Alfa Laval Plate Heat Exchanger
Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best. At Alfa Laval we believe that our plate heat exchangers are
the simplest to install, easiest to maintain and most cost efficient to operate. Simplicity to us means
low cost, fast payback, compact design and lightweight installation. Plainly put: simple is better.
The purpose of a heat exchanger is to create optimum conditions for heat transfer between two fluids. A
plate heat exchanger is made up of a series of thin, corrugated alloy plates. These plates are gasketed
and compressed together in a sturdy carbon steel frame to create an arrangement of parallel flow channels.
Ports at each corner of the plates act as the headers. Gaskets direct fluid flow and provide the primary
seal for the system. One fluid, hot for example, flows in the odd number channels. The second fluid, cold
in this example, travels in the even channels. The alloy plates allow for heat exchange without
intermixing of fluids. This simple design gives the Alfa Laval plate heat exchanger a number of advantages
over outmoded shell-and-tube exchangers. A unique system of bearing boxes and locking washers allows the
frame to be opened using standard tools and makes the PHE easy to clean. Once opened, 100% of the heat
transfer surface area is exposed.
There are no tubes to pull and no special cleaning tools required, just water and a clean cloth. In heat
recovery, where every degree of difference means cost savings, the efficiency of the Alfa Laval plate heat
exchanger cannot be overestimated. The pressed alloy plate design makes our heat exchangers the most
compact and lightest units on the market. Saving floor space, surface area, and hold up volume saves money
– whether you’re considering new construction or retrofitting an existing structure. The pressed plate and
steel frame structure makes the plate heat exchanger very adaptable. Changing duty requirements is as
simple as changing plates. By fitting existing exchangers with additional plates in separate sections,
plate exchangers can handle a variety of heating and cooling duties.