Plate and frame heat exchangers expose fluids to a larger surface area than traditional tube heat exchangers. This feature provides the advantage of quick temperature changes that cannot be achieved in other designs. Read More…
Leading Manufacturers
Enerquip, LLC
Medford, WI | 715-748-5888Enerquip is your trusted shell and tube heat exchanger partner. Our in-house, thermal design engineers and ASME welders and fabricators can design and build custom engineered solutions for your company’s specific needs. Our experience and expertise have earned us a preferred supplier status with leading companies in the pharmaceutical, food and beverage, cannabis, personal care, chemical, refining, and renewable energy markets. When you need a solution that is guaranteed to work, trust the helpful heat exchanger experts at Enerquip.

Mason Manufacturing LLC
Decatur, IL | 217-422-2770Mason Manufacturing is a custom fabricator of shell and tube heat exchangers, ASME pressure vessels, columns, and tanks. Located in Decatur, Illinois, Mason has over 60 years of experience providing customers with custom fabricated vessels that conform to customer specifications, applicable codes, accepted industry standards and that are consistently shipped on time with competitive pricing. It’s our promise.

CG Thermal LLC
Twinsburg, OH | 330-405-0844CG Thermal LLC is a customer focused, technology driven, solution oriented company. We provide process technology solutions for harsh and corrosive process streams. Our services range from providing customer specific process equipment and technical support to consulting and turn-key engineered solutions.

Xchanger Inc.
Hopkins, MN | 952-933-2559Xchanger, leading manufacturer of industrial air cooled & liquid cooled heat exchangers for faster, safer & more cost efficient processes, offers 10 standard heat exchanger & blower aftercooler lines. Using proven designs optimized for your specific demands & built-to-order, Xchanger prides itself on custom & completely unique configurations utilizing fin-tube or fin-plate heat transfer surfaces.

AGC Heat Transfer
Bristow, VA | 703-257-1660Since 1991, AGC Heat Transfer has been producing sanitary plate frame heat exchangers. We offer regasketing for all makes and models of plate heat exchangers. AGC provides replacement parts or frames if your heat exchanger needs repair or upgrading and do field leak checks and upgrades.

Cust-O-Fab
Sand Springs, OK | 918-245-6685CUST-O-FAB has been a trusted leader in the heat exchanger industry since 1972. Our years of experience have equipped us with the talent and skills to manufacture the best heat exchangers in the industry. We are dedicated to advancing our company and creating innovative strategies and solutions.

Plate heat exchangers are most suitable for medium and low pressure fluids as the speed of the process is achieved through the surface area. The two alternating chambers are separated by a plate which is usually corrugated metal. Stainless steel is commonly used as it is a durable metal with a high temperature tolerance rate which is ideal for transferring heat. These plates are connected to each other in a frame, usually with a thin space between each plate forming a parallel channel for the different temperature liquids to flow through. Corrugation on the surface of the plates adds a disruptive effect to the smooth flow of liquid, further increasing the rate of heat transfer as the molecules of the liquid are moved around on the surface.
A major advantage of using a plate and frame exchanger is that the fluids in the process are exposed to a greater surface area, and is a reason why plate exchangers are often used as water to water heat exchangers. As the fluids are spread out over the surface area of the plates, heat is transferred at a greater capacity and the speed of the temperature change is subsequently affected.
Plate exchangers are relatively compact compared to the amount of heat transfer they are able to accomplish. This makes them an ideal heat exchange solution where space is a concern. They are typical easy to maintain and clean which is important for some manufacturing processes where the liquids may leave residue.
Adaptations to a plate and frame heat exchanger can be made fairly easily depending on its intended use. Depending on the type of material used, and the process used to fabricate the plates, it can be a cost-effective method of heat exchange, although the running costs of the pump and process should still be taken into consideration.