The number of plates and pass arrangement of a plate heat exchanger must be determined by calculation based on heat load, logarithmic mean temperature difference, and allowable pressure drop. Taking the BR-35 model as an example, the effective heat transfer area per plate is 0.35 m², the number of plates can be adjusted within the range of 20 to 120 plates, and the pass arrangement supports single-pass, double-pass, and multi-pass parallel configurations. Technical engineers should provide the inlet and outlet temperatures, flow rates, and medium physical property parameters for both the hot side and cold side in order to calculate the Reynolds number and heat transfer coefficient. If the actual pressure drop exceeds the allowable value, the number of passes can be increased or an asymmetric channel design can be adopted.
Commonly used gasket materials include nitrile rubber (NBR, -20°C to 110°C), ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM, -40°C to 150°C), and fluororubber (FKM, -20°C to 200°C). During selection, the chemical compatibility of the medium must be confirmed; for example, EPDM is resistant to water vapor and weak acids and bases, but is not suitable for mineral oil-based media. Gaskets are installed with snap-in fixation, and it is recommended to replace them with new gaskets after disassembly to ensure sealing reliability.
The BR-35 model offers two types of plates: herringbone corrugation and horizontal straight corrugation. Herringbone corrugation improves the heat transfer coefficient by increasing fluid turbulence, but the pressure drop is relatively higher; horizontal straight corrugation is suitable for high-viscosity media or working conditions where a smaller pressure drop is allowed. During actual selection, a balance must be struck between heat transfer efficiency and pump power consumption, and it is recommended to perform simulation calculations based on specific working condition parameters.
This model uses flanged connections, with the standard configuration having four ports located on the fixed pressure plate side. During installation, a pull-out space of no less than 1.2 times the total plate length must be reserved on the movable pressure plate side to facilitate routine disassembly, cleaning, and gasket replacement. If on-site space is limited, a double-support frame can be selected or the port orientation can be changed, and the specifics must be noted at the time of ordering.
