Heat exchanger plates standing in a heated chemical cleaning tank, steam rising from the surface, an operative in overalls at the tank side

Faults and symptoms

Common heat exchanger problems

Common heat exchanger problems start with a leak, a blockage or lost duty. Every page below explains what the work covers and what to send with an enquiry.

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All common heat exchanger problems

Heat exchanger leaking

Heat exchanger leaking means a failed gasket, a cracked plate or a split tube. The cause decides the fix, and it is rarely obvious from outside. Send the nameplate and what you have noticed, and a specialist will come back to you.

Blocked heat exchanger

Blocked heat exchanger restricts flow and drives the pressure drop up. The cause decides the fix, and it is rarely obvious from outside. Send the nameplate and what you have noticed, and a specialist will come back to you.

Heat exchanger not performing

Heat exchanger not performing misses the temperatures it was sized to reach. The cause decides the fix, and it is rarely obvious from outside. Send the nameplate and what you have noticed, and a specialist will come back to you.

Heat exchanger fouling

Heat exchanger fouling is the layer of deposit that builds on the heat transfer surface, and it costs duty and pressure drop long before it causes a failure.

Heat exchanger corrosion

Heat exchanger corrosion thins the metal that separates the two fluids, so unlike fouling it does not just cost performance, it eventually causes a leak.

Heat exchanger gasket failure

Heat exchanger gasket failure is the most common cause of a leaking plate unit, and it is usually the seal that has aged rather than anything wrong with the plates.