HVS Engineering Pte Ltd is a local enterprise that provides automated maintenance solutions for heat exchanger systems in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) industries. The current patented HVS Automatic Brush Ball Cleaning System is a self-contained cleaning system which utilises design-specific resilient brush balls circulating within part of the heat exchange system to clean fouling at the initial stage of formation. It is able to continuously circulate the brush balls through the tubes as compared to the intermittent cleaning sequence of the old system, ensuring that fouling will not occur.
Fouling refers to the accumulation of unwanted material on solid surfaces that impede function. Choked tubes would also need the compressor to work harder to drive the fluid through the tubes, increasing energy consumption and higher electricity bills.
With the intent to expand their business into the oil and gas industry, in particular addressing crude oil preheater fouling issues, HVS Engineering was looking for an advanced material to replace its existing HVS brush ball which was not designed to withstand the high temperature and harsh oil-based environment in the oil and gas industry. Through TechInnovation, a technology-industry brokerage event organised by IPI in 2013, HVS Engineering learnt that the Materials Centre of Innovation (MCOI) at the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) has a new elastomeric nano-composite material with high thermal stability and chemical resistance. HVS Engineering was interested in this new material and the discussion continued after TechInnovation.
HVS Engineering received funding from SPRING’s Innovation & Capability Voucher (ICV) and a research collaboration agreement was inked with the MCOI on 1 December 2013 to develop a new material for HVS’ brush ball. The two-month project yielded a material that can maintain mechanical and thermal stability even at temperatures of at least 250°C in petroleum environment.
“We are pleased to share our technical needs with MCOI through TechInnovation. Our successful research collaboration has enabled us to integrate a new technology to develop an enhanced product. With the new HVS brush ball material, we are able to enter into a new niche market in the oil and gas sector, and further grow our customer base,” said Alex Chow, Managing Director, HVS Engineering.
“Through TechInnovation, we had the opportunity to connect with many SMEs and get to understand their businesses as well as the challenges that they face. It has been most rewarding that we managed to effectively tailor our materials technology to suit the needs of companies such as HVS Engineering,” commented Dr Leong Yew Wei, Manager, MCOI.
Fouling, the accumulation of unwanted material on solid surfaces, is a persistent problem in heat exchanger systems, leading to increased energy consumption and higher operational costs. HVS Engineering’s patented Automatic Brush Ball Cleaning System addressed this issue effectively in HVAC applications by continuously circulating resilient brush balls to prevent fouling and maintain system efficiency. However, as HVS Engineering sought to expand its business into the oil and gas industry—specifically to address crude oil preheater fouling—they encountered a significant technical hurdle. Their existing brush ball material was not designed to withstand the high temperatures and harsh, oil-based environments typical of the sector. The material’s limitations in thermal stability and chemical resistance posed a barrier to entry into this lucrative new market. To succeed, HVS Engineering needed an advanced material solution that could maintain mechanical and thermal stability at temperatures of at least 250°C and resist degradation in petroleum environments. Overcoming this challenge was critical for the company’s ambitions to diversify its customer base and tap into new industry segments.
IPI Singapore connected HVS Engineering with the Materials Centre of Innovation (MCOI) at the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) through its TechInnovation platform, facilitating access to cutting-edge materials technology tailored for demanding industrial environments. At the 2013 TechInnovation event, HVS Engineering learned about a new elastomeric nano-composite material developed by MCOI, featuring high thermal stability and chemical resistance—key attributes required for oil and gas applications. Following this introduction, IPI’s facilitation enabled HVS Engineering to initiate discussions with MCOI, leading to a research collaboration agreement. With additional support from SPRING’s Innovation & Capability Voucher (ICV), the two organisations embarked on a two-month project to develop a new brush ball material. The result was a material capable of maintaining mechanical and thermal stability at temperatures of at least 250°C in petroleum environments, directly addressing the technical requirements for oil and gas sector deployment.
"We are pleased to share our technical needs with MCOI through TechInnovation. Our successful research collaboration has enabled us to integrate a new technology to develop an enhanced product. With the new HVS brush ball material, we are able to enter into a new niche market in the oil and gas sector, and further grow our customer base."
"Through TechInnovation, we had the opportunity to connect with many SMEs and get to understand their businesses as well as the challenges that they face. It has been most rewarding that we managed to effectively tailor our materials technology to suit the needs of companies such as HVS Engineering."
HVS Engineering Pte Ltd is a Singapore-based enterprise specialising in automated maintenance solutions for heat exchanger systems in the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) industries. The company’s patented Automatic Brush Ball Cleaning System utilises resilient brush balls to continuously clean fouling in heat exchanger tubes, improving operational efficiency and reducing energy consumption.