Pillow Plate Heat Exchange Systems
Industrial heat exchange systems based on pillow plates provide an efficient solution for cooling, heating, and heat recovery in process technology plants. Thanks to their flexible design, they are suitable for both liquids and gases, even at high pressures or when dealing with contaminated media.
How a Pillow Plate Heat Exchange System Works
Pillow plate heat exchangers consist of double-profiled thermal sheets whose corrugated surface creates large heat transfer areas. This design allows for effective handling of challenging media such as vapors, highly viscous liquids, or particle-laden streams. The systems can be designed to automatically compensate for temperature peaks and load fluctuations – either via control technology or through a buffer volume in the tank.
Advantages of Pillow Plate Heat Exchangers
- High Heat Transfer Coefficient (k-values): Corrugated thermal sheet surfaces enlarge the effective transfer area.
- Efficient Flow Guidance: Optimally sized cross-sections reduce pressure losses.
- Reliability with Contaminated Media: Even exhaust air, waste water, or liquids containing solids can be reliably cooled or heated.
- Robust Stainless Steel Construction: Durable and resistant to corrosion.
- Easy Maintenance: Open construction allows for fast inspection and cleaning.
- Flexible Design: Pillow plates can be customized in geometry, material, and format to suit the customer’s application.
Typical Industrial Applications
Pillow plate heat exchangers are established in many industries:
- Process Cooling and Heating: Liquid-liquid and gas-liquid processes, even with fluctuating flow rates; used in chemical, food, and pharmaceutical industry circulation systems.
- Heat Recovery: Utilization of contaminated exhaust and air streams; recovery from condensate and solvent vapors; energy savings in paper, pulp, and biomass processing.
- Refrigeration and Ice Water Plants: Production of ice water at +0.5°C for dairies and food operations; use of ammonia (NH₃) as an efficient, eco-friendly refrigerant; high operational safety via precise process control.
Comparison to Traditional Heat Exchangers
Compared to shell-and-tube heat exchangers and coil systems, pillow plate exchangers provide decisive benefits:
- No clogging with contaminated media
- Significantly reduced maintenance and cleaning efforts
- Long service life due to fully welded stainless plates
- Operable at pressures up to 50 bar
- Flexible formats, including insertion exchangers or jacket coolers
Technical Overview
Key technical data at a glance:
- Power range: 10 kW to 1,000 kW (single systems up to >2.4 MW for ice water plants)
- Plate sizes: up to 4,000 × 2,000 mm
- Wall thickness: 0.8 / 0.8 mm to 3 / 3 mm
- Operating pressures: up to 20 bar (special versions up to 50 bar)
- Configurations: with and without tank, compact units up to 100 kW, or integrable into large systems
- Media: liquid-liquid, gas-liquid, brine, water, steam, thermal oil
- Special features: very low pressure losses, easy cleaning, customizable to tank and plant geometry
Conclusion
Pillow plate heat exchangers offer an efficient, robust, and versatile solution for industrial heat transfer applications. Especially when dealing with fluctuating media flows or contaminated process streams, they have substantial advantages over traditional heat exchangers regarding maintenance, energy efficiency, and process reliability.
FAQ: Heat Exchange Systems – Technical Questions in Detail
Q: What are pillow plate heat exchange systems, and how do they differ from classic heat exchangers?
A: Pillow plate heat exchange systems are based on double-profiled thermal sheets (called pillow plates), which, through variably welded constructions, provide a large, structured surface for heat transfer. Unlike conventional shell-and-tube or plate heat exchangers, pillow plate systems offer maximum flexibility in terms of form, size, and material and can be tailored to each process’s requirements. They are especially efficient with problematic media and provide minimal clogging tendency and easy cleaning, as the media flows over the large, low-resistance corrugated surfaces. These systems also feature high resistance to pressure and temperature fluctuations without sacrificing stability, combined with very high k-values due to the minimal pressure drop and enlarged surface area.
Q: How does the heat transfer process work in a pillow plate system?
A: The principle is based on two separate flow paths for different media within cavities between the corrugated pillow plates. The large profiled surface enables a high heat flux (liquid/liquid or gas/liquid). The plate contouring ensures strong turbulence, enhancing heat transfer and reducing deposits. The system can be designed with a buffer volume or automated control to offset temperature peaks and load variations, ensuring stable and safe process management even with dynamic operating conditions.
Q: What media can be used in a pillow plate heat exchange system?
A: Pillow plate systems are extremely flexible and can handle essentially all conventional industrial media, such as water, steam, thermal oils (for heating/cooling), brines, refrigerants (e.g., ammonia), process gases, as well as sludge-laden, viscous, or heavily soiled liquids from wastewater, biomass, or paper processing. Even aggressive, adhesive, or abrasive media are manageable due to robust construction and specialized corrugation, with extended cleaning intervals and simplified maintenance.
Q: What typical industries use pillow plate heat exchange systems, and what are the specific advantages?
A: Industries include:
- Paper and pulp: energy recovery from condensate and process steam, condensation and energy savings with high-volume flows
- Food industries: pasteurization and cooling of liquids, ice water production (e.g., dairies), flake ice for food processing
- Chemical, pharmaceutical industries: process cooling, solvent condensation, handling of particle-laden process flows
- Wastewater/environmental: heat recovery from exhaust air, industrial effluent, biomass processes
Advantages are always high energy efficiency, low operating costs, flexible design options, and safe handling of even very contaminated or difficult media.
Q: How are maintenance and cleaning organized, and what technical benefits do they offer?
A: Pillow plate systems are usually designed as open types, so plates can be individually inspected, cleaned, or replaced as needed. Open construction ensures optimal maintenance access, and stubborn deposits or fouling can be cleaned quickly and effectively. The smooth, corrugated surfaces foster self-cleaning by flow effects, which extends intervals and reduces labor and downtime.
Q: How do pillow plate systems perform regarding operational reliability, service life, and energy efficiency?
A: Full-welded stainless steel construction and customized channels and wall thicknesses make the systems extremely robust and durable. Operational reliability is achieved through very low pressure drops and the ability to balance temperature/flow fluctuations with buffer tanks or control. The large surface area, targeted flow management, and optimized free channel cross-sections guarantee high energy efficiency.
Q: What are the technical performance data and design options?
A: Pillow plate systems are highly customizable:
- Power range: individual systems from 10 to over 1,000 kW (up to 2.4 MW for large cooling units)
- Plate sizes: up to 4,000 × 2,000 mm
- Wall thickness: 0.8/0.8 mm to 3/3 mm
- Operating pressures: standard up to 20 bar, special construction up to 50 bar
- Media: compatible with all common heat carriers (water, brine, gases, ammonia, thermal oil)
- Design: as rolled cylinders, plates attached to round vessels, compact plug-and-play units, or system integration into existing tanks
- Channel layout and system configuration are individually engineered by experienced engineers.
Q: How do pillow plate systems contribute to energy savings and sustainability?
A: They enable almost loss-free recovery of process heat from exhaust gases, vapors, and liquids, even when heavily contaminated. The recovered energy can support other process steps or building heating, reducing the need for external energy. This leads to substantial cost savings, improved CO₂ balance, and helps meet sustainability targets, especially in sectors like paper, biomass, and food processing.
Q: How are pillow plate systems used for cooling/heating fluctuating liquid volumes?
A: For processes with fluctuating volumes and temperatures (e.g., food industry, tank farms), pillow plate systems act as a buffer by employing part of the heat/cooling medium volume, thereby mitigating sudden temperature changes and load spikes to maintain stable process conditions. The high specific surface area of the corrugated plates guarantees efficient heat transfer even with variable flows.
Q: What are the benefits of open construction in handling heavily contaminated or solid-laden media?
A: For media with high solid content or strong contamination (e.g., wastewater, biotech, or biomass processes), open pillow plate systems feature large, accessible channels, making inspection, cleaning, or even automatic flushing straightforward. Blockages, fouling, or scale formation are rare and can be further minimized by custom channel designs and targeted flow management.
Q: Can pillow plate heat exchangers be used as evaporators for different refrigerants?
A: Yes, pillow plate heat exchangers can act as evaporators for all conventional refrigerants, such as ammonia (NH₃), CO₂, R1234yf, and more. Low internal volume and a high surface area ensure rapid evaporation and high energy yield. PLC controls allow for precise temperature stabilization—for instance, producing ice water at +0.5°C for the food or pharmaceutical industries.
Q: How do pillow plate systems work for condensate and solvent vapor recovery?
A: These systems excel at condensing process condensate and solvents (e.g., methanol, ethanol). Plate geometry and individualized channel layout enable stable, energy-efficient recovery and condensation, even with high vapor concentrations. The condensed liquid can be reintegrated into the process, supporting circular economy and resource efficiency.
Q: What is the role of pillow plate exchangers in special processes like bleach liquor heating or pulp digesters?
A: In the pulp, paper, and chemical industries, where aggressive or high-temperature media are common, pillow plate exchangers’ corrosion-resistant stainless steel construction allows them to function as heating or cooling registers directly inside reactors or tanks. High operating pressures (up to 50 bar in special versions) are possible, enhancing process safety.
Q: Can pillow plate heat exchangers be used for air drying and filtration water processes?
A: Yes, for air drying and filtrate recovery, pillow plate systems provide a compact, powerful alternative to traditional devices. Their open design, targeted air flow, and adaptable plate sizes enable energy-optimized drying and heat recovery, even with moist or contaminated gas streams, as in the paper or filtration industries.
Q: How easy is integration into existing plants?
A: Modular, customizable design means pillow plate systems can be integrated into existing tanks, reactors, or industrial facilities with ease—as rolled cylinders, special plates, or insertion registers, they flexibly adapt to on-site conditions. Integration with control and regulation systems (such as PLC) is also straightforward.
Q: How do users benefit from special media such as thermal oils or brines?
A: For processes needing high temperatures or special chemical properties (e.g., industrial furnaces or food processing), pillow plate exchangers can operate with thermal oils, brines, and specialized liquids, supporting a wide array of thermal applications such as interchangers, storage solutions, or targeted cooling/heating of specialty media.
What are the advantages with heat exchange systems?
- High U-valued due to slightly corrugated double embossed heat exchanger plate surfaces
- Free cross-sections between the dimple plated optimally adapted to the product flow conditions
- Dimple Plate fully welded design with double tight weld
- These pillow plates are power stable when used with contaminated media
- Easy, fast inspection and cleaning in case of pillow plates
- Longevity thanks to complete double embossed plate stainless steel construction
- For fluctuating power requirement: compensation of temperature and flow fluctuations in the tank
- Simple control by buffer effect
- Minimal pressure loss on the outside of pillow plates
- Pillow plate heat transfer systems for any design according to application criteria or specification
Product description and general properties
Dimple Plate Heat Exchange Systems for liquids with fluctuating temperatures or volumes
A pillow-plate heat exchange system can be used for liquids with fluctuating temperatures or volumes as well as for heat recovery from polluted gases or vapors. A variable welded construction of double embossed pillow plates as heat transfer system allows the use for extremely high pressure ranges. The adapted production profile offers solutions in the entire process plant industry. The volume-dependent design proves to be particularly advantageous when two-phase media are used.
Not only will this type of heat exchanger provide superior performance over traditional shell-and-tube methods, but it also offers numerous environmental benefits completely made out of stainless steel – making it the perfect choice when seeking out a sustainable solution to meet your engineering needs. Read on to find out more about how pillow plates can be beneficial in engineering applications!
Are you an engineer or consultant looking for an efficient and effective solution to increase heat transfer, reduce pressure loss, and improve your system's u-value?
Consider using a pillow plate heat exchange system. This innovative technology is a widely used and reliable method of exchanging thermal energy efficiently with minimal losses, enabling engineers and consultants to create better design solutions that are cost-effective.
Is a heat transfer system with pillow plates the right choice for you?
Stable process control with a dimple plate
In the world of industrial applications, pillow plate banks are a versatile and valuable tool. From liquid-liquid to gas-liquid and even high viscosity or dirty media, these banks can handle a wide range of fluid requirements. They are particularly useful in low pressure loss environments and in condensation, falling film evaporation and water chilling. But the benefits don't end there - with the ability to construct banks that allow individual plates to be separated from the stack, easy cleaning and maintenance is also possible. As immersion chillers, they are a popular choice in electroplating and can even be utilized in the food industry for flake ice generation. Pillow plate banks are a true workhorse, with a range of applications that make them an investment well worth considering.
For stable process control, our dimple plate heat exchange system compensates load peaks or temperature jumps of liquids either by control technology or by a buffer volume of a large tank. Heat Exchange Systems out of double embossed pillow plates have been used in refrigeration applications for a long time. Due to their technical advantages, they are also becoming increasingly popular in the chemical industry and in process engineering plants, especially in applications where tube bundle apparatus and tube coils are ruled out due to contaminated media. While these apparatuses were preferred in the past because of the favorable price, it has now been recognized that the purchase advantage is partly eaten up after short operating times due to high maintenance and cleaning costs. The use of a double embossed pilllow plate for a Heat Exchange Embossed Dimple Plate System is therefor particularly useful where contaminated media (e.g. exhaust air, waste water) are present for heat exchange and require easy cleaning.
Utilisation and added value of the product
What is a custom-made heat transfer system?
Dimple Plate Heat Transfer Systems and their requirements for mass flow and optimal pressure drop
The welded pillow plates of a Heat Exchange System can be designed according to the requirements for mass flow and optimal pressure drop. By varying the cross section and wall thickness, operating pressures from vacuum to high pressure can be manufactured. An alternative to conventional plug-in heat exchangers with u-shaped bent tubes, can be our register of double-sided profiled embossed heat exchanger pillow plates with a front head for heating or cooling as plug-in heat exchanger or clamp-on heating cooling. Water, brine, steam or thermal oil can be used as heat transfer media. Due to the variation possibilities of the designs, our Heat Exchange Systems are used for cooling or heating almost all liquid, gaseous or particle-laden media in process plants.
Dimple plate heat exchange systems in ice water storage tanks
Individual heat exchange systems made out of double embossed pillow plates with individual outputs of up to 2.4 megawatts are also used to produce +1°C cold ice water. Complex PLC controls ensure that the temperature does not fluctuate by more than half a degree Celsius. The natural refrigerant ammonia is used here, which is not only climate-neutral but also stands out for its high energy efficiency. Due to its very good thermodynamic properties of double embossed pillow plates, ammonia requires the least amount of energy to generate a certain refrigerating capacity. This advantage of plates pillow plate is particularly important for large refrigeration plants in the food industry, especially in dairies with their large plants, so that refrigeration plants with ammonia have proven to be a clever solution in these industries. At the same time, for example, in the case of a 2.4 megawatt unit, the ammonia filling quantities are low. Less than 750 kilograms circulate.
What is a dimple plate heat exchange system?
Dimple plate heat exchange system surface advantages
Finally, the large heat exchange system surfaces by double embossed heat exchanger pillow plate surfaces ensure safe process heating cooling control with temperature control. Consequently, the U values are only insignificantly influenced, even if they are soiled or soiled on the boards. In the long run, therefore, significantly better efficiencies compared to compact external heat exchangers closed design. Even when it comes to contamination, our Heat Exchange Systems ensure high performance stability. The open construction of the heat exchange systems allows quick inspections as well as uncomplicated cleaning processes and thus a high degree of operational safety.
If necessary, the cooling process can be further stabilized by a slight ice build-up. As a result, this reserve of power gives you security. Individual designs of heat transfer systems and heat transfer surface in size, shape and material enable flexible use in numerous applications and thus expand the standard.
Technical properties
Our advantages of pillow plates in heat exchanger systems?
- High U-valued due to slightly corrugated double embossed heat exchanger plate surfaces
- Free cross-sections between the dimple plated optimally adapted to the product flow conditions
- Dimple Plate fully welded design with double tight weld
- These pillow plates are power stable when used with contaminated media
- Easy, fast inspection and cleaning in case of pillow plates
- Longevity thanks to complete double embossed plate stainless steel construction
- For fluctuating power requirement: compensation of temperature and flow fluctuations in the tank
- Simple control by buffer effect
- Minimal pressure loss on the outside of pillow plates
- Pillow plate heat transfer systems for any design according to application criteria or specification
Heat Exchange Systems with pillow plates and their technical specifications
- Pillow plate heat exchange systems with capacities from 10 kW to 1000 kW
- Any dimple plate heat exchanger sizes and dimensions
- With tank or alternatively adaptable to existing tanks
- Dimple plate evaporator manufacturer for all refrigerants and operating modes
- Dimple Plate Manufacturer for compact, plug-in units up to 100 kW or for on-site refrigeration systems
- Manufacturer for brine operation or as a liquid – liquid heat exchange system
- Pillow plates in operation as a gas – liquid heat exchanger in the sewer
Heat Exchange Systems with pillow plates and their applications and benefits
- Compensation of temperature peaks due to large buffer volume in the tank
- Heat recovery from gases or vapors
- Solvent condensation
- Vapour condensation
- Water steam condensation
- Suitable for any solids-laden or contaminated liquid
- Bleaching Iye heating
- Pulp digester heating
- White water cooling
- Air drying
Heat Exchange Systems with pillow plates and their construction and dimensions
- Plate sizes in systems up to 3000 x 2000 mm
- Wall thicknesses 0.8 / 0.8 up to 3 / 3 mm
- System design and duct guidance and duct cross-sections according to individual design by experienced engineers
- Rolled cylinders or plates adapted to round containers
- Operating pressure up to 20 bar, in special cases up to 50 bar
More than 10.000 heat exchange systems out of pillow plates in operation. More than 50 years manufacturer of heat exchange systems.
Photos & examples
We have always assimilated engineering science and thermodynamics optimally in the various manufacturing processes.
Thermodynamicists,mechanical engineers and welding engineers define the dimensioning, design and construction of customised heat exchanger panels and systems in materials ranging from mild and austenitic steels through to titanium, and ensure successful distribution of their work worldwide.
In doing so they fall back on production engineering expertise and calculations developed in the course of the past hundred years that are still being continuously optimised in an ongoing process.
In the perception of our customers, the Buco product stands for:
Technical and process-oriented consulting
Thermodynamic efficiency
Quality and longevity
