It is important that the frame is strong, rigid, and durable, as it is the foundation of any plate heat exchanger. SONDEX® frames are designed according to prevalent rules and legislations and comply with international standards. By default, our frame designs are developed according to the PED 2014/68/EU (EN13445) and ASME sec VIII, Div. 1 construction standards. Our frames are painted with a durable RAL 5010 blue colour, with more colours available upon request. Several paint classifications are available according to your specifications. Different paint classifications are suitable for different conditions, such as the installation environment or the media itself. Furthermore, our frames are designed to make assembly, and service and maintenance as easas possible.
Optional Features
It is possible to install inspection holes that allow for easy examination of the interior of the plate pack. This is particularly useful when treating media that contain pulp or fibres, which have a tendency to cause fouling in the heat exchanger. Sea water filters can also be installed in the plate heat exchanger. This is particularly useful if the plate heat exchanger is going to be used in the marine/offshore industry, aboard vessels or platforms. The filter will catch smaller particles, resulting in longer intervals between service and maintenance.
Head
By default, we design our plate heat exchangers as single-pass solutions with all connections on the head side. Having all connections on the head makes service and maintenance work very easy, as you do not need to dismantle the pipe installation in order to access the interior of the heat exchanger. The head and the column can be equipped with strong foundation feet that make it easy to fixate the heat exchanger to the rest of the installation.
Plate Pack
The heart of the plate heat exchanger is the plate pack, where the heat transfer takes place.The plate pack consists of a number of plates that feature state-of-the-art plate pattern design. The combination of plate type and pattern determines the efficiency of the heat exchanger, and is calculated to match the thermal requirement of the duty. Each plate is fitted with a high-quality gasket, that seals the heat exchanger, guides the flow, and aligns the plates.
Connections
Our Traditional plate heat exchangers have connections that range from DN25 to DN650 (1" to 26"), with threaded pipes and flange connections designed according to all standards available, thus eliminating the need for reducers in the piping system. Our flange connections can be lined with rubber, or clad in the same material the plates are made from, such as AISI 316 or titanium, to protect against corrosion damages. Our connection sizes match any duty, which means that there is no change in the velocity of the flow during operation. This reduces the wear and tear of the pipe installation, and means lower maintenance costs and better, more stable installations.
Tie Bolts
SONDEX® tie bolts are designed to be tightened from the head side of the plate heat exchanger. This makes opening, closing, and tightening of the heat exchanger easier, as the ratchet spanner does not need to be manoeuvred along the entire length of each tie bolt, which significantly reduces labour effort and assembly time.
Carrying Bar
Our carrying bars are designed to be strong enough to prevent distortion or slumping from the weight of the plate pack - even after many years of operation. Furthermore, the carrying bar is designed to allow the plates to easily slide along the bar. The length of the bar is designed to provide enough room for cleaning the plates without having to remove them from the frame. This saves time and money during service of the heat exchanger. Additionally, the carrying bar on our IS frames is designed to allow extraction of a single plate, without having to remove all the other plates.
Guiding Bar
The guiding bar is a very important part of the frame that is often overlooked when designing the frame. The bar helps prevent misalignment, or "snaking" of the plate pack by supporting the plates during assembly, or when opening the heat exchanger for service. The bar must be designed to be strong enough to withstand the side load of the powerful tightening forces when assembling the heat exchanger.
Main Plate Pattern
Pattern Properties
Each pattern has different properties, and is developed to handle specific duties, as well as meet individual requirements. The allowed pressure drop for the media being treated in the heat exchanger correlates with the size of the heat exchanger. The sized of the needed heat transmission area can be reduced if a higher amount of the pressure drop is used. This makes it important to use the allowed pressure drop to the fullest. Some patterns only use a low pressure drop, but offer a lower level of turbulence, while others offer high turbulence in exchange for a high pressure drop. Other patterns have very deep channels, making them suitable for high-viscosity media and media that cause fouling. Some patterns combine multiple channel depths in a single plate to handle the flow rate and thermal requirements for different media in a single heat exchanger. Having a large variety of patterns for each plate size, as well as an extensive plate range, guarantees the best possible technical solution for your specific application of the heat exchanger.
Pattern Development and Innovation
We constantly improve our plate patterns and develop new technical solutions, as we are determined to provide our customers with quality installations, tailored to individual thermal duties, across all market segments. We have many years of experience with pressing tool design, which allows for greater, uniform plate deformation. Our plates feature state-of-the-art plate pattern design and are developed using the latest pressing technology. This technology allows us to increase the heat transmission area, making better use of the plate sheet, meaning that SONDEX® plates are very efficient, while maintaining their strength.
Applications
Our Industry Matrix provides you with a quick overview of the applications of our entire product portfolio, as well as the industries we cover. All of our products are developed in close cooperation with our customers to ensure that we can perfectly match their requirements
Deep Process Knowledge
Having deep process knowledge of the different market segments is essential for choosing the right plate heat exchanger. SONDEX® design engineers are always in direct contact with our customers to ensure that the requirements of the media are taken into account when designing the heat exchanger. We have many years of experience across numerous market segments, affording us great knowledge and insight into the industrial processes and their thermal requirements. Armed with this knowledge, we provide customized heat exchangers that perfectly handle each individual thermal duty, across all segments.
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