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2 lists · 9 items · 14 photos

Plate-and-frame heat exchanger maintenance checklists

Plate-and-frame heat exchanger maintenance checklists for the quarterly and annual rounds: 2 free lists, 9 items and 14 photo requirements, each item naming what to look for and the photo that proves it.

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The plate-and-frame heat exchanger rounds

Plate-and-frame heat exchanger QuarterlyPlate-and-frame heat exchanger quarterly maintenance checklistApproach temperature, external leaks and pressure drop watched on the quarterly round4 items6 photosPlate-and-frame heat exchanger AnnualPlate-and-frame heat exchanger annual maintenance checklistPlate pack opened for cleaning, gaskets and tie-bar dimension checked on the annual service5 items8 photos

Where each walk sits in the schedule

Plate-and-frame heat exchanger quarterly maintenance checklistquarterly
Every quarter while the exchanger is running under load, so a slipping approach temperature is caught as early fouling rather than a comfort complaint. Run by: The mechanical or building maintenance tech on the quarterly round, reading the exchanger in service.
Plate-and-frame heat exchanger annual maintenance checklistannual
Once a year, the pass where the exchanger is isolated so the plate pack can be cleaned and the frame closed back to its measured dimension. Run by: The mechanical service tech on the annual service, with both circuits isolated and drained before the frame is opened.

What most often fails on a plate-and-frame heat exchanger

  • Both circuits still deliver, so it's called fine, while the approach temperature has widened for months and the plates are quietly fouling.
  • A weep between the plate pack and the frame is wiped up as condensation when it's actually the gasket line starting to pass.
  • Rising pressure drop across the unit is read as a pump problem when the plates are scaling and choking the flow gaps.
  • Frame reclosed by feel instead of to the marked tie-bar dimension, so the pack is over- or under-compressed and gaskets leak or crush.
  • Plates cleaned but hairline gasket cracks or a slipped gasket missed on reassembly, so the unit passes internally within days of the service.

Common questions

Which plate-and-frame heat exchanger maintenance rounds do these checklists cover?
Plate-and-frame heat exchanger quarterly maintenance checklist (quarterly): Every quarter while the exchanger is running under load, so a slipping approach temperature is caught as early fouling rather than a comfort complaint. Plate-and-frame heat exchanger annual maintenance checklist (annual): Once a year, the pass where the exchanger is isolated so the plate pack can be cleaned and the frame closed back to its measured dimension.
Who runs the plate-and-frame heat exchanger maintenance round?
The mechanical or building maintenance tech on the quarterly round, reading the exchanger in service. The mechanical service tech on the annual service, with both circuits isolated and drained before the frame is opened.
What most often fails on a plate-and-frame heat exchanger?
Both circuits still deliver, so it's called fine, while the approach temperature has widened for months and the plates are quietly fouling. A weep between the plate pack and the frame is wiped up as condensation when it's actually the gasket line starting to pass. Rising pressure drop across the unit is read as a pump problem when the plates are scaling and choking the flow gaps. Frame reclosed by feel instead of to the marked tie-bar dimension, so the pack is over- or under-compressed and gaskets leak or crush.
Can I run these checklists in RTI?
Yes. Start a free RTI workspace and load any of the 2 lists (9 items in total). The Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached, and approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident audit trail.

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