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Basic knowledge of plate heat exchangers

Time2024-05-30

The plate heat exchanger mainly consists of two parts: the frame and the plates.

Plate typeHeat exchangerIt mainly consists of two parts: the frame and the plates.

       The plates are made of thin sheets of various materials, shaped into different forms of corrugations using various molds, and have corner holes at the four corners for the flow channels of the medium. The edges of the plates and the corner holes are sealed with rubber gaskets.

The frame consists of fixed pressing plates, movable pressing plates, upper and lower guide rods, and clamping bolts. The plate heat exchanger is formed by stacking the plates between the fixed and movable pressing plates, which are then tightened with clamping bolts.

       Heat exchange plates: The surface of the heat exchange plates is pressed into a corrugated or grooved shape to increase the stiffness of the plates, enhance the turbulence of the fluid, and improve heat transfer efficiency. The materials are generally stainless steel, copper, aluminum, aluminum alloy, titanium, nickel, etc. The corner holes at the plate corners serve as connection channels.

       Gaskets: Gaskets are placed around the edges of the plates, which not only serve a sealing function but also create a certain gap between the plates, forming fluid channels. The upper and lower guide rods ensure the positioning of the plates and compress the plates through the end plates.

Related parameters of the plate heat exchanger:

       Plate spacing: The average distance b between two adjacent plates.

       Working pressure: The maximum pressure that may occur on either side of the plate heat exchanger under normal working conditions.

       Design pressure: The pressure used to ensure the normal operation of the plate heat exchanger at the corresponding design temperature, which must not be lower than the working pressure.

Working principle of the plate heat exchanger

       The removable plate heat exchanger is formed by many stamped corrugated thin plates spaced at certain intervals, sealed around by gaskets, and compressed tightly by a frame that spirally overlaps the plates and gaskets. The four corner holes of the plates and gaskets form the distribution and collection pipes for the fluid, while reasonably separating the hot and cold fluids, allowing them to flow in the flow channels on either side of each plate for heat exchange.

       Design temperature: The designed component temperature of the plate heat exchanger under normal working conditions and corresponding design pressure, which must not be lower than the maximum temperature that the component surface may reach under working conditions; for plate heat exchangers operating below 0°C, the design temperature must not exceed the maximum temperature that the component surface may reach. Under any circumstances, the temperature of the component surface must not exceed the allowable operating temperature of the component material. The design temperature marked on the drawings and nameplates is the design temperature of the gaskets.

Keyword: Basic knowledge of plate heat exchangers

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