Nexson group & shaanxi zhituo: a major strategic partnership to propel pche heat exchanger engineering on a global scale

Strategic positioning as a premium thermal technology platform

Nexson Group is marking a historic milestone in its trajectory of global innovation and industrial expansion. We have officially formalized a major technological and commercial partnership agreement with the Chinese company Shaanxi Zhituo Solid-State Additive Manufacturing Technology Co., Ltd. (ZTW). This strategic alliance is fully dedicated to the development, promotion, and deployment of our range of Printed Circuit Heat Exchangers (PCHE)—highly technical products designed within our own facilities. Thanks to this exclusive synergy, Nexson Group is undergoing a profound transformation, establishing itself as a premium thermal technology platform operating as an integrated designer and manufacturer. This industrial partnership combines Nexson Group’s conceptual expertise and engineering excellence with the advanced production and assembly capabilities developed by Shaanxi Zhituo.

PCHE technology: The pinnacle of compactness and extreme performance
The PCHE heat exchangers resulting from this collaboration represent the pinnacle of modern thermal engineering, specifically designed for operating conditions where conventional technologies fall short. The process relies on the ultra-precise chemical etching of micro-channels onto individual metal plates, which are subsequently fused using a vacuum Diffusion Bonding technique. This solid-state manufacturing method gives the structures a mechanical strength equivalent to that of the base metal, without any filler material or traditional weld joints.

The comparative advantages of these solutions are exceptional:

Mass and Volume Reduction: For an identical thermal load, their volume is reduced by 1/6 to 1/10 and their mass by 1/4 to 1/7 compared to traditional shell and tube heat exchangers.

Unmatched Efficiency: They achieve a record-breaking thermal efficiency of up to 98%.

Extreme Resilience: They demonstrate absolute tolerance to operational pressures ranging from 0.2 – 100 MPa (1000 bar) and extreme temperature ranges extending from -200°C to over 1100°C.

The industrial power and quality assurance of Shaanxi Zhituo
The choice of Shaanxi Zhituo as a strategic industrial partner stems from its technical and operational supremacy in the field of vacuum diffusion bonding. As China’s pioneer manufacturer of PCHEs, ZTW relies on an elite human capital pool, with over 80% of its R&D team holding PhDs and Master’s degrees. Holding more than 100 patent applications (with over 50 already granted) and certified with the ASME U Stamp, the company is the benchmark authority that drafted the primary national industrial standards governing micro-channel and thermal diffusion heat exchangers.

In terms of infrastructure, the partner deploys exclusive, state-of-the-art equipment:

A fleet of industrial vacuum diffusion bonding furnaces capable of processing giant cores thanks to a uniform temperature zone of 2.5 m × 0.8 m × 0.8 m.

Robotized automated assembly lines and laser dimensional measurement systems.

Strict non-destructive integrity testing, including helium vacuum leak tests and liquid penetrant testing (PT) compliant with ASME Section IX requirements.

Heading towards decarbonization, hydrogen, and future energy markets
This alliance perfectly aligns with Nexson Group’s strong commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the ecological transition. By maximizing energy efficiency and enabling advanced thermal configurations, the PCHE range positions itself as an essential technological driver for heavy industry decarbonization and the rise of clean energy.

The target markets for this new premium offering cover the most strategic sectors of the global energy transition:

sCO₂ Power Cycles: High-efficiency supercritical carbon dioxide power generation systems, notably recovering industrial waste heat.

Hydrogen Sector: Critical thermal solutions for green hydrogen production via high-temperature electrolysis (SOEC) and for power generation systems using Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC).

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) & Marine: Liquefaction units, re-gasification systems (LNG vaporizers), and onboard subcoolers for transport vessels and offshore platforms (FSRUs).

Specialty Chemicals: High-efficiency reactors and environments with severe corrosion constraints or high thermal shocks.

By permanently uniting Nexson Group’s conceptual agility with Shaanxi Zhituo’s technological power, our group is ideally positioned to establish itself as the leading benchmark for world-class integrated thermal solutions, guiding our clients toward sustainable, decarbonized industrial performance. In line with this momentum, Nexson Group and Shaanxi Zhituo have already initiated a joint development project to co-design new innovative products based on this disruptive technology.