General Manager
Sven-Olaf Klüe has been working in the field of design, manufacture and applications of pillow plate heat exchangers worldwide for 27 years. For the past 15 years, he has focused specifically on the process-related applications of pillow plate heat exchangers in industrial applications.
Seafood cooling
BUCO Falling Film Water Chiller in use for cooling seafood (shrimps) and BUCO Heat Exchange Plates for heating
Our BUCO Falling Film Chiller and BUCO Heat Exchange Plates support you in the use of your process in the processing of seafood through their high performance, high heat transfer coefficients (up to 2000 W/m² K), the easy cleaning possibility through smooth stainless steel surfaces. Cleaning during operation without loss of performance is possible. Manufactured entirely of stainless steel in compliance with the necessary hygiene requirements.
The starting position
Shrimps are frozen into blocks in cardboard containers directly after being caught. In the processing companies on land, these blocks must then be thawed and heated briefly for further processing. The shrimps then have to be frozen again so that they can be taken out and they can be taken out and prepared in portions.
How has it been done so far in the aspect of water heat exchange?
Stage 1
The frozen packages are placed in tanks with a water temperature of approx. 45 °C for 10 - 20 minutes. During this time, the packages thaw and the packaging can be removed.
Stage 2
The blocks without packaging are then placed in a second tank with water and kept at approx. 95 °C for a few minutes and cooked.
Stage 3
For pre-cooling, the cooked shrimps are immersed in a tank of water at approx. 5 °C for a short time.
Stage 4
For deep-freezing, the shrimps were passed through a cooling tunnel with nitrogen evaporators and cooled to approx. -20 °C.
Why a Water Chiller for the heat exchange? Why use a BUCO Falling Film Water Chiller now?
By immersing the cooked shrimps in the frozen special salt-sugar solution, the freezing is a deep-freezing process and completed in one step (previously step 3 and 4). In addition, drying out of the shrimps is avoided and the special taste is preserved.
In this IQF system (Immersion Quick Freezing), brine is circulated in a container at -20 °C via an agitator. Wire baskets are placed in this bath. Wire baskets with the cooked shrimps are hung in this bath. The cooling of the brine takes place via a Falling Film Chiller. This system is optimal for particle-laden liquids with residues that can lead to clogging of the system, such as brine with shrimp residues. The Falling Film Chiller is the centre of the IQF system and both are „open“ on the brine side and have the following advantages:
- easy cleaning possibility
- cleaning possible during cooling operation, i.e. no loss of performance
- very powerful heat transfer
- Food-grade refrigeration design (completely made of stainless steel)
- No risk of freezing with ice water cooling of 0.5 ° C
- Water refrigeration chiller with low cost per kWh and optimal heat transfer
- High efficiency, low pressure drop of this industrial water chiller
- Suitable refrigeration chiller for contaminated liquids (for example grey water or red water)
- Easy access to the open system industrial water cooling heat exchanger
- Easy to clean industrial water cooling heat exchanger
- Cleaning during operation possible with this industrial water heat exchanger
- Low tendency to fouling cooling refrigeration heat exchanger
- No seals in this industrial water cooling chiller
- No destruction of the apparatus in case of ice formation of this industrial water cooling heat exchanger
- Simplicity of control of this cooling heat exchanger
- Enclosed design prevents product contamination of this industrial water cooling heat exchanger
- Industrial cooling heat exchanger completely made of stainless steel, also for salt water
- Special cooling heat exchanger versions as ice water chillers possible
The heating for the first and second stage is done by BUCO heat exchange plates, whereby steam or thermal oil then flows through the plates.
Conclusion
What are Industrial Water Chillers?
If single-stage deep-freezing is possible compared to the conventional two-stage method with deep-freezing in an air tunnel, a large amount of energy is saved. BUCO heat exchanger plates and BUCO Falling Film Chillers ensure safe operation in industrial refrigeration. Operation is guaranteed, as the highest quality requirements are set by the customer during production.
What Do You Look For in a Process Cooling Equipment Supplier?
We have always assimilated engineering science and thermodynamics optimally in the various manufacturing processes.
Thermodynamicists,mechanical engineers and welding engineers define the dimensioning, design and construction of customised heat exchanger panels and systems in materials ranging from mild and austenitic steels through to titanium, and ensure successful distribution of their work worldwide.
In doing so they fall back on production engineering expertise and calculations developed in the course of the past hundred years that are still being continuously optimised in an ongoing process.
In the perception of our customers, the Buco product stands for:
Technical and process-oriented consulting
Thermodynamic efficiency
Quality and longevity
