What is a heat exchanger?

A heat exchanger is a device designed to efficiently transfer or “exchange” heat from one matter to another. When a fluid is used to transfer heat, the fluid could be a liquid, such as water or oil, or could be moving air. The most well known type of heat exchanger is a car radiator. In a radiator, a solution of water and ethylene glycol, also known as antifreeze, transfers heat from the engine to the radiator and then from the radiator to the ambient air flowing through it. This process helps to keep a car’s engine from overheating. Similarly, many other heat exchangers are designed to remove excess heat from power-generating steam and gas turbines, compressors, large rotating equipment, heating and cooling systems in large buildings as well in many smaller systems.

How often do I need to clean my heat exchanger?

Short answer: It depends. Best answer: Before it becomes a problem. Many factors contribute to fouling in heat exchangers, like water quality, water treatment, proper filtration, biological material, suspended solids, etc. Pressure drop and thermal performance are the most common factors in determining required frequency of cleaning. Pressure drop can be measured and recorded at start-up and monitored over time to model the rate of fouling. And thermal performance can be analyzed periodically. The best advice is not to ignore your heat exchangers; have a plan!

When do I know it is time to change the gaskets in my Plate & Frame heat exchanger?

Many Plate & Frame Heat Exchangers are designed to be serviced (i.e. disassembled and mechanically cleaned) several times before it is necessary to replace the gaskets. Especially in low temperature/low pressure applications, like with chilled water and cooling tower water. Other applications, like lube oil cooling and steam heating reduce the life of gaskets and may require replacement during each service, due to high temperatures which can cause elastomer failure. Food and pharmaceutical applications should also be considered to ensure cleanliness, etc. Bottom Line: Know what you have and plan for the eventuality of gasket replacement.