This section briefly describes the advantages and disadvantages of plate and frame exchangers. General Information Plate and frame exchangers consist of thinrippled alloy plates spaced about 14 inch apart. Gasketing (usually rubber) seals the edges of the plates and directs the flow into and out of appropriate headers. The streams exchanging heat usually flow in every other channel in pure countercurrent flow. The general arrangement is illustrated
700 Plate and Frame Exchangers Abstract This section briefly describes the advantages and disadvantages of plate and frame exchangers Chevron Corporation Contents Page 710 700-2 General Information 700-1 December 1989 700 Plate and Frame Exchangers Heat Exchanger and Cooling Tower Manual 710 General Information Plate and frame exchangers consist of thin-rippled alloy plates spaced about 1/4 inch apart Gasketing (usually rubber) seals the edges of the plates and directs the flow into and out of appropriate headers The streams exchanging heat usually flow in every other channel in pure counter-current flow The general arrangement is illustrated in Figure 700-1 Fig 700-1 Plate and Frame Exchanger The advantages of plate and frame exchangers are: Pure counter-current flow Compact Light weight Easily expandable (assuming excess pumping capacity) The disadvantages of plate and frame exchangers are: December 1989 Less efficient than in-tube turbulent flow Less efficient than in-shell viscous flow over a staggered tube layout Limited to moderate temperatures (