Heat Exchanger Manufacture: Why Consider Chemical Etching?
Traditional plate heat exchanger machining In traditional plate heat exchanger manufacturing processes, metal is often pressed to create the desired geometry and flow channels. The more complex the geometry, the more time-consuming and expensive the task, with the associated tooling costs and any remedial post-machining work to remove any material stresses or burrs. The high cost of tooling for traditional machining methods means experimentation and trial and error can be limited, but there is an alternative that can also bring various design advantages over conventional processes: photochemical etching. Benefits of chemical etching plate heat exchangers Photochemical etching is the perfect choice for creating complex components with fluidic channels such as plate heat exchangers. No mechanical and thermal stresses Whilst pressing is commonly used to manufacture metal heat exchanger plates, it can compromise planarity. Chemical etching eliminates this problem as the process uses ...