Cooling is achieved by means of an Air Cooler. In this process, the product is cooled using ambient air. Fins are applied to the tubes to increase the surface area. To improve heat transfer within the tubes, wire mesh inserts are utilized.
Due to the viscous nature of the product and the laminar flow, heat transfer is not very high. The application of inserts significantly improves this, allowing for a smaller cooler. Thanks to the plug-type headers, each individual tube is accessible for cleaning or inspection.
Because wax or hydrate formation can occur at low temperatures, the air cooler was equipped with winterization using louvers and a steam coil. This ensures the product temperature remains at the desired minimum during downtime and in the winter months, preventing wax or hydrate formation.
To limit the environmental impact, low-noise fans have been used that can be frequency-controlled.
Since the inserts had been successfully applied before, the customer was also interested in this solution now. Through smart design and the use of inserts, the size of the air cooler could be reduced. The ability to perform fan calculations in-house allowed for the selection of an impeller that minimized the noise impact on the environment (max 71 dB(A) at 3 meters from the unit).