Alfa Laval AlfaNova plate heat exchangers are made entirely of stainless steel by alloying their components using a breakthrough patented proprietary technology. They provide the highest levels of hygiene and corrosion resistance unattainable in other brazed heat exchangers. It has become possible to install stainless steel PHEs in systems that previously used only semi-welded and welded units.

With the advent of AlfaNova, it is now possible to use high performance PHEs in the face of extreme temperatures and fatigue stresses from pressure fluctuations that would destroy a conventional brazed heat exchanger. AlfaNova sealless PHEs have become a breakthrough solution for a wide range of industrial processes that use corrosive fluids and require highly efficient, sealed PHEs with low life cycle costs even at high operating temperatures. Full stainless steel construction allows operation at temperatures up to 550 ºC.

Material

The Alfa Laval AlfaNova heat exchanger consists of corrugated stainless steel plates and a base and pressure plate. The plates assembled in a package are interconnected using AlfaFusion technology, Alfa Laval’s unique patented method of active diffusion welding of stainless steel parts.

Design

The plates in the package are held together by welding at the contact points, which eliminates the need for external pressure plates at operating pressures up to 70 bar. Distributing the load over multiple individual contact points provides excellent resistance to pressure fatigue. Since all the main elements are made of the same material, the design has high thermal performance, shockproof properties and has the same mechanical strength as welded parts.