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Author Topic: plate vs. tube hx,which is better and why?  (Read 5823 times)

woodywoodchucker

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plate vs. tube hx,which is better and why?
« on: June 08, 2010, 07:25:38 AM »
I was wondering why most people use plate type hx? Is it cost, or do they just work better?At my work I have access to many tube type hx.
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Mercury451

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Re: plate vs. tube hx,which is better and why?
« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2011, 12:08:25 PM »
Plate, tube,, not much difference. I think it would be preference as to which you prefer. I was a boiler tech in the Navy for 6 years and worked on many shell and tube heat exchangers. The ones I worked on were 600 psi superheated and saturated steam main propulsion systems. if a tube would become compromised you can plug the tube. I do not know if you could plug a faulty plate. I would have no problem using a shell and tube hear exchanger.
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RSI

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Re: plate vs. tube hx,which is better and why?
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2011, 01:10:18 PM »
Plate heat exchangers are smaller for the same amount of heat transfer, shell in tube type are less likely to plug.
If you have the room and can get a shell in tube for the same price or less, I would go with that. Otherwise I would use the plate type.
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woodywoodchucker

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Re: plate vs. tube hx,which is better and why?
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2011, 03:00:16 PM »
Wow, thats from a while ago I asked that?.I was thinking of using a small tube and shell as a side arm instead of buying the side arm as I have axcess to HX.
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willieG

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Re: plate vs. tube hx,which is better and why?
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2011, 04:25:26 PM »
i used 50 feet of 1/2 inch copper rolled up inside a 12 inch pipe for my domestic water application

furnace water goes through large pipe and 50 foot coil inside built for free as parts are accessable from work
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home made OWB (2012)
Ontario Canada

RSI

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Re: plate vs. tube hx,which is better and why?
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2011, 11:06:29 PM »
I built one for my brother using a large water to air heat exchanger (probably 36" x 48", was going to be scrapped) and split off the tubes so there were 2 loops and they alternate the whole width. Then I mounted it inside a 275 gallon fuel oil tank and filled the tank with water. It doubles as extra storage and heats his water.
He only runs 130 -140 degree boiler water to his house which is why I did it. The output is the same temperature as the boiler water. It feeds into his 80 gallon water heater.
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