Definition And Principle Of Spiral Plate Heat Exchanger
May 06, 2026| A spiral plate heat exchanger is a type of plate heat exchanger consisting of two parallel metal plates rolled together at a certain distance, forming two concentric spiral channels.
The cold and hot fluids flow in opposite directions (counter-flow) within the two spiral channels. Its unique spiral structure enables full counter-current heat transfer between the cold and hot fluids, resulting in high heat transfer efficiency, a large average temperature difference, and the cold fluid ultimately approaching the temperature of the hot fluid. The spiral channels themselves contribute to turbulence, further improving the heat transfer coefficient, which can be 1 to 4 times that of shell-and-tube heat exchangers.
The single-channel design also produces a "self-cleaning" effect, where local deposits increase the flow velocity, flushing away fouling and helping to reduce scaling.
Based on their structure, spiral plate heat exchangers are mainly divided into non-removable (Type I) and removable (Type II and Type III) types.