Plate And Frame Heat Exchanger Design Cheatsheet

Conditions Needed For HX Selection AHRI Certification

R E Q U I R E D

Current Scope of AHRI 400 LLHW Certification Program:
Hot Side Cold Side
Fluids: water and sea water
Fluids [Water? Glycol? Domestic?] Fluids [Water? Glycol? Domestic?]
Flow: max 20,000 GPM
Flow Rate [GPM] Flow Rate [GPM] 5 values 
Capacity: max 240 Million BTU/Hr
Inlet Temperature [deg F] Inlet Temperature [deg F] required for 
Applications: Required on all HVAC applications
Outlet Temperature [deg F] Outlet Temperature [deg F] flow and temps
Exclusions: Phase‐change, non‐liquid, food‐based, above 3 
passes per side 

Useful Equations Additional Design Considerations If a manufacturer is a member of the AHRI Certification Program, 

they are obligated to provide AHRI Certified units for all HVAC 
Heat Transfer Balance: Water to Water Max Allowable Pressure Drop [psi] applications that fall within the AHRI Certification Program.
Design Pressure [psi]
GPM x (TIN ‐ TOUT) = GPM x (TOUT ‐ TIN)  Fouling Factors
Where
Plate Thickness and Frame Type
Shear Rate
GPM = Flow = Volumetric Flow Rate 
Carrying bar length for Plate Expansion 0.4 (typical) 150 PSIG (typical)
TIN = Temperature Inlet 
TOUT = Temperature Outlet 0.5 300 PSIG
1 = T1IN – T2OUT Presented By: 0.6 400 PSIG
2 = T1OUT – T2IN 460 PSIG
0.7 Increasing
Log Mean Temperature Difference 0.8 pressure
LMTD drives the size of the HX. The smaller the 
Christine Lazo
approach temperatures 1, 2, the smaller the  12774 Florence Ave.
Plate Material
LMTD, and the larger the HX. 2 to 3 deg F  Santa Fe Springs, CA AISI 304 (typical) Improved
approach is typical. O: 310 451 0630 corrosion
1   2 C: 323 528 7912 AISI 316
LMTD  properties
 1  christine@vertisys.net Titanium
ln   2 
Impossible Heat Exchange - WRONG Gasket Material
Proper Counter-Current Flow Heat Exchange T2 out NBRB – Typical for HVAC cooling applications (chiller
T1 in and cooling tower water, about 100F).
1 T1 in NBRP – Typical for HVAC heating applications (boiler
water, about 200F)
T2 out T1 out T1 out EPDMP – Used for higher than 200F.
Pressure Vessel Code
2 T2 in
Area ASME – American Code
T2 in
Area
WARNING: The HX is not physically possible if the design  PED – European Union Code
temps cross. Consider switching conditions on one side.