A Unified Review of Thermal System Optimization and Automation Technologies Shaping Modern Marine and Oil–Gas Engineering
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62486/978-9915-9851-0-7_202643Keywords:
Thermal system optimisation, Marine cooling technologies, Oil–gas engineering, Real-time monitoring, Digital engineering, Sustainable industrial operationsAbstract
Thermal management and automation have become closely linked factors that drive innovation across marine propulsion systems and oil-gas engineering. This review indicates that the contemporary changes in heat-exchanger design, energy-efficient cooling strategies, and data-driven control architectures are redefining the performance levels that were expected in both sectors. For the marine sectors, the recent research shows that the focus is shifting towards the use of compact, high-flux thermal exchangers and hybrid cooling loops which have the capability to adjust to fluctuating onboard loads as well as meet stringent environmental regulations. Similarly, oil and gas works are going on to install more automated sensing, predictive diagnostics, and intelligent process control for stabilising thermal behaviour under harsh operating conditions. As a result of examining these innovations from a single perspective, the review points out the merging engineering principles - in particular, system-level optimisation, real-time monitoring and digitally supported decision-making - that are most likely to be the characteristics of the next-generation energy and fluid-handling infrastructures. The integration, therefore, volunteers that knowledge transfer from one sector to another may be the main factor that will lead the way to the engineering systems that are more resilient, efficient, and environmentally responsive at a faster rate. The latest marine heat exchangers primarily focus on a compact and efficient design that can be durable for a long time even in a harsh environment. This review paper explores the recent changes in design methods, performance enhancement techniques, material selection, and computer modeling strategies. It also highlights the problems of fouling, scaling, corrosion, and maintenance difficulties, which are major barriers to performance at a high level. In addition, this research identifies potential research themes such as the implementation of eco-friendly design principles, digital monitoring and predictive maintenance technologies, and additive manufacturing for the creation of custom and efficient heat exchanger parts. These innovations, in combination, provide the platform for the subsequent set of marine cooling solutions.
References
1. Li, Y.; Dai, G. Energy Saving and Emission Reduction of Fossil Energy Based on Low Carbon Economy and Its Consumption Structure Optimization. Int. J. Low-Carbon Technol. 2019, 14, 381–385.
2. Hua, L.-Y.; Cui, T.; Li, J.-X.; Zou, B.-D.; Yang, Y.-Y.; Cheng, G. VOCs Removal and Emission Monitoring of Beijing Bulk Gasoline Terminals in 2012–2019. Huan Jing Ke Xue 2021, 42, 1328–1332.
3. Guo, T.; Jiao, Y.; Tang, Y.; Lu, D.; Kong, X.; Shen, J.; Jiang, Q. Marking the Status and Development of Marine VOCs Recovery Technology. E3S Web Conf. 2021, 248, 01010.
4. Zhou, J.Y.; Wang, B.F.; Nie, L.H.; Lu, J.X.; Hao, Y.J.; Xu, R.R. Experimental Study on Emission of VOCs from Tanker Using Hollow Fiber Membrane Absorption Method with Different Absorbents. IOP Conf. Ser. Mater. Sci. Eng. 2018, 292, 012113.
5. Vlasenko, V.S.; Karakozov, A.A.; Perveev, A.A. Vapor Recovery Unit of Gasoline from the Tanks of Filling Stations with GasDynamic Cooling. IOP Conf. Ser. Earth Environ. Sci. 2020, 459, 032043.
6. Fetisov, V.; Mohammadi, A.H.; Pshenin, V.; Kupavykh, K.; Artyukh, D. Improving the Economic Efficiency of Vapor Recovery Units at Hydrocarbon Loading Terminals. Oil Gas Sci. Technol.–Rev. IFP Energ. Nouv. 2021, 76, 38.
7. Wang, J.; Nan, J.; Wang, Y. CFD-Based Optimization of a Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchanger. Fluid Dyn. Mater. Process. 2023, 19, 2761–2775.
8. Dvorˇák, V.; Vít, T. CAE Methods for Plate Heat Exchanger Design. Energy Procedia 2017, 134, 234–243.
9. Khail, A.A.; Erisen, A. A Review: CFD Approaches of Plate Heat Exchangers. Arch. Comput. Method Eng. 2023, 30, 1157–1165.
10. Afgan, I.; Kahil, Y.; Benhamadouche, S.; Ali, M.; Alkaabi, A.; Berrouk, A.S.; Sagaut, P. Cross Flow over Two Heated Cylinders in Tandem Arrangements at Subcritical Reynolds Number Using Large Eddy Simulations. Int. J. Heat Fluid Flow 2023, 100, 109115.
11. Mellal, M.; Benzeguir, R.; Sahel, D.; Ameur, H. Hydro-Thermal Shell-Side Performance Evaluation of a Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger under Different Baffle Arrangement and
Orientation. Int. J. Therm. Sci. 2017, 121, 138–149.
12. Li, Y.; Jiang, X.; Huang, X.; Jia, J.; Tong, J. Optimization of High-Pressure Shell-andTube Heat Exchanger for Syngas Cooling in an IGCC. Int. J. Heat Mass Transf. 2010, 53, 4543–4551.
13. Bashtani, I.; Esfahani, J.A.; Kim, K.C. Hybrid CFD-ANN Approach for Evaluation of Bio-Inspired Dolphins Dorsal Fin Turbulators of Heat Exchanger in Turbulent Flow. Appl. Therm. Eng. 2023, 219, 119422.
14. AL-Khaffajy, M.; Mossad, R. Optimization of the Heat Exchanger in a Flat Plate Indirect Heating Integrated Collector Storage Solar Water Heating System. Renew. Energy 2013, 57, 413–421.
15. Han, L.; Yang, K.; Yang, J.; Li, R.; Li, Y.; Deng, L.; Che, D. A Thermal Calculation Model for Tubular Condensing Heat Exchanger. Appl. Therm. Eng. 2024, 244, 122701.
16. Aydin, A.; Yas¸sar, H.; Engin, T.; Buyukkaya, E. Optimization and CFD Analysis of a Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchanger with a Multi Segmental Baffle. Therm. Sci. 2022, 26, 1– 12.
17. Abushammala, O.; Hreiz, R.; Lemaître, C.; Favre, É. Optimal Design of Helical Heat/Mass Exchangers under Laminar Flow: CFD Investigation and Correlations for Maximal Transfer Efficiency and Process Intensification Performances. Int. J. Heat Mass Transf. 2020, 153, 119610.
18. Cavazzuti, M.; Agnani, E.; Corticelli, M.A. Optimization of a Finned Concentric Pipes Heat Exchanger for Industrial Recuperative Burners. Appl. Therm. Eng. 2015, 84, 110– 117.
19. Bhandurge, S.; Wankhade, A.M.; Jadhao, P.K. Analysis and experimentation of shell and tube heat exchanger with different orientation of baffles. Int. J. Res. Sci. Eng. Technol. 2016, 3, 7–14.
20. Zhang, H., Li, Y., & Xu, T. (2023). Advances in high-efficiency heat exchanger configurations for marine propulsion and auxiliary systems. Applied Thermal Engineering, 224, 120098.
21. Rahman, M. M., Al-Sarkhi, A., & Azzi, A. (2022). Thermal and flow optimisation strategies for energy-intensive oil and gas operations: A comprehensive review. Energy, 261, 125220.
22. Park, J., Kim, S., & Lee, D. (2024). Automation-driven performance enhancement in offshore and subsea process plants: Sensors, controls, and intelligent decision platforms. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 236, 111434.
23. Gao, X., Wang, F., & Chen, L. (2021). Integrated thermal management and digital control frameworks in marine engineering systems. Ocean Engineering, 238, 109742.
24. Elshaer, M., Mahmoud, M., & Habib, M. A. (2023). Smart monitoring and predictive diagnostics for thermal anomalies in oil and gas facilities: Trends and future prospects. Energy Reports, 9, 618–631.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Hariprasad Perumal, R. Premkumar, V. Chinnadurai, R.S. Avinand, K. Balakumar , P. Prabhu , V.H. Abdullayev (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The article is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Unless otherwise stated, associated published material is distributed under the same licence.