How to clamp the plate of plate heat exchanger?

The plate clamping process of a plate heat exchanger is very important, which directly affects the sealing, heat exchange efficiency and service life of the heat exchanger. The entire clamping process needs to follow certain steps and specifications. The following is a detailed explanation of the clamping of the plate heat exchanger:

 

1. Preparation

Before formal clamping, you need to complete the following preparations:

1. 1. Cleaning the plate:

Check whether there are contaminants or damage on the surface of the plate, and clean the plate, especially the sealing surface and contact surface.

1. 2. Installing the sealing strip:

Install the sealing strip on the contact surface of every two plates. The sealing strip is the key to preventing medium leakage. It must be installed correctly and without damage.

2. Stacking the plates

Stack the plates one by one in order. Ensure the following points:

2.1.Alignment of plates:

The hole position and inlet and outlet connection position of each plate must be aligned. Pay special attention to the layout of the flow channel to avoid misalignment of the plate.

2.2.Butt joint of the plate and the frame:

The plate needs to be butt jointed with the connection port of the heat exchanger frame to ensure good sealing.

3. Install the plate clamping frame

The plate clamping frame is the basic structure for clamping the plate, usually including a fixed frame and an adjustable frame. The fixed frame is used to provide a reference position, and the adjustable frame is used for pressurization. The process is as follows:

3.1.Place the fixed frame:

First, place the stacked plates in the fixed frame. The fixed frame mainly plays a supporting and positioning role.

3.2.Install the adjustable frame:

Connect the adjustable frame to the fixed frame. This adjustable frame will pressurize the plate through hydraulic or mechanical devices.

4. Use hydraulic devices to pressurize

Most modern plate heat exchangers use hydraulic devices to pressurize evenly, which can ensure that the pressure distribution is uniform and stable. The pressurization steps are as follows:

4.1.Hydraulic device connection:

Connect to the clamping device of the plate heat exchanger through a hydraulic pump or hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic system usually has multiple pressurization points to ensure uniform pressure.

4.2.Gradual pressurization:

The hydraulic device gradually pressurizes by controlling the pressure of the pump until the required clamping pressure is reached. This process should be slow and uniform to avoid damage to the plate or uneven compression of the sealing strip due to excessive pressurization.

5. Bolt fixing and locking

After the hydraulic pressurization is completed, the frame and plates need to be fixed by bolts:

5.1.Evenly tighten the bolts:

Tighten the bolts on the frame one by one in a symmetrical manner. This process needs to be very uniform to avoid over-tightening or over-loosening the bolts.

5.2.Lock the nuts:

After the bolts are tightened, use the lock nuts to fix the bolts to prevent the bolts from loosening.

6. Check the sealing

After the clamping is completed, a detailed inspection is required to ensure that the heat exchanger has no leakage:

6.1.Pressure test:

 Perform a pressure test to ensure that the sealing strips between the plates can effectively prevent the leakage of the medium. If there is a leak, check whether the sealing strips are intact and whether there is dirt or damage on the sealing surface.

6.2.Check the frame and pressurization system:

 Check whether the pressurization device is working properly and whether the frame is intact and not deformed.

7. Adjustment and maintenance

Regular inspection: During the use of the heat exchanger, with temperature changes and vibrations, the sealing strips may age or loosen, and the clamping force needs to be checked and adjusted regularly.

Replace the sealing strip: If the sealing strip has problems such as aging and cracks, it should be replaced in time to avoid leakage.

8. Summary

The clamping process of the plate heat exchanger is a highly precise and strictly controlled process to ensure that the plates can be in close contact and maintain appropriate pressure to ensure the sealing and heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger. Using hydraulic devices to pressurize and tighten bolts is a common clamping method. Ensuring uniform pressurization and sealing is the key to the clamping process.

The correctness of this process directly affects the working performance and service life of the plate heat exchanger, so professional operators are required to manage and maintain it.

 

Related articles:

How to manufacture a plate heat exchanger？

How to perform a hydrostatic test on a plate heat exchanger?

How work a plate heat exchanger?

Maintenance of plate heat exchanger manual .pdf