31.10.2024
Soft drinks
Monitoring
Turnkey
Repair of a heat exchanger for the sterilization of soft drinks
A beverage production facility was experiencing a problem with a heat exchanger used in the sterilization of soft drinks. The sterilization process takes place at a high temperature (around 140°C) to kill harmful microorganisms that can develop during long-term storage.
How does the heat exchanger work?
The heat exchanger consists of double plates. If the seals between the plates fail, liquid can spill out, which is a serious problem, since heat is exchanged between the finished product and water in each section of the heat exchanger. The design of the heat exchanger is such that the water does not mix with the product.
The problem
After 1.5 years of continuous operation, the seals in the heat exchanger had become hard and lost their elasticity. This caused water leakage. They tried to solve the problem by tightening the plates too much, which led to their deformation. The plates and beams of the heat exchanger were bent, which further complicated the system.
Solution to the problem
Our team completely disassembled the heat exchangers and corrected the deformations caused by improper tie-downs. They also replaced the old seals and plates with new ones.
After the repair, the heat exchanger was retested with a gas test. No fluid leaks were detected, the pressure drops were within normal limits, and the heat exchanger was operating stably.
Recommendations
To prevent similar problems, the Viravix team recommends annual inspections of the heat exchangers and replacement of the seals.