The paddle cooler processes powders, granules and even pasty products. The special paddle shape enforces intimate contact with the product. This results in very efficient heat exchange compared to many other technologies.
Product enters the paddle cooler through the cover on the feed side. With the whole machine slightly inclined, gravity transports the product to the opposite discharge side. The paddles have a specially designed wedge shape. It makes the heat transfer from the heating medium to the particle very high. Cooling media is typically water, although a brine is also possible. The machine has a water cooled trough that cools the product from the outside. The shafts and hollow paddles are cooled too.
The paddles efficiently exchange energy with the product. This results in an excellent product temperature control and enables a uniform product quality. At the product discharge side, the product moves out of the machine via an adjustable weir. The weir controls not only the residence time of the product, it also allows emptying of the unit.
The cooler its accurate plug flow characteristic ensures an even distribution of the particle’s residence time in the unit. This results in an excellent control of the product temperature as well as a uniform product quality.
Paddle design
The wedge shaped paddle is the crux of the design. The hollow paddles interweave with the opposite counter rotating paddle shaft. This creates a high shear force on the particles. It makes the heat transfer from the cooling water to the particle very high. As the paddles do not transport the product, their primary function is to extract heat from the product. The paddles mix well in radial direction. There is no mixing in axial direction, towards the product outlet side.
The majority of the processes are the standard cooling processes. However, due to the accurate plug flow characteristic, crystallisation processes are also conducted in the paddle cooler.
Furthermore, gas tight designs permit the safe processing of toxic or of very sensitive products.
Contact us and let us discuss how the paddle cooler can be used for your product.
