanger (1) according to Claim 5, in which several strain gauges (22) are arranged on the closing wall (9) in an aligned manner along the longitudinal axis (X) of said heat exchanger (1). Heat exchanger (1) according to Claim 6, in which the strain gauges (22, 26) arranged on the closing wall (9) are separated from each other by a second distance (D3) of difference measured along the longitudinal axis (X), this second distance (D3) of difference being between 0.6 meter and 1.6 meter. Heat exchanger (1) according to Claim 7, in which the second distance (D3) of difference is substantially equal to 1 meter. Heat exchanger (1) according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, in which the latter comprises at least one sealing bar (28) intended to separate the interior volume (4) from a frame (2) in at least two sub-volumes, each sub-volume being capable of receiving a different fluid, said sealing bar (28) extending along the transverse axis (Y) or the longitudinal axis (X), and in which , the heat exchanger (1) comprises at least one strain gauge (22) arranged on the closure wall (9), said strain gauge (22) being located at a second distance (D4) away from the sealing bar (28) of between 10 and 50 millimeters, the second separation distance (D4) being measured along the longitudinal axis (X) when the sealing bar (28) extends along the axis ( Y) transverse and along the transverse axis (Y) when the sealing bar (28) extends along the longitudinal axis (X). Heat exchanger (1) according to Claim 9, in which a plurality of strain gauges (22) are arranged around the sealing bar (28) on the closure wall (9), the strain gauges (22) being spaced from each other by a third distance (D5) measured along the longitudinal axis (X) when the sealing bar (28) extends along the transverse axis (Y) and along the transverse axis (Y) when the sealing bar (28) extends along the longitudinal axis (X), said third distance (D5) of deviation being between 10 and 500 millimetres. Heat exchanger (1) according to any one of Claims 9 or 10, in which the at least one sealing bar (28) defines sub-rectangles on the closing wall (9), each sub-rectangle corresponding in projection on said closing wall (9) at a sub-volume, and in which a central strain gauge (27) is arranged on said closing wall (9) at an intersection of the diagonals (d) of each sub-rectangle. Heat exchanger (1) according to claim 11, in which several strain gauges (22) are arranged on each sub-rectangle of the closing wall (9) in an aligned manner along the longitudinal axis (X) of said exchanger (1) heat, and wherein said strain gauges (22) are separated from each other by a fourth distance (D6) of difference measured along the longitudinal axis, this fourth distance (D6) of difference being between 0.6 meter and 1.6 meter and preferably substantially equal to 1 meter. Assembly (28) comprising a heat exchanger (1) according to any one of the preceding claims and a computer processing unit (24). A method (35) of estimating a lifetime of a heat exchanger by means of an assembly according to claim 13, the heat exchanger (1) having a predetermined initial lifetime in which the latter understand :
- a step (E1) of continuous measurement of the temperature of the fluid by means of the temperature gauge,
- a step (E2) of continuous calculation of a mechanical stress by means of the measurement of the temperature of the fluid,
- a step (E3) for storing the calculated mechanical stresses in memory,
- a step of (E4) continuous measurement of fluid pressure by means of the pressure gauge,
- a step (E5) of calculating a mechanical stress by means of the measurement of the pressure of the fluid,
- a step (E6) for storing the calculated mechanical stresses in memory,
- a step (E7) of continuous measurement of a mechanical stress by means of the strain gauge,
- a step (E8) for storing the measured mechanical stresses in memory,
- a step (E9) for determining a series of mechanical stress value ranges,
- a step (E11) consisting in counting the occurrences in which the stored mechanical stresses are within a range of values established in the step (E9) of determining a series of ranges of values,
- a step (E12) for calculating an estimate of a lifetime by comparing the occurrences of step (E11) with a database.