Plate Heat Exchanger

Reliable design, high efficiency, broad range of application

This heat exchanger is made from a stack of plates, pressed between a fixed and a movable pressure plate. To avoid the mixing of the fluids there is a gasket all round the plate.

Benefits

Compactness

The thin flat plates yield a large heat transfer area within a small space. The corrugation causes strong turbulence, which enhances heat transfer. Both small thickness and high heat transfer make the heat exchanger very compact.

Low investment costs

Compactness and the use of standard components allow for low investment costs associated with a plate heat exchanger.

Easy maintenance

The entirely openable plate heat exchanger allows for easy access to the heat transfer area, which offers good cleanability. Gaskets and plates can be readily exchanged.

Flexible

The flexibility of the plate heat exchanger is demonstrated in two ways:

The small hold-up allows for fast reaction times to changes in the process parameters. This is very suitable for temperature-controlled processes.
The amount of plates can be increased or reduced. The unit can thus be adapted to modified process conditions or capacities.

Plates

The plates are rather thin, minimum 0.5 mm, cold stamped metallic plates. They are designed in two basic ways: washboard and herringbone types. The corrugation serves mechanically, to increase rigidity and heat transfer area and increases turbulence and heat transfer from the thermal-hydraulic point of view.

The channel between the plates with herring-bone corrugation has more contact points than in the case of washboard corrugation, which leads to increased stability and resistance against pressure and increased turbulence and therefore heat transfer.

Materials

AISI 316 (1.4401)
AISI 304 (1.4301)
Titanium
Titanium-Palladium
Nickel
Hastelloy

Gaskets

The borders of each single plate as well as at the nozzles are equipped with a groove in which the gasket is placed. Depending on the requirements, the gasket can be glued or clipped on.
Glued gaskets are used, when as a result of the fluid properties, the gasket may swell. Clip-on gaskets allow for a quick on-site replacement. Depending on temperature and fluid properties, gaskets can be supplied in the following materials:

Rubber (NR)
Nitril (NBR)
Butyl (IIR)
Ethylene – Propylene (EPDM)
Teflon-sheathed Nitril (TF/NBR)
Viton (FPM)
Silicone (Q)
Hypalone (CSM)
Neoprene (CR)

Frame

Usually, the interconnection nozzles (2) are placed on the front-plate (1) of the heat exchanger.

The plates are placed on the upper beam (3). The lower beam (4) allows for the correct alignment of the plates, ensuring perfect seating of the plates and their gaskets.

The movable end plate (5) and the plate pack are pressed together with through-bolts (6).

In the case of larger models, the support brace on the back (7) together with the front plate and the carying beams constitute frame guaranteeing its staiblity.

Flow configuration

Co- / Counter-Current

Two- / multi- pass Counter-Current

Counter-Current with two independent cooling circuits

e.g.: application fort he dairy industry Counter-Current with two independent cooling circuits

Industries

The plate heat exchanger is used in virtually all industrial areas, including, for example:

Pulp and paper industry
Power stations
Marine
Food and beverages industry
Chemical instrustry
Pharma industry
Steel industry
Textile industry
Diary industry

Applications

Liquid / liquid (Cooler, Heater, Interchanger)
Steam heater
Condenser
Heat recovery

Selection criteria

Compact design
Exchange surface up to 2000 m²/unit, maximum flow rate 5000 kg/hr/unit
Maximum pressure 23 bar
Maximum temperature 180 °C
Mechanical cleaning of both circuits
Minimum temperature difference: 1 °C
high heat recovery rates up to 90 % and more
Dimensioning as per AD-MERKBLATT, ASME and European rules
Wetted material from: Stainless steel, titanium, titanium-palladium or nickel alloy (Hastelloy C2000 / C22)
Fabrication according to European norm (PED 97/23/CE)