In some industries instead of Shell & Tube plate type heat exchangers are widely popularized. There major advantage to use plate type heat exchangers, is that the corrugations in the plates reduces the liquid turbulence to very limited level and the liquids fl ow is counter current so that the heat transfer effi ciency is always 3-5 times higher than Shell & Tube type heat exchangers.

Plate heat exchangers in its structure is composed of a fi xed frame, a movable frame and corrugated plates which are in between the two frames. Hot liquid and cold liquid go through between the corrugated plates in turn the areas separated by elastomer paths of seals. Most popular plate heat exchangers producers are APV, AGC, Alfa Laval, Arsopi, Barriquand, Cetetherm, Ciat, Cipriani, Fischer, Fiorini, GEA, Hisaka, Mueller, Pasilac, Reheat, API Schmidt Bretten, Silkeborg, Sondex, Swep, Tranter, Vicarb.

To prevent leaking, a fi ne elastomer for the gasket is installed around the plates and big tightening bolts are used to put the plates together. Construction of the Plate heat exchangers makes the seals a critical part of this equipment responsible for life-time of all the equipment. Depending from process medium the gasket must be chemical resistance and/or temperature resistance. Spetech is providing seals to most existing plate heat exchangers working in: power industry, oil processing, food and beverage industry, sugar industry, chemistry, pulp and paper.

Most popular materials used are: NBR, HNBR, EPDM, FPM (different grades).

There are two basic ideas of installing of the seals: Glue Style Gasket and Clip Style Seals. Clip style gaskets are installed without any adhesive. This improvement lets fi tting of the gasket on the plate just by installing clips into grooves on the plate. Hence gasket is high resistance against pressure and enable for a quick and simple replacement.