Fabdec’s Energy Blades are typically used in heat recovery applications, transferring thermal energy from natural water sources such as ponds and lakes into heat pump systems.
However, a recent manufacturing project at our Ellesmere factorye has demonstrated a different application for this technology, with a specially configured Energy Blade assembly being produced for use at a commercial carrot processing facility.
Rather than recovering heat from the surrounding environment, these Energy Blades will perform the opposite function, actively cooling water through a refrigerant-based system.
A New Application for Energy Blade Technology
Temperature control is an important consideration in food processing, particularly where heated water is used during production.
For this project, the Energy Blades will be used to cool hot water involved in carrot processing, helping to bring the carrots down to the required temperature.
Unlike conventional Energy Blade installations, where heat is extracted from a natural water source, this system uses refrigerant circulating through the internal channels of the stainless steel pillow plates to absorb heat from the surrounding water.
This follows a similar cooling principle to that used in Fabdec’s refrigerated milk tanks, where refrigerant circulating through stainless steel cooling surfaces removes heat from the milk.
The result is a different use of the same underlying heat exchange technology, demonstrating how Energy Blades can be configured for both heat recovery and active cooling applications.
Manufactured Using In-House Pillow Plate Technology
The assembly has been manufactured at Fabdec’s Ellesmere facility, using our in-house laser-welded pillow plate technology.
Each stainless steel plate incorporates internal channels for refrigerant circulation, creating an extensive heat transfer surface while maintaining a compact arrangement.
Multiple plates are brought together into a single assembly, complete with connecting pipework designed for integration into the wider refrigeration system.
Fabdec’s in-house pillow plate manufacturing capabilities allow us to produce heat exchange surfaces for a range of applications, from dairy cooling and process vessels to energy recovery and industrial refrigeration.
Expanding the Possibilities of Energy Blades
Although Energy Blades are traditionally associated with heat recovery from ponds and lakes, this project highlights their potential for use in dedicated industrial cooling systems.
By changing how the technology is applied, the same fundamental stainless steel heat exchanger design can be used to remove heat from process water rather than recover it for heating purposes.
For Fabdec, this latest project demonstrates the versatility of our Energy Blade technology and our ability to manufacture bespoke thermal solutions for applications beyond their conventional uses.
As requirements for temperature control continue across the food processing and wider industrial sectors, applications such as this highlight further opportunities for stainless steel pillow plate heat exchangers.
Discover more about our Energy Blades and pillow plate manufacturing capabilities, or contact our team to discuss your industrial cooling requirements.
