[Verification Case] Investigation of the Cause of Refrigerant Leakage in Welded Plate Heat Exchangers

Clarifying the cause of 'freezing and expansion' in four steps! Introduction of scientific approach verification cases.

We would like to introduce a scientific approach to investigating the causes of refrigerant leaks in welded plate heat exchangers. In the visual inspection, no foreign objects or blockages were found at the cold water inlet and outlet sides, and no external deformations were observed. 【Investigation Overview】 ■ Visual Inspection ■ Air Tightness Test ■ Dissection Investigation ■ Water Quality Test 【Verification Results】 Based on the deformation characteristics of the plates, it is determined that the cause was the expansion of cold water inside the plates due to freezing. Once freezing occurs inside the plates, the circulation flow rate in that area decreases, leading to repeated freezing and increased deformation. In areas other than the deformed sections, no impact was observed on the plate materials, which are stainless steel and copper solder. Therefore, it is concluded that the cause of the gas leak was an incidental issue due to the removal of deposits from previously frozen areas. As a countermeasure, regular water quality management and maintenance are being implemented for improvement. *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

Contract AnalysisContract measurementContract Inspection