| Types of Plate Heat Exchangers Type Description Common Use Gasketed Plate Uses rubber gaskets to seal plates. The major advantage is that the stack can be easily opened for cleaning, inspection, or adding/removing plates to change capacity. Most common type. Used in chillers (as evaporators/condensers), domestic hot water systems, and food/beverage processing. Brazed Plate The plate pack is permanently assembled together by brazing with copper or nickel in a vacuum furnace. No gaskets or frame. Very robust and compact. Ideal for compact chillers and heat pumps. Cannot be cleaned mechanically; must be chemically cleaned. Common in refrigeration and HVAC. Welded Plate Similar to brazed but the plates are laser welded. Used for more aggressive fluids or higher pressures/temperatures where gaskets would fail. Industrial applications with corrosive media, high temperatures, or high pressures. Semi-Welded Has a pair of plates welded together for one fluid channel, while the other fluid flows through gasketed channels. Offers the cleanliness of welding for one fluid and the serviceability of gaskets for the other. Applications where one fluid is aggressive or expensive and the other is easy to handle (like water). |
