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11-11-2019, 11:49 PM
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#1
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Guru
City: Gig Harbor
Vessel Name: Sandpiper
Vessel Model: Bluewater 40 Pilothouse Trawler
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,315
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Plate heat exchanger vs tube exchangers
What are the pros and cons of plate heat exchanger VS tube heat exchanger in a boats hydronic heating system to transfer engine heat to the hydronic when under way?
The plate heat exchanger seems small compared to a similar BTU SeaKamp style tube heat exchangers.
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11-12-2019, 06:10 AM
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#2
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Guru
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 22,553
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The guts of a tube cooler can be cleaned on board with a rifle brush,and a gasket or two.
Should it leak , most radiator shops can re-solder the bundle with ease.
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11-12-2019, 09:11 AM
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#3
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Guru
City: Birch bay wa
Vessel Name: Rogue
Vessel Model: North Pacific 42
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 648
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On the project I just finished, I chose the plate style. I think either would work. Lots of info out there comparing both. Cost of my 20 plate SS exchanger was $120 bucks, cheap I thought. I did not know what a plate exchanger was before I started shopping around. Lots of choices out there.
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11-12-2019, 09:21 AM
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#4
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Guru
City: Fort Myers, FL... Summers in the Great Lakes
Vessel Name: Slow Hand
Vessel Model: Cherubini Independence 45
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 12,834
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I've only had a plate exchanger on a Grey Marine 6-71. It cooled the oil by exchanging the heat into the freshwater coolant. I removed it and cleaned the oil side, pretty easy. Can't imagine using one where salt raw water is circulated in the plates.
Ted
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11-12-2019, 10:50 AM
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#5
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Guru
City: Gig Harbor
Vessel Name: Sandpiper
Vessel Model: Bluewater 40 Pilothouse Trawler
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,315
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Quote:
Originally Posted by O C Diver
I've only had a plate exchanger on a Grey Marine 6-71. It cooled the oil by exchanging the heat into the freshwater coolant. I removed it and cleaned the oil side, pretty easy. Can't imagine using one where salt raw water is circulated in the plates.
Ted
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My application would be antifreeze in the engine coolant to antifreeze in the hydronic heating system.
A 40,000 Btu btu tube heat exchanger is 4" X 24" and the plate exchanger appear smaller for the same Btu rating.
I'm curious why tube exchangers are more prevalent than plate exchangers in hydronic heating systems to transfer engine heat.
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11-12-2019, 11:17 AM
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#6
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Guru
City: San Francisco
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 3,094
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I've have plate exchangers in this application in two boats. In one of them, it developed a leak between the two systems, such that the engine pumped coolant into the hydronic system. The vendor said "this never happens" yet it did. Both sides of the exchanger are subject to pressure cycling as the engine and heating system heat and cool. From an engineering perspective, the tube type would be more robust. I replaced that exchanger with another plate one, and haven't had a recurrence in that boat or the other one.
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11-12-2019, 11:52 AM
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#7
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Guru
City: Gibsons, B.C., Canada
Vessel Name: Island Pride
Vessel Model: Palmer 32'
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,414
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Plate exchangers are more compact for the same heat transfer ability.
They can be more of a pain to service and because of the close plate spacing may clog more readily.
Keep your fluid CLEAN.
I,ve dealt with a few at my job, long gone. But maintained and kept clean with prop fluid should do just fine.
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11-12-2019, 12:13 PM
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#8
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Guru
City: Carefree, Arizona
Vessel Name: sunchaser V
Vessel Model: DeFever 48 (sold)
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 10,186
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My Hurricane II system has a plate exchanger for the exact purpose the OP is asking about. It is about the size of a cigar box. It works great, heating the hydronic coolant (valved off one engine) in all winter conditions we've encountered in the past 13 years since installing it.
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11-12-2019, 12:17 PM
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#9
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Guru
City: Adelaide
Vessel Name: Kokanee
Vessel Model: Cuddles 30 Pilot House Motor Sailer
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,218
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If you recirculating clean fluids, the plate exchangers are the way to go. They have more contact area which gives better efficiency. Easy to clean and maintain.
The wall thickness is often thinner in comparison to tube exchangers, so just make sure that they are manufactured with a suitable quality material.
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