Heat Exchanger Piped backwards

[MagicJS]

On a 30 Ton water cooled chiller installation, cut sheet of the unit shows chilled water inlet/outlet opposite of what's labeled on the actual unit. Not sure whether the installation is correct or not.

The unit has brazed plate heat exchangers. Since it's refrigerant to water, will there be any performance reduction or other problems even if it is piped backwards?

Thanks in advance.

 

[metengr]

MagicJS;
Find the correct pipe layout and fix it right.

 

[rmw]

Lots of Hx's are piped so that any entrained air or gasses will be able to be swept through them and not be trapped. If yours is piped wrong, it could lead to air/vapor/gas entrapment.

rmw

 

[IRstuff]

There may be a heat transfer coefficient difference. Changing the flow direction alters the deltaT across the exchanger.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[gr2vessels]

Magic,
It could be just a simple misplacing of the nozzle labels. Depending on the design of the plate exchanger, the inlet / outlet of your unit might be used in either position, that is something you have to ask your supplier.
Generally, as said above, changing the flow direction alters the exchanger performance, but that's valid for custom designed plate exchangers, not for the "off shelf" ones, which tend to be universal use...particularly if you buy from Alfa Laval or similar Chinese/French manufacturer.
First, check with the supplier to see if he sent you what you asked for, then check what you asked for, it might be your specification a bit short...
Cheers,
gr2vessels