Alfalaval AC User manual

Brazed and Gas-to-liquid plate heat exchangers
AC, AXP, CB, CD, DOC, GL, GLX
Lit. Code 200001565-1-EN-GB
Instruction Manual

Published by
Alfa Laval Lund AB
Box 74
Visit: Rudeboksvägen 1
226 55 Lund, Sweden
[phone]
[phone]
[email protected]
The original instructions are in English
© Alfa Laval Corporate AB 2020-05
This document and its contents are subject to copyrights and other intellectual property rights owned by Alfa Laval Corporate AB. No part of this document may be copied, re-produced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, or for any purpose, without Alfa Laval Corporate AB’s prior express written permission. Information and services provided in this document are
made as a benefit and service to the user, and no representations or warranties are made about the accuracy or suitability of this information and these services for any purpose. All rights
are reserved.

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Contents
1 Preface............................................................................................................................ 7
1.1 Intended use..............................................................................................................7
1.2 Prior knowledge.........................................................................................................7
1.3 Warranty conditions...................................................................................................7
1.4 Environmental compliance........................................................................................ 7
2 Safety............................................................................................................................... 9
2.1 Safety considerations................................................................................................ 9
2.2 Definitions of expressions..........................................................................................9
2.3 Personal protective equipment................................................................................10
3 Description.................................................................................................................. 11
3.1 Function...................................................................................................................11
3.2 Name plates.............................................................................................................11
4 Installation................................................................................................................... 13
4.1 Unpacking................................................................................................................13
4.2 Lifting.......................................................................................................................13
4.3 Requirements.......................................................................................................... 14
4.4 Mounting..................................................................................................................16
4.5 Installation in general...............................................................................................18
4.6 Installation as evaporator or condenser.................................................................. 20
4.7 Leak test..................................................................................................................21
5 Operation..................................................................................................................... 23
5.1 Start-up....................................................................................................................23
5.2 Unit in operation...................................................................................................... 24
5.3 Shut-down............................................................................................................... 27
6 Maintenance.............................................................................................................. 29
6.1 General guidelines regarding maintenance.............................................................29
6.2 Cleaning-In-Place....................................................................................................29
7 Fault tracing............................................................................................................... 31
7.1 Pressure drop problems.......................................................................................... 31
7.2 Heat transfer problems............................................................................................32
8 Storage..........................................................................................................................33

1 Preface
This manual provides information needed to install, operate and carry out the
maintenance of the heat exchanger.
1.1 Intended use
The heat exchanger has been designed to meet the requirement for a wide
range of heat transfer applications such as refrigeration, comfort heating,
industrial heating and cooling, and the process industry.
1.2 Prior knowledge
The heat exchanger must be operated by individuals who have studied the
instructions in this manual and have knowledge of the process. This includes
knowledge of the precautions regarding media, pressures, the temperatures in
the heat exchanger as well as specific precautions required for the process.
Maintenance and installation of the heat exchanger must be performed by
individuals who have knowledge and authorization according to the local
regulations. This includes performance work such as piping, welding and
maintenance.
For maintenance work not described in this manual, please contact an Alfa
Laval Representative for advice.
1.3 Warranty conditions
Unless altered by written agreement, Alfa Laval standard warranty applies.
1.4 Environmental compliance
Alfa Laval endeavours to perform its own operations as cleanly and efficiently
as possible. Environmental aspects are taken into consideration when
developing, designing, manufacturing, servicing and marketing the company’s
products.
Brazed Plate Heat Exchangers (BHE) consist of stainless steel channel plates
and frame elements and bonded stainless steel or carbon steel connections.
The brazing material consist of copper or nickel. Bolts, which are stainless
steel or carbon steel with different surface treatments, are usually welded onto
the product. Additionally, feet and lifting lugs can be mounted on demand
Unpacking
Packing material consists of wood, plastics, cardboard boxes and, in some
cases, metal straps.
Packing materials can be reused, recycled or used for energy recovery,
according to local legislations.
Disposal
Heat exchangers must be recycled according to relevant, local regulations.
Any hazardous residues from the process liquid must be considered and dealt
with in a properly. When in doubt, or in absence of local regulations, please
contact the local Alfa Laval representative.
200001565-1-EN-GB 7
EN

Restricted substances
All heat exchangers are in compliance with REACH (Registration, Evaluation,
Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) and RoHS Directive.
200001565-1-EN-GB8
1 PrefaceEN

2 Safety
2.1 Safety considerations
The plate heat exchanger shall be used and maintained in accordance with
Alfa Laval’s instructions in this manual. Incorrect handling of the plate heat
exchanger may result in serious consequences with injuries to persons and/or
property damage. Alfa Laval will not accept responsibility for any damage or
injury resulting from not following the instructions in this manual.
The plate heat exchanger should be used in accordance with the specified
configuration of material, media types, temperatures and pressure for your
specific plate heat exchanger
2.2 Definitions of expressions
WARNING Type of hazard
WARNING indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not
avoided, could result in death or serious injury.
CAUTION Type of hazard
CAUTION indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
may result in minor or moderate injury.
NOTE
NOTE indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
may result in property damage.
200001565-1-EN-GB 9
EN
Safety

2.3 Personal protective equipment
Protective shoes
A shoe with a reinforced toe cap to minimize foot injuries caused by dropped
articles.
Protective helmet
Any helmet designed to protect the head from accidental injury.
Protective goggles
A pair of tight-fitting eyeglasses worn to protect the eyes from hazards.
Protective gloves
Gloves that protects the hand from hazards.
200001565-1-EN-GB10
2 SafetyEN
Safety

3 Description
3.1 Function
The heat exchanger consists of a pack of corrugated metal plates with
portholes for the input and output of the two separate fluids. The heat transfer
between the two fluids takes place through the plates.
1
2
3
4
Figure 1: Function: Cover plate (1), corrugated plates (2), seal (3) and ports (4).
3.2 Name plates
WARNING
The mechanical design pressures and temperatures are marked on the
name plate. These must not be exceeded.
NOTE
For Gas-to-liquid plate heat exchangers the design temperature refers to
the temperature of the plate material. Gas inlet temperatures can exceed
the design temperature provided there is sufficient coolant temperature
and flow.
The unit type, manufacturing number and year along with the pressure vessel
details in accordance with applicable pressure vessel code can be found on
the name plate. The name plate is fixed to the cover plate (usually on the
same side as the connections).
Name plate differs depending on the type of pressure vessel approval.
200001565-1-EN-GB 11
EN

200001565-1-EN-GB12
3 DescriptionEN

4 Installation
4.1 Unpacking
Carefully open the package containing the heat exchanger. Check that all
items are included according to the specifications and that all parts are
undamaged.
Before installing the heat exchanger, remove the plastic plugs or caps in the
connections.
4.2 Lifting
WARNING
Never lift only by the connections or any of the studs. Use straps when
lifting and place them according to the figure below.
Figure 2: Examples of lifting.
NOTE
When using lifting lugs, keep the angle of the straps as close as possible
to 90° but never less than 60°.
WARNING
Be careful and keep clear of the heat exchanger during lifting to avoid
personal injuries.
200001565-1-EN-GB 13
EN

WARNING
Heat exchangers with large plate packs may be difficult to lift without lifting
lugs because the center of gravity may cause the heat exchanger lean too
much. If in doubt, use lifting lugs.
4.3 Requirements
WARNING
The heat exchanger must be installed and operated so that no risk of
injury to personnel or damage to property.
CAUTION
Protective gloves should always be worn when handling the heat
exchanger to avoid hand injuries caused by sharp edges.
NOTE
Unless otherwise specified, product data for normal refrigerants, i.e. HFC
and HCFC, are applicable to refrigeration applications. The manufacturer
must be consulted before the heat exchanger is used for flammable, toxic
or dangerous liquids (e.g. hydrocarbons). Relevant safety rules must be
followed for handling such liquids. For further information, please refer to
the supplier's website.
Protection against loads on connections during operation
The piping must be well supported so that no loads are transferred to the heat
exchanger during operation. Also refer to Mounting on page 16.
Connection loads at installation
Fs
Ft
Mb
Mt
Figure 3: Connection loads.
200001565-1-EN-GB14
4 InstallationEN

With reference to definitions in figure, the loads during installation should not
exceed the limits specified in table below.
Maximum recommended connection loads during installation
D
Figure 4: Outer diameter of the connection (D).
Table 1: Maximum recommended connection loads during installation
Outer diameter, mm
(inch) Tension force Bending moment Shear force1Torque
Ft, kN (lbf) Mb, Nm (lbf*ft) Fa, kN (lbf) Mt, Nm (lbf*ft)
15 - 28 (0.6 - 1.1”) 2.4 (539) 14 (10.3) 0.7 (157) 38 (28.0)
29 - 35 (1.1 - 1.4”) 4.0 (899) 45 (33.2) 1.2 (269) 120 (88.5)
36 - 45 (1.4 - 1.8”) 6.5 (1461) 110 (81.1) 2.5 (562) 240 (177.0)
46 - 55 (1.8 - 2.2”) 7.0 (1573) 120 (88.5) 4.8 (1079) 440 (324.5)
56 - 76 (2.2 - 3.0”) 12.0 (2697) 250 (184.4) 5.2 (1169) 600 (442.5)
77 - 99 (3.0 - 3.9”) 13.0 (2922) 310 (228.6) 5.8 (1303) 1200 (885.0)
100 - (3.9” - ) 28.0 (6294) 800 (590) 5.8 (1303) 2500 (1843)
1 Shear force (Fs) is calculated assuming that the force is applied at the end of the longest standard connection.
200001565-1-EN-GB 15
Installation 4 EN

4.4 Mounting
It is recommended to mount the heat exchanger on the floor, on feet or on the
wall.
Larger heat exchangers should be secured with support mountings (ordered
as accessory) intended for a specific heat exchanger, or be secured with
straps or by means of mounting bolts.
NOTE
Regardless of the mounting method minimize the pipe loads at
installation.
Maximum tightening torques for the mounting bolts according to table below.
Bolt dimension Torque
Nm lbf*ft
M5 2.3 1.7
M6 3.8 2.8
M8 9.5 7.0
M8 (Extra small units) 8.0 5.9
M10 19.0 14.0
M12 33.0 24.3
UNC 1/4” 3.8 2.8
UNC 5/16” 8.6 6.4
UNC 3/8” 15.6 11.5
In a rigid pipe system, small heat exchangers can be suspended directly in the
pipework. To avoid vibrations, use anti-vibration mounting according to picture
below.
200001565-1-EN-GB16
4 InstallationEN

Recommendations for GL products
It is recommended to mount the heat exchanger on the floor, on feet or on the
wall. The heat exchanger can be installed horizontally or vertically.
NOTE
For condensing applications it is recommended to install the unit vertically
with the gas flow from top to down. The condensation outlet must be at
the lowest point to avoid build-up of condensate in the heat exchanger.
1
6
4
3
2
55
1. Gas inlet
2. Gas outlet
3. Water inlet
4. Water outlet
5. Condensation outlet
6. CIP outlet
NOTE
For condensing applications for the GLX units the installation must be
vertical with the gas flow from top to down to collect the condensate below
the heat exchanger.
200001565-1-EN-GB 17
Installation 4 EN

NOTE
An external casing is required for GLX units to achieve correct
functionality.
4.5 Installation in general
WARNING
Safety valves must be installed according to pressure vessel regulations.
NOTE
Before connecting any piping, make sure all foreign objects have been
flushed out of the system.
The installation must be installed with equipment that protects it against
pressures and temperatures outside the approved minimum and maximum
values shown on the name plate.
For vibration risks, install anti-vibration mountings as shown in picture for rigid
pipe system in section Mounting on page 16.
Normally the heat exchanger is connected so that the media flows through the
heat exchanger in opposite directions (in counter-current flow) and in most
cases this provides the best heat transfer performance.
S1
S3
S4
S2
Take into account the risk of fire during installation, i.e. bear in mind the
distance from flammable substances.
200001565-1-EN-GB18
4 InstallationEN

Connections
Threaded connections – Use a torque wrench when connecting the pipe and
observe the specified limits. Refer to table “Maximum recommended
connection loads during installation” in section Requirements on page 14
Brazed connections – Clean by rubbing down and degreasing the various
surfaces. Use the correct brazing temperature and brazing metal grade.
Welded connections – To minimize the heat impact of the heat exchanger it
is recommended to use TIG or MIG welding methods. Preparation for welding:
Grind inside and outside of the pipe and, if bevelled, also the bevelled edge at
least 25 mm from the pipe edge and inward. This should be done to avoid
contamination of copper in the welded area, which might cause the weld to
crack.
NOTE
Before connecting the heat exchanger to the system consider valve set-up
and access points for example to be prepared to perform cleaning.
NOTE
Protect the heat exchanger from overheating by wrapping a piece of wet
cloth around the connection while soldering or welding. Excessive heating
could melt the internal soldering metal inside the heat exchanger.
200001565-1-EN-GB 19
Installation 4 EN

4.6 Installation as evaporator or condenser
In applications where a phase change of media occurs, the heat exchanger
must be installed vertically.
For refrigeration applications – Figure A shows the installation of an
evaporator, where the connections may be either on the front or on the rear.
Figure B shows a condenser.
• Use an anti-freeze thermostat and flow monitor to ensure a constant water
flow before, during, and at least two minutes after the compressor has been
running.
• Avoid “pump-down”, i.e. emptying the evaporator by running the
compressor after shut-down until a preset refrigerant pressure is reached.
The temperature could then drop below the brine freezing point, which
could damage the evaporator.
• Use a flow switch and a low-pressure switch.
• Make sure only media from the heat exchanger can pass the flow switch.
The low-pressure switch should assure a minimum pressure drop of 5 - 10
kPa (0.73 - 1.45 PSI).
Heat exchanger with a refrigerant distribution system should be mounted with
the distributor at the bottom.
Typical installation of single circuit:
S1
S3
S4
S2
S1
S3
S4
S2
A B
3
4
2
1
4
3
1
2
Figure 5: Single circuit: A evaporator; B condensor. 1.Refrigerant inlet
2.Refrigerant outlet 3.Water/Brine inlet 4.Water/Brine outlet
For an evaporator, the pipe should be straight (at least 150 mm / 5.9 inch
length) between the expansion valve and refrigerant inlet. Avoid using pipe
elbows between the expansion valve and the refrigerant inlet.
The heat exchanger could be of single or dual circuit type. Flow direction of a
single circuit heat exchanger is normally parallel, while on dual circuit heat
exchanger could be diagonal or parallel. Make sure that the heat exchanger is
installed correctly according to the current flow direction for the heat
exchanger. For detailed information about flow direction see the name plate.
Connections can be placed in the front or rear of the heat exchanger. Typical
installation of a dual circuit heat exchanger as an evaporator:
200001565-1-EN-GB20
4 InstallationEN