Plate & Gasket Heat Exchangers for Industrial Water Heating

Industrial facilities rely heavily on stable and efficient hot water supply—whether for process heating, sanitation, cleaning, chemical reactions, or equipment operation. A Plate & Gasket Heat Exchanger (PHE) is one of the most effective and widely used technologies for industrial water heating due to its high thermal efficiency, compact footprint, and ease of maintenance.

1. High Thermal Efficiency

The corrugated plate design generates turbulence even at low flow rates, resulting in:

• High heat transfer coefficients

• Faster heat-up times

• Reduced energy consumption

This makes PHEs highly efficient for heating large water volumes.

2. Compact Footprint and Easy Installation

Plate heat exchangers occupy much less space than shell & tube heat exchangers.
They can be installed in tight mechanical rooms or integrated into existing systems without major modifications.

3. Quick Maintenance with Replaceable Gaskets

The plate pack can be easily opened for:

• Cleaning

• Inspection

• Gasket replacement

• Plate addition to increase capacity

This reduces downtime and makes PHEs highly cost-effective over their lifecycle.

4. Precise Temperature Control

Industrial processes require reliable outlet temperatures.
PHEs allow:

• Fast response to load variations

• Fine temperature adjustments

• Stable discharge water temperatures

5. Flexibility for Different Heating Media

Depending on the plant setup, a PHE can heat water using:

• Steam

• Boiler hot water

• District heating

• Waste heat recovery (flue gas heat, compressor heat, CHP system heat)

• Thermal oil

Construction Materials for Water Heating PHEs

Plates

• Stainless Steel 304 / 316L (most common)

• Titanium for aggressive water

• SMO254 for high chloride content

Gaskets

• NBR (Nitrile) – General heating water

• EPDM – Hot water and steam-heated applications

• Viton – High-temperature and chemically aggressive media