Stokvis advises use of PHEs
From modern leisure centres and industrial premises requiring very large quantities of hot water, to rambling old hotels and education establishments wanting to isolate new boilers from ageing pipe systems, plate heat exchangers (PHEs) offer a host of benefits that are driving their increased use.
Stokvis Energy Systems’ Econoplate range presents packaged units with a choice of gaskets and other materials for use in diverse applications and with different fluids. Pressures of up to 25 bar and working temperatures as high as 1500 centigrade can be accommodated.
PHEs can also be used to convert medium temperature hot water into low temperature hot water, or as the interface between steam circuits and domestic hot water supplies. Additionally, they can feature in subsidiary plant rooms; perhaps feeding underfloor heating systems.
The plate sets are easily accessible for maintenance by simply removing the front chassis while the turbulent nature of the water flow through the units reduces the tendency for fouling or scale formation. The smooth surfaced plates are, in effect, self-cleaning.
Thanks to their high energy efficiency and rapid heat up characteristics, PHEs have been used over the years to update older domestic hot water systems which featured large volume hot water storage, reducing the risk of Legionella or other bacterial growth.
While the high temperature differential on the primary side of the circuit enables modern boilers to remain in condensing mode for more of the time, PHEs also facilitate the specification of smaller diameter pipe systems, as well as pumps using less energy.
