Selection issues for plate heat exchangers
Thread Content
When selecting a plate heat exchanger, should the selection be based on the MW parameter or the area in square meters?
Stating only MW or ㎡ is too one-sided or incorrect. MW, the heat transfer capacity, is determined by the flow rate on the hot side, the flow rate on the cold side, the inlet and outlet temperatures on the hot side, and the inlet and outlet temperatures on the cold side. Knowing five of these six values makes it possible to select the appropriate model. Another factor that influences the choice of model is the allowable pressure drop. Often, these parameters are not specified clearly, and decisions have to be made based on experience. Of course, in such cases, the customer’s requirements regarding heat transfer efficiency are not very high, so the chosen model usually works fine enough. ㎡, the heat exchange area; according to the formula Q=KST, once the temperature difference T is determined, the heat transfer amount Q is also determined. Different models have different values for K, and therefore the heat exchange area S varies as well. There are also many human factors.
So what is the most reasonable way to make a selection? Could the original poster please provide specific methods for making such choices?