To protect a plate-type heat exchanger (1) against corrosion due to the attack of sulfuric acid, it is proposed in accordance with the invention that the region through which flows sulfuric acid has at least one metal cathode (16, 17) and one reference electrode (27), that at least half the metal plates (7) have an electric contact (23) which is connected with the anode (21) of an electric d.c. voltage source of variable electric voltage, that the metal cathode (16, 17) likewise is electrically connected with the d.c. voltage source, and that the d.c. voltage source belongs to a potentiostat (20) which is electrically connected with the reference electrode (27).