Understanding Plate Heat Exchangers and Their Functionality
A plate heat exchanger (PHE) is a compact and efficient device designed to facilitate the exchange of heat between two fluids, typically at different temperatures, using a series of thin metal plates.
Functionality of Plate Heat Exchangers
This section delves into how plate heat exchangers operate.
Fundamentals of a Plate Heat Exchanger
PHEs work based on thermodynamic principles. Each plate is paired with a specific concave tubular shell. The arrangement creates narrow, rectangular channels, enabling effective heat transfer through these segmented regions.
Fluids flow through these narrow channels encased by gaskets, which help control the fluid movement. These gaskets ensure that one fluid type (potentially a heated canvas) passes over one plate while another fluid (like heated water) moves over the adjacent plate. The visual below displays two neighbouring plates.