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Stacks
of stainless steel heat exchanger plates with rubber gaskets
Plates in focus : the core of efficient heat exchange
Plate heat exchangers ( PHE ) are composed of fixed frame , movable frame , plates , gaskets , etc . But today we will talk about the heart of the heat exchanger : the plate . It ’ s a key component which is essential to ensure optimal performance of the equipment . Unfortunately , occasionally they are also the root of many problems that companies face when designing or using their PHE .
By Lei Tao , HFM . Images by HFM .
Since PHE can be used by a wide variety of industries , numerous problems , such as leaks , corrosion , clogging , deformation and many others , can arise if the chosen plates are not suitable for the certain applications . Therefore , this guide aims to provide a quick , but general explanation of the main features of plates and what aspects you should consider when you designing your PHE .
Materials : depending on the flow media The plates cannot have chemical reactions with the fluids which pass through the heat exchanger , so that it does not affect their composition and there is no corrosion in the plate . At the same time , suitable materials also are those ones that can resist the temperature and pressure that they are going to be subjected to . Some of the main materials include :
Stainless steel 304 This is the most widely used and inexpensive steel material . It is suitable for general organic , inorganic media , and other normal medium such as water , lubricating oil , ethanol , etc .
Stainless steel 316 This sort of stainless steel is also used for organic and inorganic media , but it is more resistant and less reactive than the 304 type . It is generally used for water , steam , oil , and low concentration acid and base solution , also low concentration chloride solution , etc .
254SMO Ultra-low-carbon stainless steel with MO content to improve 316 stainless steel . It is suitable for media containing salt water and inorganic acids that cannot be suitable for stainless steel 316 .
Titanium This metal is commonly known for its resistance to chlorine-ion corrosion and H2S solution , because it can naturally generate a protective film . It is generally used for media such as seawater and low concentration chloride solution . It also has good corrosion resistance in oxidizing acid but bad corrosion resistance in reducing acid .
30 Heat Exchanger World December 2024 www . heat-exchanger-world . com