EN

INSTRUCTION MANUAL FOR BRAZED PLATE HEAT EXCHANGERS

co-current
TECHNICAL DATA AND APPROVALS
See the type label on the product.
For more details on approvals, please contact SWEP or see the
appropriate product sheets on www.swep.net.

Serial Number Explanation

From July 2000 > October 2022
Serial Number Example: 214117152000001

2 14 11 715 2 000001 Serial number

B30, B60 B9 D700 D650
Number in series
Number of circuits F1 F2 F1 F2 F1 F2 F1 F2
F1
F6
F2 F1
F6
F2

Product code F6 F6

Month 11, i.e. November

Year 14, i.e. 2014
F3
Production entity F4

L H L H
From April 2020 > Present
Serial Number Example: 12009242000892 F3 F4 F3 F4 F3 F3
F5 F5 F5 F4 F5 F4
H H
01 20 09 24 2 000892 Serial number L L F3 F4

Number in series
Number of circuits The B9, B30, B60, D650 and D700 have a cross-flow configuration,
Date In Month, i.e.g 24 of Sept.
instead of the parallel flow normally found in BPHEs. In the B9, B30 and
Month 09, i.e. September
B60, ports F1-F4 are equivalent to the outer circuit, and ports F2-F3 to
Year 20, i.e. 2020 the inner circuit. For the D650 and D700, ports F5-F6 are the outer
Production entity circuit and ports F1-F4 and F2-F3 are the inner circuits.
WARRANTY
SWEP offers a 12-month warranty from the date of installation, but in no When using the B30 or B60 in single-phase applications, you achieve the
case longer than 15 months from the date of delivery. The warranty same thermal performance regardless of the inlet/outlet arrangement
covers only manufacturing and material defects. due to its quadratic shape and cross-flow arrangement. However, the
choice of fluid stream on the H and L sides depends on the thermal and
DISCLAIMER hydraulic performance requirements. When using the B30 or B60 as a
The performance of SWEP BPHEs is based on their installation, condenser, it is important that the refrigerant enters through port F2
maintenance, and operating conditions being in conformance with this and leaves through F3.
manual. SWEP cannot assume any liability for BPHEs that do not meet
these criteria.
The BPHE is not type-approved for fatigue loading.

GENERAL INFORMATION P2
The front plate of SWEP BPHEs is marked LIFTING INSTRUCTIONS FOR LARGER BPHEs
P1 A. Lifting in horizontal position
with an arrow, either on an adhesive F2
sticker or embossed in the cover plate. B. Lifting from horizontal to vertical position
This marker indicates the front of the C. Lifting in vertical position
F1
BPHE and the location of the inner and
outer circuits/channels. With the arrow
pointing up, the left-hand side (ports F1,
F3) is the inner circuit (for asymmetric WARNING.
units Narrow) and the right-hand side Risk of personal injury. Maintain a safety separation
(ports F2, F4) is the outer circuit of 3 m (10 ft) when lifting.
P3 F4
(for asymmetric units Wide).

Ports F1/F2/F3/F4 are on the front of the F3

BPHE. Ports P1/P2/P3/P4 are on the back.
Note the order in which they appear. C

FLOW CONFIGURATIONS B
Fluids can pass through the BPHE in different ways. For parallel-flow
BPHEs, there are two different flow configurations:

counter-current

A
MOUNTING
Never expose the BPHE to excessive pulsations (i.e. cyclic pressure or
temperature changes). It is also important that no vibrations are
transferred to the BPHE. If there is a risk of this, install vibration
absorbers. For large connection diameters, we advise you to use an
DIN-type SAE-type SAE O-ring
expanding device in the pipeline. It is also suggested that a buffer (e.g. a
Compac flange flange connection
rubber mounting strip) be installed between the BPHE and the mounting
clamp.
Sealing surface
Mounting direction Some connections are equipped with a special
In single-phase applications (e.g. water-to-water or water-to-oil), the plastic cap to protect the connection’s threads
mounting orientation has little or no effect on the performance of the and sealing surface (X) and to prevent dirt and
BPHE. However, in two-phase applications the BPHE’s orientation dust from entering the BPHE. This plastic cap
becomes very important. In two-phase applications, SWEP BPHEs should should be removed with care to avoid damaging
be mounted vertically, with the arrow on the front plate pointing the thread, sealing surface, or any other part of the connection. Some
upwards. connections have an external heel whose purpose is to facilitate pressure
and leakage testing of the BPHE in production.
Mounting suggestions
Mounting suggestions are shown below. Soldering Connections
Support legs, brackets, and insulation are available as options. The soldering connections (sweat connections) are in principle designed
for pipes with dimensions in mm or inches. The measurements
It is advised to use a lubricant when mounting nut on the stud bolt. It correspond to the internal diameter of the connections. Some of SWEP’s
prevents from tearing off studbolt. soldering connections are universal, i.e. fit both mm- and inch-
denominated pipes. These are denominated xxU. For example, the 28U
A. Supported from the bottom fits both 1 1/8” and
B. Sheet metal bracket (x = rubber insert) 28.75 mm pipes.
C. Crossbar and bolts (x = rubber insert)
D. With mounting stud bolts on the front or back cover plate All BPHEs are vacuum-brazed with either a pure copper or a stainless
E. Support legs are available for some larger BPHEs steel filler. Soldering flux is used to remove oxides from the metal
F. Insulation for refrigerant applications surface. The flux’s properties make it potentially very aggressive.
G. Insulation for heating applications Consequently, it is very important to use the correct amount of flux,
because too much might lead to severe corrosion. No flux must be
A B C D
allowed to enter the BPHE.

2 Soldering procedure
Degrease and polish the surfaces. Apply flux. Insert the copper tube into
the connection, hold it in place and braze with min. 45% silver solder at
max. 450 ºC (840 ºF) when soft soldering and 450-800 ºC (840-1470 ºF)
when hard soldering. Do not direct the flame at the BPHE. Use a wet rag
to avoid overheating the BPHE. Protect the BPHE’s interior (refrigerant
side) from oxidation with N2 gas.

F G WARNING
E Excessive heating can lead to fusion of the copper
and thus to the destruction of the BPHE.
!
If additional welding is necessary, please consider that BPHEs and their parts
have been exposed to the extensive heat treatment during the
manufacturing process, which may lead into changed welding process
parameters.
When SWEP supplies an adapter or flange that is soldered to the BPHE by
the customer, SWEP does not assume any responsibility for incorrect
CONNECTIONS
soldering nor for any accidents that may occur during the process.
All connections are brazed to the BPHE in the general vacuum-brazing
cycle, a process that gives a very strong seal between the connection and
Welding connections A
the cover plate. However, note the following warning.
Picture A. Welding is only recommended for specially
designed welding connections. All SWEP’s welding
connections have a 30° chamfer on the top of the
connection. Do not weld on pipes on other types of
WARNING
connections. The measurement in mm corresponds
Risk of damaging the connection
Do not join the counterpart with such force that the ! to the external diameter of the connection.
connection is damaged. Welding procedure
Protect the BPHE from excessive heating by:
a) using a wet cloth around the connection
Depending on the application, many options are available for the types b) making a chamfer on the joining tube and the connection edges as
and locations of the connections (e.g. Compac flanges, SAE flanges, shown (Picture B)
Rotalock, Victualic, threaded, and welding). It is important to select the
Use TIG or MIG/MAG welding. B
correct international or local standard of connection, because they are
When using electrical welding
not always compatible.
circuits, connect the ground
terminal to the joining tube,
not to the back of the plate
package. A small flow of
nitrogen through the BPHE will
reduce internal oxidation.
Make sure there are no traces of copper adjacent to the prepared joint. If
Rotalock Victualic Welding the joint is prepared by grinding, take appropriate measures to prevent
connection connection connection copper from being ground into the stainless surface.
Allowable connection loads for pipe at installation Condensers (Picture A)
The maximum recommended connection loads given in Table A1 are valid The refrigerant (gas/steam) should be
during installation. Values for Deep Drawn (DD) connected to the upper left connection, F1, A
connections see in Table A2. and the condensate to the lower left F2
connection, F3. The water/brine circuit inlet
Mt should be connected to the lower right
Connection load during operation
connection, F4, and the outlet to the upper F1
The piping are to be well supported
so that no loads are transferred to right connection, F2.
the BPHE during operation. Mb BPHEs with UL approval for use with CO2
according to UL files section II or VI. When F4
A1 used with CO2, the system should include a F3
Pipe Shear Tension Bending Torque, pressure relief valve on each side of the
force, Fs* force, Ft moment, Mb Mt BPHE. The pressure relief valve must open if
size (kN) (kp) (kN) (kp) (Nm) (kpm) (Nm) (kpm) the system pressure reaches 0.9 × design
pressure. B
½” 3.5 357 2.5 255 20 2 35 3.5
F2
¾” 12 1224 2.5 255 20 2 115 11.5 Evaporators (Picture B)
1” 11.2 1142 4 408 45 4.5 155 16 The refrigerant liquid should be connected
1 ¼” 14.5 1479 6.5 663 87.5 9 265 27 to the lower left connection (F3) and the F1
1 ½” 16.5 1683 9.5 969 155 16 350 35.5 refrigerant gas outlet to the upper left
2” 21.5 2193 13.5 1377 255 26 600 61 connection (F1). The water/brine circuit inlet
2 ½” 44.5 4538 18 1836 390 40 1450 148 should be connected to the upper right
3” 55.5 5660 18.4 1876 575 59 2460 251 connection (F2), and the outlet to the lower F4
4” 73 7444 41 4181 1350 138.5 4050 413.5 right connection (F4).
6” 169 17233 63 6424 2550 260 13350 1361 F3

Expansion Valves
A2 The expansion valve should be placed within a certain distance to the
evaporator inlet without bends, expansions or reductions in between.
Pipe DD Shear Tension Bending Torque,
The recommended distance between expansion valve and evaporator
size conn. force, Fs* force, Ft moment, Mb Mt
inlet is 150-300 mm, or with the ratio of the pipe length to the pipe’s
size (kN) (kp) (kN) (kp) (Nm) (kpm) (Nm) (kpm)
inner diameter equal to 10-30. It is also important to keep the piping
3/8” 9.65 3.5 357 2.5 255 10 1 35 3.5 horizontally. The pipe diameter between the expansion valve and the
1/2” 12.8 3.5 357 2.5 255 10 1 35 3.5 BPHE is important for the thermal performance.
5/8” 16 3.5 357 2.5 255 10 1 35 3.5 The pipe should normally have the same diameter as the connection and
*Shear force (Fs) is calculated at the base of the connection. in order to achieve the optimal flow regime the correct diameter can be
selected with SWEP’s software tool SSP. Another option is to use a coned
connection if the pipe is smaller than the connection. The inlet
Allowable loads for stud bolt assembly conditions connection selected should never be larger than the inlet port diameter
Mounting stud bolts for BPHEs are available as an of the F3 port, because this increases the risk of phase separation. Due
option. These stud bolts are welded to the BPHE. to the distribution device, the inlet port size (F3) is smaller in an
The maximum allowable loads on the stud bolts evaporator than in a B-model.
during assembly are stated in Table B.
If an expansion valve bulb is used the bulb should be mounted about
200 mm from the vaporized refrigerant outlet connection. For
B evaporators, the total pressure drop is the pressure drop in the internal
Stud bolt Stress area Tension force Torque distribution system plus that in the expansion valve. Selecting the next
As (mm²) Ft (N) Mt (Nm) larger size valve will normally give satisfactory performance
M6 20.1 1400 3
M8 36.6 2600 8
M12 84.3 6000 27
UNC Stress area Tension force Torque
Stud bolt As (in²) Ft (lbf) Mt (lbfin)
1/4” 0.032 315 27 Freezing Protection
5/16” 0.053 585 71 a) Use a filter < 1 mm, 16 mesh
1/2” 0.144 1349 239 b) Use an antifreeze when the evaporation temperature is close to the
liquid-side freezing point
c) Use a freeze protection thermostat and flow switch to guarantee a
INSTALLING BPHEs IN DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS constant water flow before, during, and after compressor operation
Single-phase applications d) Avoid using the “pump-down” function
Normally, the circuit with the highest temperature and/or pressure e) When starting up a system, pause briefly before starting the
should be connected on the left-hand side of the BPHE when the condenser (or have a reduced flow through it)
arrow is pointing upwards. For example, in a typical water-to-water f) If any of the media contain particles larger than 1 mm (0.04 inch), a
application, the two fluids are connected in a counter-current flow, strainer should be installed before the BPHE
i.e. the hot water inlet is connection F1, the outlet F3, the cold water
inlet F4, and the outlet F2. This is because the right-hand side of the CLEANING OF THE BPHEs
BPHE contains one channel more than the left-hand side, and the hot The normally very high degree of F2
medium is thus surrounded by the cold medium to prevent heat loss. turbulence in BPHEs produces a self-
cleaning effect in the channels. However, CIP
F1
Two-phase applications in some applications the fouling tendency out
It is very important that in all refrigerant applications every can be very high (e.g. when using
refrigerant channel has a water/brine channel on both sides. extremely hard water at high
Normally, the refrigerant side must be connected to the left-hand side temperatures). In such cases, it is always F4
and the water/brine circuit to the right-hand side of the BPHE. If the possible to clean the BPHE by circulating a
refrigerant is connected incorrectly to the first and last channels, cleaning liquid (CIP – Cleaning In Place).
instead of water/brine, the evaporation temperature will drop, with Use a tank with weak acid, 5% phosphoric F3
the risk of freezing and very poor performance. SWEP BPHEs used as acid, or if the BPHE is cleaned frequently,
condensers or evaporators should always be fitted with adequate 5% oxalic acid. Pump the cleaning liquid CIP in
connections on the refrigerant side. through the BPHE.
For demanding installations, we recommend factory-installed CIP STORAGE
connections/valves for easy maintenance. When cleaning, pump the BPHEs must be stored dry. In long-term storage (longer than two weeks),
cleaning solution through the BPHE from the lower connection to vent the temperature should be between 1 °C and 50 °C.
air. For optimal cleaning, the flow rate should be at least 1.5 times the
normal flow rate, preferably in a back-flush mode. Reverse the flow APPEARANCE
direction every 30 min if possible. After cleaning, remember to rinse the Extensive copper stains may occur on the BPHE’s surface following
BPHE carefully with clean water. A solution of 1-2% sodium hydroxide brazing. This discoloration is not corrosion and does not affect the BPHE’s
(NaOH) or sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) before the final rinse ensures
performance or way of use.
that all acid is neutralized. Clean at regular intervals. For further
information about cleaning BPHEs, please consult SWEP's CIP information
or your local SWEP company. DISPOSAL
Please note; after end of life, the BPHE should be disposed in accordance
Bleeding the BPHE with local Environmental legislation regulations.
A bleeding valve must be assembled on the warm side of the BPHE,
where the gas is least soluble in water. Make sure it is positioned high
relative to the BPHE. Depending on the need, the frequency of bleeding For further information, please consult SWEP’s technical information or
required will vary. your local SWEP company.

Foreign Approval Requirements / Regulations

Approval Logo
Approval Name Country Application Information & Regulations
(if available)

Australian watermark according to WMTS 528

§8.3 Single wall plate heat exchangers.
Plate heat exchangers that include a single wall when installed shall include mechanisms to protect any drinking water supply from contamination from a
WaterMark Australia Drinking Water transfer medium. This shall be by maintaining the pressure of the primary drinking water circuit higher than the secondary transfer medium circuit,
unless the heating medium is drinking water or non-toxic.
NOTE 1: In the event of failure, the heat transfer medium should not contaminate a drinking water supply.
NOTE 2: The drinking water supply should be sustained at a pressure that protects it from contamination by a heat transfer medium.

CAUTION
Risk of High Pressure.
This component shall be installed along with a pressure relief valve set to discharge at no higher then max working pressure for each channel. This
component is intended for systems in which the critical pressure of the refrigerant will be exceeded. The relief valve shall comply with the requirements
of ASME Section VIII, be marked “UV” and sized based on the refrigeration system capacity.
In use with
UL / ULc US/CAN R744 ATTENTION
refrigerant Risque de haute pression.
Ce composant doit être installé avec une valve de surpression réglée à une pression ne dépassant pas la pression maximale de fonctionnement de
chaque canal. Ce composant est conçu pour des systèmes où la pression maximale est dépassée. La valve de surpression doit être conforme au standard
ASME, section VIII, marquée « UV » et doit être dimensionnée selon la capacité en réfrigérant du système.

Refrigerant Information
For UL/ULc marked products, it is not allowed to have a less design pressure than the installed system working pressure, or less then the values outlined
in the ASHRAE 15 for the charged refrigerant. After charging, mark the installed equipment with the refrigerant type and oil used.

Approved Refrigerants UL & ULc

In use with R123, R1233zd, R245fa, R1234ze, R12, R134a, R513A, R401A, R401B, R290, R1234yf, R454C, R22, R502, R717, R448A, R402B, R407C, R449A, R455A,
UL / ULc US/CAN Approved R407A, R404A, R402A, R507, R514A, R452B, R454B, R410A, R32,
Refrigerants
R717 is only suitable for Heat Exchangers free of Copper or brass materials.

For flammable refrigerants - Only welded or brazed fittings allowed!

ASME US ALL Temperature Limitations : -40°C (°F) to +150°C (302°F)

Not Applicable CRN VESSEL Canada ALL Temperature Limitations : -40°C (°F) to +150°C (302°F)

Not Applicable CRN Fitting Canada ALL Temperature Limitations : -196°C (-321°F) to +225°C (437°F)

SVGW Swiss Drinking Water Pressure Limitations : 10 Bars for SEP and 16 Bars for all other models, refer to SVGW certificate
Temperature Limitations : +95°C

NSF ANSI - 372 US Drinking Water Pressure Limitations : Check the product silver label on your Brazed Plate Heat Exchanger
Temperature Limitations : +90°C / 194°F (+/-4°F)

NSF ANSI - 61 US Drinking Water Pressure Limitations : Check the product silver label on your Brazed Plate Heat Exchanger
Temperature Limitations : +90°C / 194°F (+/-4°F)

KIWA Netherlands Drinking Water Pressure Limitations : 10 Bars

Temperature Limitations : +90°C

United Kingdom
WRAS Drinking Water Pressure Limitations : 16 Bars
(UK) Temperature Limitations : +99°C
EN-2022-R1

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