Investigation of the tightening function of a GPHE

Sammanfattning

This thesis presents the results of an investigation of the tightening function of a gasketed plate heat exchanger (GPHE). The main focus of the project has been to find a new method for tightening a GPHE that is more accurate than the current method. This is achieved by factoring in manufacturing tolerances of the ingoing parts. Other factors such as the number of channel plates, channel plate material and thickness and gasket material were also considered, to find a solution that would be applicable to the entire product range without modification. During the thesis, a product development process tailored for this project was developed. The process incorporated phases from existing product development processes. This process included phases where the problem was discovered and defined, before an extensive concept development phase. The concept development phase included many iterations, to find and test concepts to identify potential improvements. Based on physical testing and feedback from experienced engineers at Alfa Laval, three potential solutions were found. The result of the thesis is a concept that improved the accuracy of the tightening sequence by finding a method that is based solely on mathematical functions. By utilizing specific mathematical functions, the method is only dependent on the tightening bolt forces. All other design parameters, and the manufacturing tolerances, does not affect the result. By finding a solution that is only dependent on the tightening bolt forces, this thesis offers a solution that can accelerate the development process, while being more accurate than the current method.