Plate heat exchanger

Plate heat exchangers (PHE) or plate heat carriers (PHC) are a special kind of heat exchanger designed to use metal plates arranged in parallel. Like other heat exchangers, they enable thermal energy to be transported between two materials. They are used in conventional heating and cooling technology as well as in renewable energy heating and cooling systems. Plate heat exchangers are also used for hot water preparation.

The plate heat exchanger consists of multiple heat-conducting plates that are soldered, welded or bolted together and consist of superimposed corrugated chambers arranged in layers. The substances circulate in the spaces between these chambers. The direction of flow in the form of counter-, co-current and cross-flow determines the magnitude of the energy transfer. The energy transfer is highest with countercurrent flow, in which the two currents flow past each other. The thermal energy is transferred from the heat-emitting substance to the heat-absorbing substance.

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