The computer aided design of plate heat exchanger with mixed grouping of plates is
considered. It is formulated as the mathematical problem of finding the minimal value
for implicit nonlinear discrete/continues objective function with inequality constraints.
The optimizing variables include the number of passes for both streams, the numbers of
plates with different corrugation geometries in each pass, the plate type and its size. To
estimate the value of objective function in a space of optimizing variables the
mathematical model of plate heat exchanger is developed. To account for thermal and
hydraulic performance of channels between plates with different geometrical forms of
corrugations, the exponents and coefficients in formulas for heat transfer coefficients
and friction factors calculation are used as model parameters. The procedure and
software for numerical experiment to identify model parameters by comparing the
calculation results with those obtained with free available in web computer programs of
plate manufacturers is developed. The sets of such parameters are obtained for a
number of industrially manufactured plates. The described approach is implemented as
software for plate heat exchangers calculation.