The Vahterus Plate & Shell Heat Exchanger (PSHE) is a leader in heat exchanger technology. At its core is a fully welded plate pack housed within a robust shell structure. This design eliminates gasket leakage and delivers superior heat transfer performance compared to traditional shell-and-tube heat exchangers.
Key Features
The Vahterus PSHE offers numerous advantages over traditional heat exchangers. It is compact and lightweight, and due to its gasket-free design, it can withstand higher pressures and temperatures than Plate & Frame heat exchangers. Vahterus units are used for heating, cooling, condensing, evaporating, and process heat recovery. Thanks to its construction, the PSHE is also durable, low-maintenance, and energy-efficient.
PSHE Construction
A heat exchanger transfers heat from the primary to the secondary side via plates that separate the two flows. The Vahterus PSHE consists of a fully welded round plate pack enclosed in a cylindrical steel shell — hence the name Plate & Shell. This design ensures a short and efficient flow path with low pressure drop, making it ideal for viscous fluid applications. All connections are welded and no gaskets are used, which enhances overall reliability.
Custom Solutions
The PSHE can be fully customized to meet specific customer requirements. With various construction options, materials, and plate sizes, the optimal solution can be found for a wide range of heat transfer applications. While the plate pack is always fully welded, the shell design can be adapted for the process conditions.
Mechanical Design
Operating pressure: Full vacuum to 150 bar
Temperature range: -196 °C to +600 °C
Design Codes
Vahterus heat exchangers can be built to comply with various international standards, including:
AD-2000
ASME VIII, Div. 1
EN 13445
Lloyd’s Register
Bureau Veritas
DNV GL Marine
Others on request
Plate Pack
The most common version features a stainless steel plate pack with a carbon steel or stainless steel shell. Units can also be manufactured using special materials such as 254SMO, titanium, or duplex stainless steel.
Watch the animation below to see how the plates are welded:
Shell
The shell (pressure vessel) provides a protective housing around the plate pack and directs flow on the shell side. It can be custom-designed to meet specific operating conditions. Shell dimensions, materials, and nozzle configurations are all adjustable to meet process requirements.
Watch the animation below to see how the shell is welded:
Models
Vahterus offers a wide range of plate and shell diameters:
PSHE model
Surface area (m2)
Plate side DN
Shell Side DN
PSHE 2
0,5 - 5
25
20-80
PSHE 3
1-50
50
25-250
PSHE 4
3-100
80
25-300
PSHE 5
5-200
100
25-350
PSHE 6
6-350
125
25-500
PSHE 7
8-550
150
25-500
PSHE 9
15-1000
200
25-700
PSHE 12
25-1500
250
25-800
PSHE 14
25-2000
300
25-800
Multi-Pass Options
Multiple passes on both the plate and shell side are possible by incorporating stoppers and flow directors. The shell space can be partially filled with baffles to guide the flow optimally through both the plates and the shell.
Plate Configurations & Type Codes
Plates are available in various configurations, indicated in the type code. Common codes include HH and LL, which refer to the flow channel inclination:
LL = low pressure drop, lower heat transfer
HH = higher pressure drop, better heat transfer
Type Code Example: PSHE 5HH-340/2/1
5 → Plate size
HH → Plate configuration
340 → Number of plates
2 → Number of passes on the plate side
1 → Number of passes on the shell side
Additional codes may be included for special configurations or applications.