Plate Heat Exchanger Surface Area & NTU Calculator
Size gasketed and brazed plate heat exchangers (PHE) to determine thermal length (NTU), required plate count, port velocities, and chevron angle selection.
Thermal Duty & Temperatures
Plate Geometry & Hydraulics
Plate Pack & Thermal Performance
Recommended Tools & Equipment
Tested hardware and components for high reliability
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Number of Transfer Units (NTU) in a Plate Heat Exchanger?
NTU (often called thermal length or Theta, θ) measures the temperature change of a fluid stream relative to the log mean temperature difference: NTU = ΔT / LMTD. A high-NTU heat exchanger achieves large temperature changes across small temperature differences, requiring chevron plates with obtuse corrugation angles (e.g. 60°).
Why do Plate Heat Exchangers achieve 3x to 5x higher U-values than Shell and Tube?
The pressed chevron corrugation pattern forces fluid into a continuous three-dimensional swirling vortex. This triggers turbulence at extremely low Reynolds numbers (Re < 50), dramatically thinning the stagnant thermal boundary layer and achieving overall heat transfer coefficients exceeding 800 to 1,200 BTU/hr·ft²·°F.
What is the significance of the plate pack tightening dimension (A-dimension)?
The tightening dimension (A-dimension) is the exact distance between the fixed head and movable pressure plate measured with calipers. Gaskets must be compressed to their precise manufacturer-specified sealing thickness; under-tightening causes fluid leaks, while over-tightening permanently deforms plate corrugations and crushes elastomeric gaskets.