The plate heat exchanger is one of the most useful subsets in central heating installations that transfer heat using metal plates that are specially placed in the steel frame. These equipments have corrugated or grooved metal plates that are connected to each other with the help of polymer gaskets and perform heat exchange with high efficiency by increasing turbulence in the flowing fluid. Seven Industrial Group; The manufacturer of central heating installations will continue to introduce plate heat exchangers and will explain their different types, applications, prices and how to buy them.
What is a plate heat exchanger?
One of the most important and main equipments used in heating and cooling systems are heat exchangers whose job is to transfer temperature and heat between flowing fluids. The plate heat exchanger, as its name implies, consists of a large number of metal plates that are separated by polymer gaskets. The washer used for these plates has a circle on one side and no circle on the other, which is considered to be the opposite in the lower part to place these two holes.
Due to the differences in the upper and lower part of these washers, the placement of the plates is such that the first plate is placed between the steel frame, the second plate is inverted and then the first plate is placed and so on. The reason for this arrangement of metal corrugated sheets is to provide conditions for moving and transferring fluid and heat transfer. In general, in these converters, movable frame, fixed frame, carring bar, support, guidance sticks, push screws, converter plates and washers (Gasket) are the main components.
How plate heat exchanger works
To better understand how these converters work and why specific pages are arranged side by side, here’s how this device works:
As mentioned, plate converters consist of several corrugated plates that are spaced apart with a polymer washer and finally placed inside the steel frame with the help of special plate bolts and nuts. These plates have holes at the four edges that are used to allow fluid to flow.
The hot fluid enters from one direction at the top of the device and by entering the first plate, if the washer placed on the cavity has a circle, it will not be possible to transfer the fluid on the plate and therefore it will be transferred to the next plate. On the next plate, because the washer is on the cavity without a circle, the fluid flows on the grooved plate and the hot fluid is placed between the hot and cold plates. The hot fluid is not transferred to the next plate and passes through the cavity and fills again between the cold and hot plates after passing the next plate. By repeating this mode, one in between will be placed between two hot fluid plates.
On the other side of the plate converter, the cold fluid is introduced and the space between the plates of the cold fluid One in between will be placed as above. Due to the great turbulence that occurs in the flow of fluid on the plates, heat exchange with a very high efficiency is done by this device.
The most important point is that the process of arranging the plates and how to place the washers on them is such that it is not possible for hot fluid to penetrate between the two plates, with cold fluid between the next two plates.
Types of plate heat exchangers
Depending on the structure and installation of the required equipment in these converters, they can be divided into different groups that differ in terms of performance. Types of plate converters are:
Washer plate heat exchanger
One of the best and most common types of heat exchangers is the option that the distance between adjacent plates is covered with polymer gaskets. Using washers to connect these plates makes it possible to change and move the plates in less time and easily.
Welding plate converter (Compabloc)
Welding heat exchangers are designed in such a way that the plates with a distance of 5 mm are connected by welding. For this reason, it is not possible to move metal plates and they are mostly used in industrial refrigeration systems. One of the most important positive features of this group of converters is that they can withstand a lot of pressure.
Semi Welded Plate H.E.
This group of plate converters is a combination of the previous two examples, so that the plates are connected in pairs by washer and two pairs of them are connected by welding and this process continues. The process of repairing, replacing and washing the plates in this group of semi-welded converters is easier than all welding.
Other types of these converters include screw type, Bavex welding and soldering, which are different in terms of performance and the way the plates are placed and arranged in a metal frame.
Design and manufacture of plate heat exchanger
The pressure due to the rapid flow of hot and cold fluid in the device and the negative effects that the pressures on this equipment may have, in designing a plate heat exchanger, several important issues need to be considered:
The material used for the plates and frames of the device is very important and must have high resistance to temperature fluctuations and corrosion. The converters produced in Seven Industrial Group consist of 316, 304 stainless steel and titanium plates.
The washers used in these converters are very important and their quality should be considered when choosing. This is especially important when the inlet fluid temperature is above 60 ° C or the temperature fluctuations are high. Gaskets used for temperatures below 120°C are EPDM, which are used to transfer steam and water. In conditions where the fluid temperature is less than 90 ° C, MBR washers and VITON are used for oily fluids and hydrocarbons at temperatures below 220 ° C.
The design should be done in such a way that it is possible to add or reduce Plates as needed.
Price of plate heat exchanger
The price of different types of plate heat exchangers is not the same and these equipments can be priced based on various factors. The number of plates used in the device, the size and dimensions of the heat exchanger, the type of plates, the type of exchanger (washer, semi-welded and welded) and the material of other parts used in it are determined. For more information about the price of the page converter, we suggest that you contact the sales experts of Seven Industrial Group.
Purchase of plate heat exchanger
Seven Industrial Group is one of the largest and most experienced teams in the field of designing and manufacturing shell and tube heat exchangers and other central heating installations, which has also produced various types of plate heat exchangers in accordance with modern world standards. For more information about the features of this heat exchanger, the experts of Seven Industrial Group are ready to provide advice and guidance before purchasing plate heat exchangers.
Application of plate heat exchanger
Due to the high flow turbulence between the plates of this group of heat exchangers, heat exchange in them is done with great efficiency and pressure tolerance is at a desirable level. For this reason, these converters are used in various industries, the most important applications of this equipment are:
· Cooling and heating systems of residential buildings
· Used as a cooling system in condensers and evaporators
· Heat transfer in engine rooms
· Use in refrigeration systems and chillers
Advantages of plate heat exchanger
The most important advantages of these heat exchangers are the following:
· Very high efficiency due to high turbulence in the flow of hot and cold fluids
· Occupies less space due to allocated less space between pages
· The light weight of the converters due to the small space between the plates and the small amount of hot and cold fluid between them
· Easy repair and replacement of plates and washers with defects (for easy repair of the device, it is necessary to allocate at least twice the width of the device on both sides when installing empty space)
· Heat transfer and exchange in a short time due to the small space allocated between the plates
· Low sedimentation due to high turbulence of hot and cold fluids (with continuous monitoring of sedimentation, the efficiency of the device can be set at a desirable level)
· Ability to place a filter at the inlet of the plate heat exchanger to prevent particles from entering the device
Guide to choosing a Plate heat exchanger