ViscoHX Overview
ViscoHX is the ultimate Heat exchanger for viscous products. It handles low to high viscosity products with or without particulates. It heats or cools product with indirect heat exchange, or through direct injection of steam or cooling media.
How it works:
Hollow body-elements on a rotating shaft create speed forces that accelerate the product outwards to the HX walls, then inwards to the center of the pipe. The product keeps recirculating from the wall to the center at high speeds while being pumped with low pressure drop from the bottom up. The constant, high-speed motion prevents buildup of a boundary layer and carries the heated or cooled product quickly to the center. By breaking down the boundary layer, the ViscoHX creates a more efficient heat transfer with viscous products.
The ViscoHX inlet chamber can be supplied with up to 6 different, dead-zone-free product streams. The ViscoHX doubles as an efficient inline mixer and heat exchanger at the same time. With correct product stream ratios, the streams can be pulsating yet still discharge a perfect mix, even with particulate sizes up to 35mm. Liquid streams with exothermic reactions can be mixed together and the resulting heat removed with indirect heat exchange at very high ΔT.
The ViscoHX can be equipped with Injection nozzles for steam, CO2, or other coolants for rapid product temperature change.
High product flow-rates are achieved by arranging multiple ViscoHX tubes in parallel.
The mixing element rotates independent of the product flow, preventing burn on or ice buildup should the product flow stop.
Product recovery is easy with air injection at the top of the pushing the ViscoHX product back into rework tanks.
These features provide you with the following benefits:
- Close to net-zero product loss set up
- Fully CIP-able heat exchanger with short cleaning time
- Low pressure drop with high viscous product
- Changeable ingredient-switches in operation
- Low power consumption of the overall system, including feed pumps
- Easy maintenance with very few elastomers. Kalrez available for extreme operating conditions.
- Versatile for R&D teams to create new products, or the same products with less stabilizing or emulsifying additives.
- Built based on 3A and EHEDG requirements, including the newest mechanical sealing technology available.