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K500 Auto Hydroheater – 3.5 Rev: 8-2016
© Hydro-Thermal Corp., 2014. All rights reserved
Hydroheater, Solaris, Jetcooker, EZ Heater and K5 Autopilot are trademarks of Hydro-Thermal Corp, and are protected under
U.S. and Canadian patents.
Direct steam injection is capable of transferring 100% of the steam’s heat energy,
and may be more efficient and economical than indirect heating methods such as
heat exchangers or tank spargers.
In a heat exchanger, the fluid and the steam conduct heat through a steel barrier
layer that reduces heat transfer by as much as 15-30%. Additionally, scale and
minerals build up over time producing an insulating effect that further decreases a
heat exchanger’s effectiveness. A heat exchanger also requires more maintenance
and significantly more floor space.
Direct steam injection introduces steam directly into the product, resulting in a nearly
instantaneous change in temperature. All of the sensible and latent heat energy of
the steam is absorbed into the product, reducing actual steam usage. This efficient
use of energy, along with precise temperature control, allows for maximum
performance and reduced operating costs. Actual energy savings could be up to 30%
over heater exchangers or sparging.
Direct steam injection does not require a complicated condensate return system, and
since the K500 is internally modulated, there is no requirement for an external steam
control valve. For these two reasons, and the simple system requirements detailed in
Section 3.0, the K500 is easy to implement and provides an enhanced cost benefit.
1.4 How the K500 Works
Please reference figure 1 below. The K500 is an internally modulated steam injector
with a 90 degree fluid flow design favorable for slurries that require high shear
heating, applications with high changes in temperature, turbulent mixing, and self
cleaning for products that cause burn-on. A liquid or slurry enters into the combining
tube (CT) where steam is introduced into the fluid. Steam is modulated by a
stem/plug, through a nozzle and discharged into the liquid or slurry. The nozzle
discharges steam at very high, often sonic velocity. The turbulent nature of this high
velocity discharge enables steam to instantaneously penetrate, disperse, efficiently
mix and condense with the liquid or slurry to produce uniform heating. Temperature
is measured downstream and feedback is sent to a controller. The controller
modulates steam flow by sending a signal to an actuator directly linked to the
stem/plug. The actuator opens and closes accordingly to achieve a target
temperature.
The unit is designed such that steam pressure and steam velocity remain constant
throughout the range of operation, regardless of the amount of steam being added.
The high velocity of the steam discharge prevents burn on while creating a turbulent
interface between the product and steam. This interface causes atomized steam to
mix with the product and quickly condense, thereby transferring the heat rapidly and
in a controlled manner.
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