The AlfaDisc from Alfa Laval is now capable of working with temperatures from 195ºC to +538ºC and pressures up to 100 barg. The AlfaDisc is ideal for duties involving liquids, gases and two-phase mixtures, including aggressive media such as organic solvents, and can also be used for steam heating duties and as an interchanger. This configuration gives it the ability to handle up to four passes, with hot and cold media flowing through alternating channels in either co-current or true counter-current flow and with very close temperature approaches. A particular feature of the exchanger is that its two elements can be fabricated from different materials; for instance, when only one side of the exchanger is likely to be exposed to corrosive conditions. Consequently, the non-corrosive side can be formed from standard materials while the need for expensive, exotic materials are restricted to the corrosive side; thereby enabling significant cost savings to be made. AlfaDisc’s accordion-like construction provides excellent resistance to fatigue. Designed to generate high turbulence, even at low velocities, AlfaDisc’s circular corrugated plates minimize fouling. Unlike high-maintenance shell-and-tube exchangers that are sometimes difficult to clean, the standard AlfaDisc unit is easily cleaned simply by flushing.
The AlfaDisc’s mechanical construction makes it suitable for both continuous and batch processes, like reactor temperature control applications, while its low hold-up volume also makes it suitable for CIP-cleaning (cleaning in place). On the shell side, nozzle sizes up to DN 700 can be supplied to provide higher vapour or liquid flow rates while, on the plate side, the connections can be up to 200 mm. The maximum liquid flow rate under optimum conditions is 139 kg/s.
