Refrigeration
Plate heat exchangers for refrigeration
Efficient exchangers for cooling, chilling and refrigeration circuits — from compact brazed units on packaged plant to gasketed units on secondary circuits.
Overview
Close temperature approaches in a small footprint
Refrigeration plant depends on heat exchangers that can work with small temperature differences. Plate heat exchangers do this well, which is why they appear as evaporators, condensers and interchangers throughout packaged and industrial refrigeration systems.
Brazed units are common on the refrigerant side of packaged plant; gasketed units are common on secondary glycol, brine and chilled-water circuits where the pack may need to be opened and cleaned.
Applications
Common heat-transfer applications
01
Evaporators and chillers
Cooling glycol, brine or water from the refrigerant circuit.
02
Condensers and desuperheaters
Rejecting heat, and recovering it for hot water.
03
Secondary circuits
Separating glycol or brine loops from process or building water.
04
Oil cooling
Compressor oil cooling on refrigeration plant.
05
Heat recovery
Using rejected heat for process or hot water.
Challenges
Operating challenges we plan for
- Freezing risk on evaporator duties at low flow
- Fouling on condenser water sides
- Close temperature approaches that punish small losses in performance
- Gasket compatibility with glycol and brine at low temperatures
Services
Relevant services
- Cleaning & regasketing — restoring close approach temperatures
- On-site servicing — inspection on the plant
- Maintenance programs — seasonal servicing before peak load
Products & parts
Suitable equipment and parts
Maintenance
Maintenance considerations
- Service condenser-water units before the summer peak
- Watch for rising approach temperature as a sign of fouling
- Check gasket compound suits glycol or brine at operating temperature
- Protect brazed evaporators with strainers and correct flow
FAQ
Common questions
Brazed or gasketed for refrigeration?
Brazed units suit many refrigerant-side duties on packaged plant; gasketed units suit secondary circuits that need cleaning. We’ll recommend one for your duty.
Get in touch
Tell us about your application
Share the duty, the media and the operating environment, and we’ll recommend a practical option.