Examples of plate heat exchanger leaks
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This post was last edited by gn_1984 on 2015-10-8 09:49. During the National Day holiday, at 7 a.m. on the 6th, our manager was awakened by a phone call: it was Mr. Li from Yueguang Water & Electricity, who was working at Fengxia Station on the Guangzhou Metro Line 14 branch project. One of their construction vehicles had a plate heat exchanger that had leaked, which affected its cooling capacity. The main function of the plate heat exchanger installed on construction vehicles is to cool down the equipment used in construction. If there is a leak, it will affect the efficiency of the plate heat exchanger, which in turn can impact the progress of the project. Therefore, the manager decided to go to the site in the afternoon. That’s why there are the following example images. http://www.gzqingli.com/upfile/2015/10/20151007144105_777.jpg Diagram of the subway construction site. http://www.gzqingli.com/upfile/2015/10/20151007144252_912.jpg The construction vehicle used for the plate heat exchanger. http://www.gzqingli.com/upfile/2015/10/20151007144555_864.jpg Dimensions of the leaking plate heat exchanger. http://www.gzqingli.com/upfile/2015/10/20151007144725_988.jpg Photo of the leakage; it’s a clear case of leakage. There are several common reasons for leakage in plate heat exchangers: 1. Deformation of the plates or misalignment during assembly, leading to leakage at the gaskets; 2. Cracks in the sealing grooves of the plates or in the secondary sealing areas; 3. Inadequate clamping, uneven dimensions (the deviation in dimensions should not exceed 3 mm), or loose clamping bolts; 4. Some gaskets have come loose from their sealing grooves, the main sealing surface of the gaskets is dirty, the gaskets are damaged, or the gasket material has aged. For construction vehicles used in subway work like this, we believe they fall into the fourth category; the appropriate approach would be to remove the plates, clean them one by one, and replace the gaskets. However, cleaning and installing these plates is time-consuming, and the conditions at the construction site do not permit such operations. Mr. Li from Yueguang Water & Electricity said that this vehicle can only be shut down for up to 1 hour, so the cleaning option was ruled out, and we had no choice but to replace it with a new plate heat exchanger. The most important thing when replacing a plate heat exchanger is to accurately measure the dimensions at the 4 flange connections in order to facilitate installation and replacement.
Cool what? Hydraulic oil? How long has it been used? It depends; it’s likely a gasket issue. Under normal circumstances, gaskets last for five years without any problems
Cooling water: The construction site reported that it didn’t last long, but the manufacturing date on the nameplate is 2009.
Two spares? Such old equipment – it’s time to replace the gaskets
There’s nothing to say; just change it as soon as possible and that’s it! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Is this a Sandex heat exchanger, used in shield machines? It is very likely that the passage is blocked, causing the gasket to displace and resulting in a leak. The process cooling water is likely not very clean. The heat exchanger is from 2009, and the gaskets are a bit old! Even when not in use, gaskets will age; of course, it depends on the manufacturer as to how they are stored!
This brand is probably a third- or fourth-tier brand! It’s a bit inferior compared to the brands we currently represent, such as APV, GEA, and API!
In fact, there are many manufacturers of plate heat exchangers in China, and their technical capabilities are on par with those of foreign companies. Everyone is aware of this; nowadays, most of these heat exchangers are produced domestically rather than imported from abroad. Nanjing Gaojie Light Industry Equipment Co., Ltd. produces high-quality plate heat exchangers – it seems that their designs are based on those of Alfa Laval. I’ve used their products a few times; the poster can get in touch with them. There’s a salesperson surnamed Li who provides excellent service
It is reported that a brand of plate heat exchangers under SPX offers first-class quality, and many mechanical devices give priority to choosing them. Should the warranty period start from the date of manufacture? Or should it be based on the user’s purchase time? You should check whether its invoice is second-hand.
In the case of leaks in such equipment, the seals are the main area to be checked; most leaks are caused by problems with the seals. Other reasons include poor water quality or blockages in the equipment, which prevent it from functioning properly. Equipment needs to be regularly inspected and maintained.
Those in his size are not so easy to find; if they are of type Alpha, they are much easier to locate