Classification of plate coolers

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This post was last edited by B0SS on 2018-11-6 09:16: 1. Spiral plate cooler. It is formed by rolling two parallel metal plates at a certain distance apart, with the cold and hot fluids flowing in the spiral channels on either side of the metal plates. This type of heat exchanger has a high heat transfer coefficient (about 1 to 4 times higher than that of shell-and-tube heat exchangers), a large average temperature difference (as the cold and hot fluids can flow in complete counterflow), low flow resistance, and is less prone to scaling ； But it is difficult to repair. The operating pressure should not exceed 2 MPa. 2. Plate-type cooler. It is assembled by interlayering corrugated sheets of a specific shape with sealing gaskets, and then clamping them together with a frame. Cold and hot fluids flow through the channels on either side of the corrugated plate, exchanging heat via the plates. Corrugated plates are usually made by stamping thin sheets of materials such as stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, and molybdenum, with a thickness of 0.5 to 3 mm. The advantages of plate heat exchangers are their high heat transfer coefficient (about 2 to 4 times higher than that of shell-and-tube heat exchangers), ease of disassembly and cleaning, and the ability to increase or decrease the number of plates to adjust the heat transfer area. The operating pressure usually does not exceed 2 MPa, and the operating temperature does not exceed 250°C. 3. Plate-fin cooler. It consists of a heat exchange plate bundle enclosed in a header box with inlet and outlet ports for cold and hot fluids. The plate bundle is formed by interlaying flat plates and corrugated fins and fixing them together by brazing. Cold and hot fluids flow on both sides of the plate for heat exchange; fins increase the heat transfer area, promote fluid turbulence, and enhance the performance of the equipment. The plate-fin heat exchanger has a very compact structure (with a heat exchange area of up to 4400 m2/m3), offers excellent heat transfer performance, and can operate at pressures of up to 15 MPa. However, its manufacturing process is complex, the flow channels are small, and internal leaks are difficult to repair; as a result, it is suitable only for clean, non-corrosive fluids, such as heat exchangers used in air separation.