Plate Heat Exchangers

Plate Heat Exchangers

Plate heat exchangers deliver high-efficiency heating and cooling in a compact footprint by transferring heat across a pack of corrugated metal plates. In a gasketed plate heat exchanger, elastomeric gaskets seal the channels and route the two fluids through alternating passages so heat transfers through the plates without mixing the media.

Why Plate Heat Exchangers Are Used

The corrugated plate pattern promotes turbulent flow and increases heat transfer efficiency, enabling close temperature control and compact sizing for many duties. On oil systems, low hold-up volume can support fast control response and stable outlet temperatures, and plate units can be selected for general heating/cooling or targeted duties such as mineral-oil heating and hydraulic oil cooling.

Gasketed vs. Brazed: Which Fits Your Application?

Gasketed plate-and-frame units are assembled between a frame plate and pressure plate and can be serviced by opening the frame for inspection and cleaning; designs can also be modified by adding or removing plates to match capacity changes. Brazed plate heat exchangers are compact, gasket-free designs with stainless-steel plates brazed together (e.g., copper-brazed), often selected when space is limited and a sealed construction is preferred.

Parts and Lifecycle Support

Many plate heat exchangers are OEM supplied by Alfa Laval, and SECO supports lifecycle needs including genuine gasket supply for common engine-set applications (including Caterpillar and MTU) as well as application assistance for sizing and configuration.

What to Provide for a Fast Recommendation

Send your duty (heating/cooling/heat recovery), required flow rates, inlet/outlet temperatures, fluids (including viscosity), allowable pressure drop, available footprint, and any maintenance/CIP constraints. SECO is a full-service distributor of plate heat exchangers and related process equipment across marine, food & beverage, and industrial fluids applications.