Plate Type Heat Exchangers
Plate Type Heat Exchangers Overview:-
Plate Heat Exchangers have a high heat transfer rate compared to other types of heat exchangers due to their large surface area. They are composed of a number of thin metal plates compressed together into a ‘plate pack’ by two pressure plates. Within a plate heat exchanger, the fluid paths alternate between plates allowing the two fluids to interact, but not mix, several times in a small area. Each plate is corrugated to increase the surface area and maximize heat transfer. Plate Heat Exchangers have a number of applications in the pharmaceutical, petrochemical, chemical, power, industrial dairy, and food & beverage industry.
Types of Plate Heat Exchangers
There are four main types of plate heat exchangers: Gasket, Brazed Plate, Welded, and Semi-Welded
Features Of Plate Type Heat Exchangers :-
Large surface areas and corrugated plates allow Plate heat exchangers to transfer heat very efficiently. Each plate is pressed with a chevron-shaped design to create high turbulent flow, excellent fluid distribution, and to increase surface area. The fluid passages between plates can be very wide, reducing fouling rates significantly.
Plate heat exchangers are smaller and use less material to produce, so they are often the most effective economic choice for a heat transfer task. Plate and gasket materials are tailored according to the desired application, so that the heat exchanger will fit design and fluid commotions. Thanks to advanced gasket design and welded plates, plate heat exchangers also lose very little fluid; making them ideal for transferring expensive and caustic fluids. Plate exchangers can easily be expanded to suit new applications or increase flow rate, often negating the need to purchase a new heat exchanger.
Maintenance And Plate Type Heat Exchangers: –
Gasketed heat exchangers are easily disassembled and reassembled to allow for cleaning. Single plates can be removed quickly for cleaning or maintenance, minimizing the inactivity of the heat exchanger. Plate heat exchangers have a high corrosion resistance and a low fouling rate, so they do not require as much maintenance as other heat exchangers. They are also very simple to expand in order to increase flow rate or to use for another application.