Spiral Wound Gasket for Heat Exchangers

At Kriloha Ltd., we recognize that heat exchangers represent one of the most complex sealing challenges in any industrial facility. Unlike standard pipe flanges, heat exchanger joints must manage internal fluid separation while enduring massive thermal transients. The Kriloha Heat Exchanger Spiral Wound Gasket is a specialized evolution of our core SWG technology, engineered to maximize thermal efficiency and eliminate the risk of “fluid bypass.”
The defining characteristic of this gasket is the integration of partition pass bars. In a multi-pass heat exchanger, fluids are routed through specific tube bundles; any leak between these passes (bypass) results in a significant drop in heat transfer efficiency. Kriloha solves this by precision-welding partition ribs—typically double-jacketed or solid metal faced with graphite—directly to the inner ring or the spiral winding. We utilize Kriloha-Therm™ welding technology, which ensures a seamless transition between the circular seal and the straight pass bars, eliminating potential leak paths at the junction points.
Because heat exchangers are subject to “start-stop” operations, the flanges often undergo significant bowing or rotation. A standard gasket may take a “permanent set” and leak when the system cools down. Kriloha’s heat exchanger gaskets are wound with a specific Elastic-Recovery Core. This high-density winding acts as a heavy-duty mechanical spring that “breathes” with the equipment, maintaining constant contact pressure against the tube sheet regardless of the thermal state.
As a top supplier of rubber seals and gaskets, Kriloha Ltd. also offers Soft-Wound variations for older or lighter heat exchanger flanges. These gaskets achieve a gas-tight seal at significantly lower seating stresses, protecting delicate or warped flange faces from further damage. Our technical team works directly with your TEMA drawings to ensure that pass bar widths and locations are matched to the millimeter. When you install a Kriloha Heat Exchanger Gasket, you are ensuring that your process runs at peak thermal performance with zero internal or external leakage.

Primary Use Cases

• Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers: The primary sealing solution for main flange and partition plates.
• Condensers and Reboilers: Critical for maintaining separation between cooling water and process fluids.
• High-Pressure Coolers: Used in oil refineries and chemical plants where fluid bypass must be eliminated.
• Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers (Fin-Fans): Providing reliable sealing for header box plugs and covers.
• Intercoolers and Aftercoolers: Standard equipment for large-scale industrial compressor systems.

FAQs

1. What is the purpose of the “pass bars” on these gaskets?
Pass bars are internal ribs that align with the heat exchanger’s partition plates. They prevent the process fluid from leaking between different “passes” inside the exchanger, which would otherwise ruin the unit’s thermal efficiency.
2. How does Kriloha ensure the pass bars don’t break off during installation?
We use advanced TIG or laser welding to secure the pass bars to the inner ring. This creates a structurally sound, one-piece unit that is much easier to handle and align than loose-rib designs.
3. Why do heat exchanger gaskets usually require an inner ring?
Inner rings provide the necessary foundation for welding the pass bars. They also provide structural support to prevent the windings from buckling inward under the high-velocity flow found in exchangers.
4. Can Kriloha manufacture gaskets for non-circular exchangers?
Yes. While most exchangers are circular, we can produce oval, rectangular, or diamond-shaped spiral wound gaskets with custom rib configurations for specialized pressure vessels.
5. What information do I need to provide for a custom heat exchanger gasket?
Ideally, we require the TEMA drawing or a detailed sketch showing the flange ID/OD, the number of passes, and the exact dimensions/placement of the partition ribs.