Reasons for the breakdown and damage of plate fins in plate heat exchangers

Thread Content

Plate fins are the core heat transfer elements that make up heat exchangers, and detachable plate heat exchangers are suitable for various applications such as air conditioning, heating, and refrigeration. Therefore, breakdown and damage of the plates have a significant impact on the proper operation of heat exchangers. Below, the author will analyze the reasons for such breakdown and damage in plate heat exchangers: 1. Material issues: The plates of plate heat exchangers have relatively thin heat exchange surfaces, typically ranging from 0.4 to 0.8 mm, with an erosion rate of 0.05 mm per year. Commonly used sheet materials include 304, 316, titanium, SMO254, etc. Depending on the different heat exchange media, an appropriate sheet material should be selected to prevent the sheets from being corroded and punctured. 2. Maintenance issues: Plate heat exchangers need to be cleaned regularly after operating for a certain period of time. Due to the issue of the water quality used for heat exchange, scaling and blockages occur in the heat exchanger. If some channels become blocked, the remaining channels have to handle the entire flow rate of the fluid, which increases the flow velocity through the plate heat exchanger and the frictional forces, thereby accelerating the wear of the plates. 3. Construction issues: If only a “Y”-type filter is installed in the heat exchange system, without an electronic water treatment device, scale is likely to form in the piping system. Furthermore, if the Y-type filters are not cleaned in a timely manner, leaving tiny particles of sand in the circulating water, this can also cause wear on the plates of the plate heat exchanger. 4. Processing technology issues: The processing technique for the plates is not scientific; the wall thickness of the plates is uneven overall, and perforations tend to occur in the thinner areas during use. 5. Issue of working environment temperature: If the temperature in the working environment of the heat exchange equipment is too low and freezing occurs, the volume inside the heat exchanger is small, and its structure does not provide much room for expansion; as a result, the plates will get damaged after freezing. 6. Issue of water quality for heat exchange: If the water used for heat exchange is not purified or filtered, it can easily lead to scaling, corrosion, and perforation of the plates.