Report stresses importance of PHE maintenance

UK: Poor maintenance of plate heat exchangers (PHE) across industry is playing a major role in increased global carbon emission levels, according to a new white paper from Alfa Laval.

The report, updated from one originally published by Alfa Laval in 2020, urges production, process, and plant managers to rethink their approach to heat exchanger maintenance. 

Alfa Laval insists that market conditions that put pressures on cost saving and encourage run-to-failure strategies are a false saving, risking more costs to the business in the long run.

In particular, high-energy users are being warned that running key equipment to failure will result in additional costs in the form of equipment repair and poor efficiency levels.

Although PHEs are viewed as ‘one piece of a larger puzzle’, Alfa Laval maintains that without proper servicing and maintenance, the risks of production line failure, low levels of output and unsightly balance sheets are dramatically increased for businesses.

Alfa Laval’s UK MD Rachel Bridges maintains that there are thousands of PHEs in operation that are not working efficiently. “It is now time to make maintenance a priority for PHEs, not a reactive response to failure,” she said.

“The current situation makes it critical that businesses manage the issues that remain in their control. We hope this new report reinforces the importance of establishing a proactive and considered maintenance strategy and that PHEs are acknowledged as a significant part of a complex picture.”