Interchanging of hot and cold stream in plate type heat exchangers 1

[SMF1]

Are hot and cold sides of plate type heat exchangers interchangeable? as per manufacturer's data sheet the hot and cold (inlet/ outlet)nozzles are marked but they don't match the field orientation i.e. the left and right side nozzles are swapped. is it advisable that we install them in as-is condition?

 

[pierreick]

hi,
You should call the manufacturer !
Pierre

 

[Compositepro]

If both sides are identical they should be interchangeable. I have never seen it, but the exchanger could have different flow channels on each side of the plates to optimize for different flow rates, or fluid properties, in each stream. So ask the manufacturer.

 

[SMF1]

Perhaps I wasn't very clear with the problem statement either.

Hot fluid is process condensate, enters from top nozzle
Cooling water is cold fluid, enters from bottom nozzles

Now hot condensate should enter from left side of the exchanger as per data sheet of HX i.e. inlet of process condensate (hot fluid) is marked on left side. But the field orientation of piping is such that inlet pipe of hot condensate exists on the right side.

Similar problem exists for the cooling water (cold fluid) nozzles.

I've confirmed from the manufacturer: the inlet and outlet nozzles of a single fluid can be swapped in my case of plate type HX as long as counter flow is being maintained between the hot and cold streams (which in my case is being done as cold fluid enters from bottom and hot from top.) To reiterate, the left or right, any side of the exchanger can be marked as inlet or outlet because the inside sealing gaskets do the trick.

 

[IDreamChaserI]

Hi,

Wonder if you consider using ceramic as material?