Reducing Energy Costs with Brazed Plate Heat Exchangers

Finding ways to reduce energy is always a smartunits up to 80 tons, but today can be used for
way to cut costs, but with the current cost ofunits up to 160 tons.
consumption, conserving energy can make a bigLower Energy Usage; a Powerful Selling Point:
impact on the bottom line. With improvedIn a highly competitive market, reduced energy
technology of heat exchangers, dramatic energyusage is a big selling point for end users. If the
savings are now possible when brazed plate heatfunctionality of a product is similar to the
exchangers are used in various applications.competition, benefits like energy usage win
What are brazed plate heat exchangers?customers. The benefit of reduced usage cost
Brazed plate heat exchangers aren't a brand ofover time allows manufacturers to charge a
heat exchangers, but a style. The two mosthigher premium while saving the customer money
common types are tube and shell, and plate andin the long run.
frame. The shell and tube heat exchanger designBenefits:
consists of u-shaped heating elements encased inBrazed plate heat exchangers have a reputation
a cylindrical tube. On the other hand, plate andfor reliability which reduces the overall cost of
frame heat exchangers are a "sandwich" of heatmaintenance and repair even further. The very
conducting plates through which independentprocess of the fluid turbulence over the metals
circuits push fluids. Brazed plate heat exchangershas a natural self cleaning effect that eliminates
are a type of plate and frame heat exchangerdamage due to build up. Additionally, they are
that is brazed in a vacuum furnace to reducebetween 50% and 80% smaller than other
leaks.varieties of heat exchangers. Because of their
How They Work:compact nature, these heat exchangers are not
Brazing is the process of melting layers of metalsonly energy efficient and cost effective, but also
which are used to fuse together close fittingadaptable for a variety of different uses.
plates, thus creating a sandwich of differentUses:
layers. Once the bonding metal cools, the result isThese exchangers are commonly used for
an unusually strong component engineered forrefrigeration units, but also ideal for heat pumps,
heat transfer. A brazed plate heat exchangerfloor heaters, domestic water heaters, swimming
works by conducting unwanted heat throughpool heating, snow melting appliances, and any
numerous layers of metal encased in a vacuumtype of fluid to fluid heating unit. There are also
furnace and releasing the heat into a permissibleplenty of industrial uses for brazed heat
area.exchangers such as in hydraulic oil coolers,
Heat Exchangers Mean Lower Energy Use:transmission and engine coolers, and in marine and
Perhaps the greatest benefit of the exchanger isseawater applications.
its small size and relatively low energy usage. ForThe ton capacity of heat exchangers varies from
its size, this type of plate heat exchanger has amanufacturer to manufacturer. Be sure to
lot of muscle. The difference with plate and framecompare the specifications of various terms of
heat exchangers is that liquids actually makeproductivity and performance. In today's market,
contact with the heat conductor unlike with a shellproduction of goods with high productivity and low
and tube design where liquids can only makecost of ownership is more crucial than ever and
contact with the outer shell. In the past, brazedengineering products around brazed heat plate
plate heat exchangers were used for refrigerationexchangers is a step toward meeting that goal.