Analysis of parameters affecting heat transfer and plate life in plate heat exchangers

Heat exchangers are devices that provide heat transfer between at least two fluids at different temperatures without mixing them together. Plate heat exchangers have been widely used in many industrial applications since their first commercial applications. It is very important to keep the equipment at the desired performance and the reliable operating temperature of the system, to save energy for capital investment and to improve the system economy, and to increase the thermal-hydraulic performance. For this reason, the need to make more efficient designs has arisen. In this study, the parameters affecting the heat transfer and plate life for the heat transfer required in plate heat exchangers within the scope of single-phase fluids in the literature were examined in detail by considering the Air Conditioning Heating and Refrigeration Institution (AHRI) standard. Hence, sustainability is targeted by aiming to further increase efficiency in heat transfer. According to the results obtained, the chevron angle (β) is the effective parameter in heat transfer and pressure loss. Increasing the chevron angle increases the heat transfer coefficient approximately 2.5 to 2.8 times and the pressure loss 5 times. In the flow channels formed in the plates, the increase in the supply flow causes the heat transfer coefficient to increase between the 3 to 7 times and the pressure loss between the 4 to 20 times, depending on the chevron angle. Increasing the channel depth or decreasing the plate step at constant feed water flow and constant chevron angle increases the heat transfer coefficient up to 30% and the pressure loss up to 3 times. The presence of chlorine and sulfur in the environment are the main factors that accelerate plate corrosion. For this reason, wear and contamination are among the most important reasons that negatively affect heat transfer. The physical and chemical property of the fluid is a common parameter affecting both heat transfer and plate life. The high heat transfer coefficient and pressure loss provides the formation of lower heat transfer areas. This means that the designed system can be solved by using fewer plates and with a lower initial investment cost. Materials with high corrosion resistance increase plate life and initial investment cost. Plate heat exchangers plate type and thickness of the material, that has a geometric structure, the plate arrangement and flow routing, fouling affects heat transfer; manufacturing, design and implementation errors have been identified as important factors that affected the life of the plate.