End-piece and plate heat exchanger comprising, and method of making, such end-piece

A method of making an end-piece having a longitudinal axis and configured for use in a plate heat exchanger that includes a package of heat transfer plates, the method comprising:

• extruding a frame part in an extrusion direction parallel to the longitudinal axis so that the frame part comprises an inner portion, an outer portion spaced from the inner portion, and an intermediate portion between the inner portion and the outer portion, the inner portion of the frame part possessing an outer wall surface configured to face a first surface of the package of heat transfer plates;
• and
• the extruding of the frame part comprising extruding the frame part so that the intermediate portion of the frame part comprises a plurality of cavities extending in the extrusion direction and separated from one another.

A method comprising:

• extruding a frame part in an extrusion direction to produce an extruded frame part comprising an inner portion, an outer portion having an inner wall surface facing towards and spaced from an inner wall surface of the inner portion, and an intermediate portion between the inner wall surface of the inner portion and the inner wall surface of the outer portion, the inner portion of the extruded frame part possessing an outer wall surface opposite the inner wall surface of the inner portion of the extruded frame part;
• the extruding of the frame part comprising extruding the frame part so that the intermediate portion of the extruded frame part comprises a plurality of cavities extending in the extrusion direction and separated from one another;
• positioning a package of heat transfer plates between the extruded frame part, which constitutes one end-piece of a plate heat exchanger, and a second end-piece so that the outer wall surface of the extruded frame part faces a first surface of the package of heat transfer plates, the first surface of the package of heat transfer plates including a center portion and a peripheral portion encircling the center portion, the outer wall surface of the inner portion possessing outer dimensions at least as large as outer dimensions of the center portion of the first surface of the package of heat transfer plates.