3. Plate heat exchangers

The concept of plate heat exchangers dates back to the beginning of the 20th century, when they were first developed to meet the needs of the dairy industry, and later used in various branches of industry (chemical, nuclear, etc.). This term covers a range of technologies, some of which have only recently been developed. Depending on the channel geometry used, a distinction is made between primary and secondary surface exchangers.

• The most common type of primary surface heat exchanger is the gasketed plate heat exchanger, whose applications are limited by the maximum operating pressure and the differential pressure between the two fluids. Today, exchangers operating at pressures of up to 2.5 MPa can be produced industrially; the maximum operating temperature is limited by the nature of the seals. The upper limit for standard gaskets is 150°C,...