Suitable for a wide pressure and temperature range, depending on the gasket selected. The first choice whenever cleaning, inspection or capacity adjustment is required.
Easy to service: plates and gaskets can be replaced individually and the pack remains expandable.
Design and limits
Pressed plates are clamped between two frame plates; circumferential elastomer gaskets separate the two circuits and route them through the channels in counterflow. The plate pack can be opened, cleaned and resized later.
| Max. operating pressure | 25 bar |
|---|---|
| Temperature range | -25 to 180 °C |
| Plate materials | 1.4404 (316L), 1.4547 (254 SMO), Titan |
| Gaskets | EPDM, NBR, HNBR, FKM |
Preliminary guide values. You will receive the binding sizing with your individual quote.
Strengths
- plate count can be extended later
- fully openable and cleanable
- lowest entry cost for water/water duties
Limits
- gaskets limit pressure, temperature and media compatibility
- gaskets age and are wear parts
Pressure ratings and temperature limits
Gasketed plate heat exchangers are typically built for pressure ratings PN10, PN16 and PN25. Pressure resistance is governed by the frame, the tightening bolts and the number of plates in the pack; units are tested at pressures above the design pressure. Classification under the Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/EU depends on maximum allowable pressure, volume and the fluid group of the plant.
In practice the temperature limit is set not by the plate material but by the elastomer gasket: EPDM works continuously up to about 150 to 160 degrees Celsius, NBR up to around 110 degrees Celsius, and FKM covers higher temperatures and oil-based media. Beyond these limits gaskets age rapidly and the unit loses service life.
For strongly fluctuating operating conditions - frequent starts and stops, load steps, pressure surges - a conservative design with margin in pressure rating and gasket material is recommended. It noticeably extends maintenance intervals.
Materials and gaskets
The standard plate material is stainless steel 1.4404 (316L) in thicknesses of typically 0.4 to 0.6 millimetres. For chloride-bearing media, seawater or aggressive process streams, titanium is used, since 316L is prone to pitting corrosion at elevated chloride levels and temperatures.
Gasket selection follows the medium: EPDM for water, hot water and glycol mixtures, NBR for mineral oils, FKM for higher temperatures and chemically demanding media. Modern clip-on gaskets sit glue-free in the plate profile and can be replaced during service without special tools.
Plates and gaskets are wear parts with a predictable service life. Because every plate can be removed individually, a gasketed unit remains repairable over its entire lifetime - a substantial cost advantage over permanently joined designs.
Typical applications
Classic fields of use are district heating substations and system separation in heating networks: high outputs in a small footprint, close temperature approaches and the option of extending the plate pack as demand grows.
In industry, gasketed units cool hydraulic and lubricating oil circuits, machine tools and process baths. Free cooling via cooling tower or well water and domestic hot water heating are further typical applications with frequently fouled media - exactly where disassembly pays off.
The design is less suitable for high-temperature steam, strongly outgassing media and refrigerants: there, elastomer gaskets reach their limits and a welded design is the more robust choice.
Selection and sizing in practice
A few key figures are enough to select a gasketed plate heat exchanger: the required heat duty, inlet and outlet temperatures on both sides, the available pressure drop and the medium with its fluid properties. From these follow plate count, corrugation and the right gasket quality - and with them the price of the unit.
A realistic view of the water quality is important: hardness, particle load and chloride content decide plate material, fouling margin and cleaning intervals. Planning too optimistically here means losing performance gradually over months - measurable as a growing temperature approach and rising pressure drop.
An often underestimated point is the installation: space should remain in front of the unit to withdraw the plates, so maintenance is possible without dismantling the piping. For critical plants a spare gasket set belongs in stock - the change itself is done in a few hours.
The Platecore configurator captures these key figures online and checks them for plausibility right away. The thermal design itself is done by our engineering team - the binding quote follows within one business day.