Plate heat exchanger services: efficiency last for decades

Inside Alfa Laval’s Advanced Service Centre in Camberley

Go behind the scenes at our Camberley Service Centre, where Alfa Laval engineers expertly restore plate heat exchangers to peak performance. Every step - from advanced cleaning and testing to regasketing and reassembly - is handled with precision using genuine Alfa Laval parts.

As part of our global service network, this local facility delivers fast, reliable support to UK industries - helping extend equipment life, boost efficiency, and reduce unplanned downtime.

Request a service

Keep Your Heat Exchanger Performing at Its Best

A heat exchanger that isn’t performing at its best can impact safety, product quality, and energy efficiency - sometimes leading to unexpected downtime and costly production losses. Regular, proactive maintenance of your gasketed plate heat exchanger helps safeguard performance and keeps your operations running smoothly and predictably.

Whether you’re facing an immediate challenge, looking to prevent future issues, or prefer to troubleshoot on your own with our online tools, our experts are here to support you every step of the way.

Get in touch with our experts today

We’re here to help. If you have an enquiry or want to learn more about Alfa Laval's products, services and solutions, please fill out the form. Our experts are ready to assist you and will get back to you shortly.

Other quick ways to contact us

While this form is the best way to get in touch, you can also speak with a member of our team by phone at 01276 63383 during business hours: Monday - Friday, 08:30 - 17:00.

Watch the video to find our how Alfa Laval's comprehensive gasket plate heat exchanger service offerings can help to boost your energy efficiency.

By taking advantage of our services, you can:

Save energy and costs
Optimize uptime
Extend the equipment's lifetime
Reduce emissions

Request service for your Plate Heat Exchangers

Essential heat exchanger service packages

Discover service solutions that keep your heat exchangers operating at their best - improving reliability, extending equipment lifetime, and reducing energy and maintenance costs.

Cleaning-in-place (CIP)

If fouling should occur, an Alfa Laval CIP system provides quick and easy in-line cleaning without having to dismantle your heat exchanger. This comes with:

Lower operating costs
Production reliability
Lower maintenance cost

Learn more

Reconditioning

Reconditioning a gasket plate heat exchanger restores performance and reduces the total operating costs. It also:

Extends product lifetime
Improves thermal efficiency
Minimizes energy consumption

Learn more

Performance Audit

A Performance Audit from Alfa Laval can determine the actual heat transfer performance of your heat exchangers. This helps optimize your maintenance plan and:

Ensure production reliability
Secure maximum throughput
Mediate your maintenance budget

Learn more

Connected solutions

Connected services help you monitor the conditions in your heat exchangers so that you can improve the sustainability, insight, reliability, and performance of your assets. By doing so, you can:

Optimize your maintenance plan and budget
Maximize production uptime
Reduce water and energy consumption, CO2e (CO2 equivalent)

Enable smart decisions

Spare parts

With Alfa Laval Spare Parts, you can rest assured that the correct material is specified according to its intended use and:

Prolong equipment lifetime
Secure uptime
Minimize costs

Find my spares

Integrity Test

An integrity test identifies any potential leakages in your heat exchanger before they occur in hygienic applications. This is possible using a mix of hydrogen and nitrogen gas to detect small plate cracks. The key benefits are:

Product safety
Production reliability and equipment uptime
Compliance

Learn more

Technical documentation

More service offerings for your heat exchanger

Find the right spare parts for your heat exchanger

Find the perfect gaskets and plates for your plate heat exchanger in our comprehensive online catalogue. We offer a wide selection of high-quality parts, including Alfa Laval genuine spare parts to ensure optimal performance and longevity, as well as compatible options for other major brands. Browse our catalogue to find the right parts for your unit and request a quote today.

Go to the Product Catalogue

Taking the heat

Download our new report that outlines why the run to failure approach is a false economy. Take control with planned servicing, cutting downtime and losses whole improving your performance and impact on the environment.

Send me a copy of the report

Visual Condition Assessment (VCA)

With our unparalleled heat exchanger expertise, Alfa Laval can perform a visual inspection of your gasketed plate heat exchanger while it is in operation. This means we can identify potential issues before they become major problems. Utilizing cutting-edge infrared camera technology and thermal analysis, we meticulously evaluate the heat transfer performance of your heat exchanger, grounding our assessments in tangible evidence. We extend our learned analysis to present you with expert recommendations, derived from our findings and analysis visually illustrated through every thermal image we capture.

Learn more

Visual condition assessment for heat exchanger

Skills and knowledge empower

When you buy Alfa Laval equipment, you buy peace of mind. But you must also rely on your equipment operators to get the job done. That's why competence development is invaluable to your everyday operations. If you have any specific need for training, let us know and we will get back to you soon.

Online troubleshooter - be the expert

A leaking heat exchanger? Reduced thermal performance? Identify the causes of various issues you might experience with your plate heat exchanger, or even better – how to prevent them from happening, through our online troubleshooter. If needed our experienced and skilled troubleshooters are at your service.

Troubleshoot your heat exchangers

Re-design and upgrade

Use technology to face new challenges with an upgrade or redesign them to optimize the overall performance. Our wide range of re-design and upgrade solutions ensure that your Alfa Laval equipment features the latest technology and continues to meet current and future requirements.

Whenever you need to make process or capacity changes, contact us so we can support you to optimize the process or increase efficiency.

Reconditioning and repair

Reconditioning a gasket plate heat exchanger restores performance and reduces the total operating costs. It also: - Extends product lifetime - Improves thermal efficiency - Minimizes energy consumption

Learn more

Service to optimize energy efficiency

Every year, the number of heat exchangers we service to optimize energy efficiency reduces our customers’ capacity needs by 50 GW. That is the amount of energy that can be generated by 10,000 wind turbines in the same timeframe.

In carbon emissions, 50 GW translates to a 25 million tonne reduction to our global footprint, or the carbon emitted by the city of London every year.

Imagine what we could achieve if the world’s industries regularly serviced their plate heat exchangers to optimize heat transfer efficiency.

Service to optimize energy efficiency

Alfa Laval Sustainable solutions Emission reduction

Energy Hunter Calculator

Did you know that servicing your heat exchangers at the recommended intervals will optimize energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, improve productivity, and reduce your total cost of ownership?

Tell us about your cooling system, operating conditions, and economic parameters. Let our calculator do the rest. Click below to find out how much you could save using our unique calculation tool.

Calculate savings

Plate Heat Exchanger Services - Frequently Asked Questions

What services does Alfa Laval offer for plate heat exchangers?

Alfa Laval offers a comprehensive range of plate heat exchanger services including professional cleaning (both on-site and at service centres), regasketing, plate replacement, performance testing, reconditioning, and the supply of genuine OEM spare parts. These services are designed to restore your heat exchanger to original performance, extend its operational life, and reduce energy consumption.

How often should a plate heat exchanger be serviced?

The recommended service interval depends on your application, fluid type, and operating conditions. As a general guideline, plate heat exchangers should be inspected at least once a year. In demanding environments - such as those involving hard water, aggressive chemicals, or high-fouling fluids - more frequent servicing every 6 months may be required. Regular maintenance prevents fouling build-up, which can reduce thermal efficiency by up to 30%.

What are the signs that a plate heat exchanger needs servicing?

Common indicators that your plate heat exchanger requires attention include: a noticeable drop in heating or cooling performance, increased pressure drop across the unit, visible leaks or fluid cross-contamination, higher energy bills, or unusual noise during operation. If you notice any of these symptoms, it is advisable to arrange an inspection promptly to avoid unplanned downtime.

Can Alfa Laval service plate heat exchangers from other manufacturers?

Yes. Alfa Laval’s service teams are experienced in working with a wide range of plate heat exchanger brands and models, not just Alfa Laval equipment. However, using genuine Alfa Laval parts and expertise ensures the highest standard of quality, compatibility, and long-term reliability for Alfa Laval units.

What is regasketing and when is it needed?

Regasketing is the process of replacing the sealing gaskets within a plate heat exchanger. Gaskets degrade over time due to heat, pressure, and chemical exposure, which can lead to leaks and reduced efficiency. Regasketing is typically needed when gaskets show signs of cracking, hardening, or swelling, or when a unit has been in service for several years. Alfa Laval supplies genuine replacement gaskets engineered to exact specifications for a reliable, long-lasting seal.

What is the difference between on-site cleaning and service centre cleaning?

On-site cleaning (also called CIP - Cleaning in Place) involves flushing chemical cleaning agents through the heat exchanger without dismantling it, making it ideal for routine maintenance with minimal disruption. Service centre cleaning involves fully dismantling the unit, inspecting each plate individually, and using specialist equipment such as high-pressure washing or ultrasonic cleaning to remove stubborn deposits. Service centre cleaning is recommended for heavily fouled units or when a full inspection is required.

How can I get a quote for plate heat exchanger servicing in the UK?

You can contact Alfa Laval’s UK service team directly through the website to request a service quote or schedule an engineer visit. Providing details such as your equipment model, serial number, application type, and any symptoms you’ve observed will help the team give you an accurate and timely response.

Does Alfa Laval offer service contracts for plate heat exchangers?

Yes. Alfa Laval offers planned maintenance agreements and service contracts that provide scheduled inspections, priority response times, and discounted parts and labour. A service contract helps businesses budget for maintenance costs, reduce the risk of unexpected breakdowns, and ensure compliance with operational and safety standards.