Brazetek liquid to liquid and water to water heat exchangers

Depending on the flow rate and volume as well as chemical properties of liquids that have to undergo the heat transfer process, a shell and tube or a brazed plate heat exchanger is chosen accordingly.
Each of the above has advatanges and disadvantages which may determine the appropriatness of the heat exchanger for a specific application.

Compatibility with various liquids and chemicals

Checking whether a specific type of liquid is compatible with a heat exchanger is essentially the same as checking the compatibility of the materials of which the heat exchanger is made of with these same liquids.
The most common use of Brazetek products is for water to water heat transfer and therefore makes them suitable for applications such as domestic hot water heating, radiant floor heating, solar heating, snow melting and similar applications. In addition:
Brazed plate models can be used (and are UL certified) for use with refrigerant in HVACR applications and for wort chilling (both for DIY's and professionals).
Shell & tube models can be used for swimming pool heating (chlorinated water) and marine applications (STX only).

Brazed Plate Liquid to Liquid Heat Exchangers

Available sizes:
· 3" x 8": 10-50 plates, 3/4" Male NPT and 3/4" Female NPT connections (on select models).
· 4-1/4" x 12": 10-70 plates, 1" Male NPT connections.
· 5" x 12": 50-100 plates, 1-1/4" Male NPT connections, mounting studs on select models.
· 10" x 20": 10-100 plates, 1-1/2" and 2" Male NPT connections.

Pros:
· Compact size - BPHE's are the most compact type of water to water heat exchangers on the market today.
· Large contact surface area - specially corrugated plates provide larger heat transfer surface then flat plate and shell & tube heat exchangers.
· High efficiency - plates stacked on top of each other provide virtually no room for heat loss.
· 316L stainless steel construction - provides superior resistance against a wide range of aggressive liquids.

Cons:
· Copper brazing - requires end user to confirm compatibility (non-reactivity) of the liquids with copper.
· Fouling - although fouling can be minimized by proper installation of the heat exchanger and an in-line strainer, periodical cleaning may be required depending on the application and frequency of use.

Shell and Tube Liquid to Liquid Heat Exchangers

Available sizes:
· Both ST (316L St. Steel) and STX (Titanium) Series are available in models ranging from 55 KBTU to 1,200 KBTU with connection sizes from 3/4" to 2-1/2" Female NPT.

Pros:
· All-316L steel (ST series) or all-titanium (STX series) construction - offers unmatched resistance to corrosion; STX series can be even be used with salt water or for marine applications.
· Large connection ports - allow for greater flow then any other type of liquid to liquid heat exchanger on the market.
· Low maintenance - helical tube bundle coupled with high flow rates create self-cleaning effect.

Cons:
· Large size - shell & tube heat exhangers are generally bulky and depending on the model may require substantial space for installation and maintenance.
· Lower size/efficiency ratio then brazed plate models - given the same BTU rating shell & tube models are in general 3-4 times the size of a BPHE.