It is common practice to design and build large diameter, high-pressure heat exchangers with a welded diaphragm plate to seal the channel opening. While this solution does provide a seal for the closure, there are a few inherent problems.

Generally, there are several thermal cycles encountered during the service of the heat exchanger. These cycles induce stress cracks due to thermal expansion at weld of the diaphragm plate, resulting in a leak. Leaks may also occur from less than perfect welds. Repairing the weld to stop leaks is very costly.

The reoccurring maintenance process to cut and reweld is cumbersome; as it usually requires a nitrogen purge, stress relief at the weld, and non-destructive weld testing. These maintenance costs are usually concealed by the opportunity cost from extended downtime.

An alternative design can be very complicated by design, requiring specialty equipment for installation and maintenance. The Taper-Lok® seal offers the most simplified and reliable seal for high pressure exchanger designs.

Taper-Lok® seals are a proven technology for durability in sealing heat exchangers, hard to hold or lethal fluids, especially in high pressure or high temperature environments.