摘要 |
A plate heat exchanger (2) comprising a first frame plate (4), a second frame plate (6) and a stack (24) of heat transfer plates (26) is provided. Each of the heat transfer plates has a center portion (56) and a peripheral portion (58) encircling the center portion. The heat transfer plates are arranged in pairs between the first and the second frame plate, a first flow path (F1) for a first fluid being formed between the heat transfer plates of the pairs and a second flow path (F2) for a second fluid being formed between the pairs of heat transfer plates. One of the first and second flow paths is a free-flow path along which the center portions of the heat transfer plates are completely separated from each other. The plate heat exchanger is characterized in further comprising a reinforcement plate (28a) which is thicker than the heat transfer plates and has a center portion (100) encircled by a peripheral portion (102). The reinforcement plate is arranged between the first frame plate and the stack of heat transfer plates. A first number of permanent reinforcement joints (106) each bond together the reinforcement plate and an outermost heat transfer plate (26a). |