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  • reassembling plate and frame heat exchanger

    hey guys.

    So I bought a 41 plate sabco plate and frame heat exchanger.
    I did an ipa first batch and backflushing didnt get all the hops out.
    I opened it and cleaned it, and noticed the plates were numbered. Great. Then I noticed that the numbers were in no logical order.
    I saw plate 29-32 then 6 through 11, so on and so on.
    I did make sure kept the plates in proper order, put them back in the same way (whatever numbering order) and reassembled.
    When I did this, I am now having leaks. I've clamped down the crap out of all the bolts on it to try and make sure, but no luck.
    I took it apart again and reassembled again and same thing.

    Can anyone point me in the direction of any documentation on reassembly of a plate and frame?
    I called sabco, but they seemed confused and lost and have no documentation although it clearly states that the unit it meant to be disassembled for cleaning.
    /facepalm.
    thanks
    Dave Witham
    Founder/Brewmaster
    Proclamation Ale Company

  • #2
    Did you get ANY documentation for the HEX?

    Normally, gasketed plate exchangers come with suggested torque values for the holding lugs. You have to torque the lugs fairly evenly to get a good seal. Over-tightening can cause damage to the plate, seal, threads, etc.

    Even if you don't have values from the manufacturer, you could still use a torque wrench to make sure you're tightening down evenly.
    Kyle Kohlmorgen
    Process/Automation Consultant
    St. Louis, MO

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    • #3
      Got it.

      Thanks south.

      Another guy from Sabco called me back and basically said "I was waiting for you to call"
      He had basically built me their biggest sized heat exchanger from some extra plates they had laying around to add to a smaller one, hence all the weird plate numbers.
      Luckily for me, he had written down notes in which order the plates were assembled and I got it back together all good again.
      thanks much.
      Dave Witham
      Founder/Brewmaster
      Proclamation Ale Company

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by othevad View Post
        Thanks south.

        Another guy from Sabco called me back and basically said "I was waiting for you to call"
        He had basically built me their biggest sized heat exchanger from some extra plates they had laying around to add to a smaller one, hence all the weird plate numbers.
        Luckily for me, he had written down notes in which order the plates were assembled and I got it back together all good again.
        thanks much.
        I have the same issue with my sabco chiller... the numbers on the gaskets and plates where all way out of order some of the plates were numbered with a magic market and some were not.. I cannot find any reassembly instructions. I im beginning to think these were thrown together by somebody... I think they are made by alfa laval for sabco

        Comment


        • #5
          It's best if you ask first, then take them apart!

          The #s on the plates refer to the design of the plates, not the order.

          The specification for tightening a plate-and-frame HX is the final thickness of the pack, not the bolt torque. The pack thickness (and tightening pattern for the bolts) should be on the data plate.

          I hope you have spare gaskets.

          Before taking a plate-and-frame HX apart, paint a diagonal line down the edge of the plates. This makes it immediately obvious if something is out of order.
          Timm Turrentine

          Brewerywright,
          Terminal Gravity Brewing,
          Enterprise. Oregon.

          Comment


          • #6
            Right on Timm

            Originally posted by TGTimm View Post
            It's best if you ask first, then take them apart!

            The #s on the plates refer to the design of the plates, not the order.

            The specification for tightening a plate-and-frame HX is the final thickness of the pack, not the bolt torque. The pack thickness (and tightening pattern for the bolts) should be on the data plate.

            I hope you have spare gaskets.

            Before taking a plate-and-frame HX apart, paint a diagonal line down the edge of the plates. This makes it immediately obvious if something is out of order.
            Excellent advice Timm, the other thing I will add which I think you have said before is this is not the kind of thing you want to go doing often. It should only ever be done when absolutely necessary and your process should be such that it is not introducing problems that invite unnecessary teardowns. Mechanics call this " Letting a Sleeping Dog lie."
            Warren Turner
            Industrial Engineering Technician
            HVACR-Electrical Systems Specialist
            Moab Brewery
            The Thought Police are Attempting to Suppress Free Speech and Sugar coat everything. This is both Cowardice and Treason given to their own kind.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Starcat View Post
              Excellent advice Timm, the other thing I will add which I think you have said before is this is not the kind of thing you want to go doing often. It should only ever be done when absolutely necessary and your process should be such that it is not introducing problems that invite unnecessary teardowns. Mechanics call this " Letting a Sleeping Dog lie."
              "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

              "If it don't need fixin', don't break it."
              Timm Turrentine

              Brewerywright,
              Terminal Gravity Brewing,
              Enterprise. Oregon.

              Comment


              • #8
                I reassembled and tested everything with no issues... It would have been "best" if thier were some sort of documentation with the unit or at least on thier website... I understand they dont make them and just resell them but they should support them none the less.

                The gaskets were all numbered but completely out of numerical order. The actual plates are not numbered, only the divider plates every 10 plates were numbered Labeled plate #1 ,#11,21, 31 and 41. there are only 2 different types of plates in this chiller, the divider plates and the regular plates.

                I left all the plates in the order I removed them as I cleaned them. The first 10 plates werent all that bad from flushing and pbw/acid flushes but the lowered numbered plates were pretty caked up and certainly required disassembly and cleaning. This was from months of brewing.

                There also was/is not "data plate" with this unit, only a big yellow sticker advertising sabco and stating it was made in the usa..
                Last edited by augiedoggy; 07-16-2019, 07:05 AM.

                Comment


                • #9
                  I'm glad you got it back together, clean and working.

                  The lack of proper labeling seems irresponsible to me. We've been through several different brands of plate-and-frame HXs, and all have had the pack thickness and bolt tightening pattern on the data plate. Since most of these are assembled to meet a particular set of specs, not just off-the-shelf, this data is critical and different for every one.
                  Timm Turrentine

                  Brewerywright,
                  Terminal Gravity Brewing,
                  Enterprise. Oregon.

                  Comment

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