Thermal plates and gaskets
The most important and most expensive part of a PHE is its thermal plates, which are made of metal, metal alloy, or even special graphite materials, depending on the application. Stainless steel, titanium, nickel, aluminum, Inconel Hastelloy, Monel, and tantalum are some examples commonly found in industrial applications. The plates may be flat, but in most applications have corrugations that exert a strong influence on the thermal-hydraulic performance of the device. The sealing of the plates is achieved by gaskets fitted at their ends. The gaskets are typically molded elastomers, selected based on their fluid compatibility and conditions of temperature and pressure. Multi-pass arrangements can be implemented, depending on the arrangement of the gaskets between the plates. Butyl or nitrile rubbers are the materials generally used in the manufacture of the gaskets.