"Whether designed for beer or cider pasteurisation - or in wort cooling - the Fischer range has been specifically developed to meet today's stringent requirements," said Carlisle Process Systems' product specialist Gareth Cheverton. "The heat exchangers are proving particularlyuseful in the equalisation of pressure, viscosity and pressure differentials."
The system uses two plates, each of them featuring diametrically opposedcorrugations in relation to the centre line. The Combi-flow system meanssimply changing the plate configuration can provide different flowrates.
The system is designed to use both equal and unequal plates. Forexample, by placing two unequal plates next toeach other the corrugations will be crossed and the space between thetwo plates will form a hard flow channel," said Cheverton.
"If, on the other hand, identical plates are placed next to each other,the corrugations will be parallel which creates a soft flow channel."
Use of a hard channel will create greater levels of turbulence, even at low throughput, while with a soft channel in place there will be a lowerpressure drop, giving a higher capacity or heat transfer rate.
The Combi-flow system can also be used when the flow rates of two fluids are different but there is a requirementfor equal flow resistances. "This is where this type of heat exchanger really comes into its own," said Cheverton. "The higher flow ratecan pass through the soft channel while the lower flow uses the hardchannel."
Another bonus comes where the flow rates may be identical but the pressure drops are different. Pressure differentials can be maintained by passing the higher pressure liquid through the hard channel and thelower pressure medium through the soft one.
The Fischer plates are of such rigidity that pressures of up to 22 bar can be tolerated. And, one final touch - which Carlisle believes is unique - a dovetail groove holds the press-in gaskets in place, helping to prevent bending and maintaining rigidity within the plate pack.
The UK-based firm has become a global provider of hygienic liquid process systems. To meet increasing demand, CarlisleProcess System's factory has recently established lean techniques, which give it the capability of a quick turnaround in equipment manufacture byusing standardised modules and components that comply with the ISO9001 - 2000 quality system.