Working principle of plate heat exchangers

The underlying function of a heat exchanger is quite simple – to heat or cool one substance by transferring heat between it and another.

In the gasketed plate heat exchanger, the plates are equipped with elastomeric gaskets that close the channels and direct the substance to different channels. The plate pack is mounted between a body plate and a rear pressure plate and is clamped by studs installed between these plates. The channel plates and the rear pressure plate are suspended from an upper support bar and secured in place by a lower guide bar, both of which are fixed to the support column. The design allows for easy cleaning and simple capacity change (by removing or adding plates).

The heat transfer area of the gasketed plate heat exchanger consists of a series of corrugated plates mounted between a front body plate and a rear pressure plate to maintain pressure. Gaskets act as seals between the plates. The fluids mostly run in reverse direction through the exchanger. This ensures the most efficient thermal performance and allows very close temperature approximation, i.e. the temperature difference between the exiting process medium and the entering service medium.

For heat-sensitive or viscous materials, isidirectional flow can be used to ensure that the coldest fluid meets the hottest fluid at the exchanger inlet. This minimizes the risk of the item overheating or freezing.

The plates are available in a variety of press depths, chevron angles and a variety of groove shapes, all carefully designed and selected to achieve optimum performance. Each product range has its own unique plate characteristics depending on the application.

The distribution area ensures that liquids are evenly distributed over the entire heat transfer surface and helps prevent stagnant areas that can cause fouling.

While high flow turbulence between the plates causes higher heat transfer, the result is a pressure drop. Our thermal design engineers can help you design and select the appropriate model and configuration for your application to deliver maximum thermal performance with minimal pressure drop.