Plate heat exchangers from Alfa Laval Thermal now come with a filter which allows safer use with low grade water such as seawater. The Alfa Port Filter addresses the problem of fouling of plate surfaces through the accumulation of dirt trapped in cooling water. The solution is a simple, robust stainless steel tubular mesh, tailored to fit into the inlet port on the heat exchangers' pressure plate. Alfa Laval claims the 2mm thick mesh is fine enough to filter out most of the large particles and foreign bodies that collect in seawater. Filters can be supplied for most of the company's plate heat exchangers. Once installed, the filter can easily be withdrawn for inspection or cleaning.
Fast overhauls
Recently Alfa Laval Thermal invested E500,000 in a new reconditioning and re-gasketting workshop at its UK headquarters in Camberley - claimed to be the most advanced in the world for plate heat exchangers. The facility can handle over 55,000 plates per year, and with most stages of re-conditioning now automated, an urgent turnround of orders can be achieved - within 24 hours, if necessary. Alfa Laval has also introduced a `Full Service' scheme in which it offers to recondition and re-gasket all manufacturers' makes of plate heat exchangers. The company moved to Camberley last year from its former London base. At the new premises, Alfa Laval is offering a series of training programmes under the Thermquest heading, providing instruction in heat exchanger use for all levels. Advanced instruction includes trouble-shooting, fault identification and running repairs. The aim, according to Alfa Laval's Andrew Peeke, is that "the more a customer knows about the basic workings of a plate or spiral heat exchanger, the better he will be able to identify and understand problems or loss of performance. In the long run, we feel this will help him maintain the heat exchanger in better condition and, as a result, get longer, more reliable service from it." For more information contact Peter Rose, Alfa Laval Thermal: telephone +46 1276 413632 or fax +46 1276 413601.
