Gasketed Plate Heat Exchangers

Schmidt^® SIGMA Gasketed Plate Heat Exchangers

Plate heat exchangers — also called plate and frame heat exchangers — use corrugated plates stacked between a fixed and movable pressure plate. Because virtually all of the material is used for heat transfer, plate and frame heat exchangers achieve large amounts of effective heat transfer surface in a compact footprint. It is not uncommon for a gasketed plate heat exchanger to deliver the same thermal capacity as a shell and tube unit five times its size. Our Schmidt^® SIGMA plate and frame heat exchangers incorporate superior design features to ensure long-term performance and customer satisfaction.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a gasketed plate and a brazed plate heat exchanger?: A gasketed plate heat exchanger (also called a plate and frame heat exchanger) uses removable plates held in a bolted frame with compressible gaskets between each plate. This allows the unit to be opened for inspection, cleaning, and maintenance in the field, and additional plates can be added to expand capacity without replacing the unit. A brazed plate heat exchanger has permanently joined plates with no gaskets or frame — more compact and rated for higher pressures and temperatures, but it cannot be disassembled for cleaning or expanded in size.
Can the plates and gaskets be replaced without replacing the whole unit?: Yes. One of the primary advantages of a gasketed plate and frame heat exchanger is that individual plates and gaskets are fully replaceable in the field. This minimizes downtime, extends equipment service life, and reduces long-term cost of ownership compared to replacing the entire unit.
What are the operating limits?: Our Schmidt^® SIGMA gasketed plate heat exchangers operate from -40°F to 400°F (-29°C to 200°C), at pressures from vacuum to 400 psig (30 bar), and at flow capacities exceeding 20,000 GPM (4,500 m³/h).

Performance Notes

Unique corrugation pattern pressed onto each plate produces the highest overall heat transfer rate by assuring turbulent flow and excellent fluid distribution across the entire surface
True counter current flow and high heat transfer rate allows our plate heat exchangers to economically handle close temperature approach requirements
Highest quality gaskets precisely fit the plate grooves for positive sealing and ease of maintenance
Superior clip-on gasket design ensures proper fit during closing of the unit
Double sealing design prevents the possibility of mixing the two process fluids; leak detect feature ensures any leakage is to the atmosphere
Zinc coated hardware provides long life
All bolted construction for easier service
Low volumetric fluid hold-up provides quicker response to heating and cooling demands, while reducing costs for more expensive process fluids
Readily expanded for greater capacities, or totally new applications
Available in a variety of plate sizes for industrial, HVAC, power, or food industry applications

Applications

Food and Beverages
Industrial Equipment
HVAC & Industrial Refrigeration
Oil and Gas
Power Generation
Process Industries
Pharmaceuticals
Data Centers

Temperature
-40°F – 400°F (-29°C – 200°C)
Pressure
Vacuum to 400 psig (30bar)
Capacities
In excess of 20,000 GPM (4,500m³/h)
Connections
Up to 20 in. (DN500)

Plates
Standard
AISI 304 stainless steel (1.4301), AISI 316L stainless steel (1.4404), AISI 316TI stainless steel (1.4571)
Exotics
AISI 904 stainless steel, SMO 254, Nickel alloys, pure nickel, Ti and Ti-Pd alloy
Thickness
0.4 mm to 1.15 mm
Gaskets
Standard
Nitrile rubber gasket, EPDM rubber, chloroprene rubber
Exotics
HNBR, NBR-HT, FPM/FKM, butyl, PTFE coated (SIGMACOAT), food industry certified gasket, AFM hard gaskets, others available
Attachment Method
SIGMAFIX adhesive-free gasket, or glued gasket
Frame
Painted carbon steel, or stainless steel (solid and clad)
Connections
Standard
Studded with option for liner, flanges (ANSI, DIN), food stuff connections
Exotics
Ti, SMO, hastelloy, and 904L, others available
Codes and Standards
ASME, PED, ABS, LRS, GL, BV, GOST