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Pfannenberg’s Chillers Keep Chocolate Tasting Great

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Pfannenberg’s Chillers Keep Chocolate Tasting Great

Chocolate plays a major role in many of our holidays as Valentine’s Day or Easter! Whether it’s a box of chocolates or Easter eggs filled with various sweets – there is an extensive process that goes into making these enjoyable treats!

The manufacturing process of chocolate is a delicate procedure. Temperature control of the equipment and the product is important to producing a flavorful and scrumptious chocolate. All processes related to making chocolates are temperature regulated.

A major aspect of chocolate manufacturing is the conching step. Pfannenbergs’ packaged chillers are an ideal solution for the temperature regulation in this process.  Conching is the step in which the chocolate receives its flavor and smooth characteristics! At this stage, the addition of other ingredients is introduced as metal mixers/rollers mix the ingredients together.  This step generates its own heat, which is integral to keep the flavor and the proper consistency of the liquid state.  This chocolate has to be kept at average of 175°F throughout the process (temperature will vary depending on the type of chocolate).  The length of this process will vary depending on the flavor of chocolate.  Typically the average time spent conching is between 4-6 hours; gourmet chocolate brands will spend 30+ hours at this stage.

Following conching, the next step in the process is tempering.Tempering gives chocolate a distinctive shine and color; adding additional flavor.  It is crucial to have strict temperature control.  For tempering, a cooling tunnel is used to take the ambient air; cooling the air to approximately 50°F.  The air then needs to be heated to ambient air temperature.  Pfannenberg’s process chillers have been used successfully in the production of candy and chocolate.  At this stage it is crucial once again for strict temperature control.  If the temperature of chocolate begins to harden and then is heated to become a liquid state – the chocolate is ruined. For chocolate to receive its distinct flavor, look, and texture – the temperature of the chocolate and the air it is produced in is critical.

Next time you eat a piece of chocolate, be sure to appreciate the process it takes to produce such a sweet indulgence!

>> Click here to discover our complete range of chillers!

About Pfannenbrg…

By keeping electronics in enclosures from overheating, Pfannenberg provides an invaluable service to companies, keeping their machinery and processes consistently operating.  By developing and producing products which are designed to save energy and other resources, Pfannenberg operates by their business philosophy – Protecting man, machine and the environment.

Topics: Cooling Units, North America, Packaged Chillers, Food & Beverage, Chillers

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Case study: Pfannenberg Cooling Units to meet Wood Manufacturing needs

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An end user turned to Pfannenberg for assistance with managing their enclosure temperatures in a particularly harsh environment. The company produces high-quality construction and installation materials from wood fiber.

Customer Requirement

The customer current system was facing system failures and downtime due to severe soiling from wood dust and rust particles from diesel-powered fork lift trucks and heavy equipment. The current thermal management solution used conventional point-of-entry filters and top-mounted filterfans. The current cabinet system had to be completely changed as it needed to be reliable despite severe air contamination from wood dust and exhaust gas, plus provide energy savings and service friendliness.

The Pfannenberg Solution

As a first step, all the switch cabinets were wet cleaned, both inside and outside.  To rule out any repeat soiling, the top-mounted fan combination was replaced by partially recessed cooling units: DTI 6301 Model.

Special features of the cooling units are:

  • Uniquely high energy-efficiency rating (EER)
  • Significant energy savings/operating costs reduction
  • Condenser with wide fin spacing for highly effective protection against contaminated ambient air
  • Large distance between intake and exhaust vents (to eliminate hot spots)
  • Perfect ease of servicing
  • New service interface for easy retrieval of parameter settings/history (Pfannenberg Plant software necessary)
  • Optional filter can be retrofitted in a few seconds
  • Energy-savings mode in the Multi Controller integrated as standard

Customer Benefits

Use of the new DTI 6301 cooling units led to reliable system operation and to the highest possible amount of machine up time. The environmental and cost balance sheets demonstrated considerable reductions with regards to energy costs and CO2 emissions, as well as reduced service requirements and repair times.

Have a question regarding which equipment is best for your application? Contact our engineering team for more information!

 

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Pfannenberg Top-Mounted Cooling Units meet the need of OEM Milling Component Manufacturer

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Customer Requirement

An OEM Milling component manufacturer which develops processing centers for the precision boring and milling high-precision components needed critical thermal management for their machine’s control electronics. The systems are designed using relatively tall electrical enclosures to minimize that installation space. This compact design fosters the development of heat pockets.

 

The customer needed a space-saving thermal management solution to keep the manufacturing footprint compact. To minimize the formation of heat pockets, the solution needed to promote very efficient air circulation. Another requirement was absolute protection against condensate and assurance of top-level machine availability – even under difficult environmental conditions.  Thermal management with compact cooling units proved to be unreliable so far because of the problems with condensate.

The Pfannenberg Solution

Our revolutionary DTT series top-mounted cooling units met the requirement for maximum reliability, space savings design and 100% protection against condensate.

The DTT top-mounted cooling units provide unique, four-fold condensate protection:

  • Zero sweat guarantee
  • No overflow of condensate into the electrical enclosure
  • Managed water droplet control
  • No air hoses, which are otherwise at risk of condensation

Further benefits:

  • High-volume air delivery via the integrated nozzles to accelerate cold air movement right down to the bottom of the cabinet
  • Filter media for any area (contaminated ambient air)
  • Controller with energy-saving mode to maximize energy-efficiency (optional feature)

Customer Benefits

Switching to the DTT series top-mounted cooling units successfully allowed the OEM to provide a competitive design to their customers. The units are compatible with all makes of electrical enclosures and are available in 3 sizes and 6 performance levels. Because of its cUR approval and versions with 230V and 400V voltages, the milling processing centers can be used worldwide.

Have a question regarding which equipment is best for your application? Contact our engineering team for more information!

Pfannenberg, Inc. is a global manufacturer of Thermal Management, Liquid Cooling Solutions and Signaling Technologies.

Pfannenberg is proud to provide solutions as a single source to its customers. Our business philosophy – Protection for man, machine and the environment.

Topics: Cooling Units, Thermal Management

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The Technology of Cooling Part 3: Cooling with Closed Loop Cooling Units

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Pfannenberg cooling units operate on the principle of the Carnot cycle. This means that the cooling units function as a heat pump that “pumps” the thermal energy transferred from the electronic cabinet (heat dissipated from the components) up to a higher level of temperature (the ambient temperature can reach levels as high as + 55 °C). The air inside the enclosure is cooled down by the evaporator and at the same time dehumidified.

How do I know if a cooling unit is the right product for my application?

  • If the ambient temperature is greater than the target internal temperature of the enclosure, active cooling is required.
  • If indoor NEMA Type 12 applications, NEMA Type 3R/4 outdoor applications and NEMA Type 4/4x stainless steel for washdown applications are required – closed loop cooling can maintain the NEMA Type rating of the cabinet.

Properly sizing a cooling unit

To properly size your cooling units you must know the required cooling capacity in Watts, mounting requirements (side, integrated or top mount) and the dimensions of the cooling unit and enclosure.

Utilizing performance curves to properly size cooling units:

> Pfannenberg utilizes the DIN standard 35/35 °C when rating our cooling units.

> Many other companies use 50/50 °C, which provides a higher, non-usable value. Customers should use their own application temperatures to determine the proper cooling capacity of the system.

 

 

 

Important information when utilizing cooling units:

  • The refrigeration capacity should exceed the dissipation loss from the installed components by approximately 10%.
  • The enclosure should be sealed to prevent the inflow of ambient air.
  • Use the door contact switch to impede operation with open doors and consequent excessive accumulation of condensation.
  • Use cooling units with maximum clearance between air inflow and air outflow to prevent poor circulation.
  • Make sure that the air inflow and air outflow in the external circuit is not hindered, preventing proper heat exchanging at the condenser.
  • When using top-mounted cooling units, make sure that components with their own fans do not expel the air directly into the cooling units cool air outflow.
  • Make sure unit is level.
  • Setting the temperature to the lowest setting is not the optimal solution due to the condensation issues. The value we have preset on the cooling unit is a sound compromise between cooling the inside of the enclosure and the accumulation of condensation.

In harsh environments involving high temperatures, wash-down requirements, heavy particulate matter or the presence of chemicals capable of damaging components (NEMA 4 or 12 environments), ambient air must be kept out of the enclosure. Pfannenberg Cooling Units seals out the ambient air, cooling and re-circulating clean, cool air throughout the enclosure.

Pfannenberg offers Critical Thermal Management Solutions for Maximum uptime and efficiency.

Find the previous articles of this “Technology of Cooling” serie: Cooling with Filterfans® and Cooling with Closed Loop Air to Air Heat Exchangers.

Read the last part of this “Technology of Cooling” serie: Closed Loop Liquid Cooling Solutions

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The Technology of Cooling Part 2: Cooling with Closed Loop Air to Air Heat Exchangers

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Closed Loop Cooling and particularly Air to air heat exchangers are used when the complete separation between the enclosure and the environment is required and the internal enclosure temperature to be cooled can be higher than the ambient. The air to air units have a rating showing how much heat can be removed based on the difference in the ambient and the internal temperatures. This is traditionally rated on W/°C which is the watts of heat that the unit can remove per temperature difference in °C.

How do I know if an air to air heat exchanger is the right product for my application?

  • If the ambient temperature is lower than the desired temperature inside the enclosure.
  • If a total separation between ambient air and enclosure air is required.

Properly sizing an air to air heat exchanger

To properly size an air to air heat exchanger you must know the required cooling capacity in Watts, target temperature rise over ambient and the dimensions of the heat exchanger and enclosure.

Utilizing performance curves to properly size air/air heat exchangers:

> Pfannenberg utilizes watts of heat that the unit can remove per temperature difference in °C.

> Customers should use their own application temperatures to determine the proper cooling capacity of the system.

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Important information when utilizing air/air heat exchangers:

  • The max ambient is 35 °C (95 °F) and the max internal temperature that the system can take is 45 °C (113 °F).
  • Can be used when the temperature difference is 10 °C.
  • If you apply this temperature difference to the rating of the air to air unit you will get the total amount of heat that can be removed.
  • A unit rated 100 W/°C could remove 1000 Watts (100 x 10) of heat under these conditions.

Closed Loop Cooling with air to air heat exchangers is the most efficient cooling solution as cooling with ambient air is the most economical type of cooling!

Pfannenberg εCOOL Air to air Heat Exchangers feature an energy efficient, minimal maintenance design. Installation and maintenance of these units requires much less time compared to other closed loop Thermal Management solutions.

Click here to read the 1st part of this “Technology of Cooling” serie: Cooling with Filterfans®
Click here to read the 3rd part of this “Technology of Cooling” serie: Cooling with Closed Loop Cooling Units

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Selecting the Proper Equipment for Food and Beverage Applications

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Proper thermal management is key for saving resources and keeping electronics (and equipment) up and running on a consistent basis. It is important to understand the various types of cooling methods available and how the ambient conditions may effect the product chosen.  Choosing the wrong method may lead to a solution that is undersized or oversized, or fails prematurely due to being specified for incompatible ambient conditions.

Selection of the preferred thermal management method, based on various environmental conditions:

Click here to view our thermal management selection guide.

With products that include fans, heaters, packaged air conditioners, air to water heat exchangers, packaged process chillers, and signaling devices, Pfannenberg offers a full range of thermal management solutions for the food and beverage industry. Standard options such as stainless steel materials, NEMA 4/4X enclosures, and washdown duty construction allow these time-tested products to be seamlessly incorporated into even the most demanding food and beverage processing applications.

Have a question regarding which equipment is best for your application? Ask Us Here.

Be sure to follow our NEW Food and Beverage LinkedIn Showcase Page!

Topics: Air Water Heat Exchangers, Filterfans, Cooling Units, Thermal Management, Heaters, Food & Beverage, Chillers, Air Air Heat Exchangers

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Pfannenberg’s Process Chillers Meet the Most Demanding Food & Beverage Applications

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Pfannenberg Liquid Solutions – Now That’s Cool™

Designed for today’s food-processing environment, EB Series  and CC Series Chillers feature stainless steel pumps and evaporators, non-ferrous water circuits, and a polyester-epoxy blend powder-coat finish.  Stainless steel or aluminum casing panels are available.  Our outdoor-rated construction provides flexibility for remote installation requirements.

EB Series:

  • In recirculated cooling loop applications, our unique combination of thermal storage and refrigerant gas bypass technologies allows operational flexibility.
  • Refrigerant capacity control reduces thermal storage volume resulting in a smaller footprint, lower operating weight, and lower coolant costs.
  • Supply water temperature stability is easily achievable for close tolerance applications and higher energy efficiency.
  • Once-through configurations are also available for cooling water, liquid ingredients or products prior to packaging. This arrangement features FDA recommended liquid contact surface materials and optional CIP connections for easy maintenance.
  • NEMA 4, UL-listed control panels and state-of-the-art microprocessor based controllers are standard equipment providing safety, ease of use and service.
  • Options include remote control and communication systems, casters for portability, and status signal lighting.

CC Series:

  • Hermetic compressor with R-134a refrigerant.
  • Peripheral pump with a wide flow & pressure range.
  • Stainless steel brazed plate evaporator.
  • Non-ferrous coolant circuit.
  • Hinged front panel allows full access to interior for service.
  • Microprocessor-based electronic controller.
  • UL & CE approvals.

Generous evaporator and condenser heat transfer surfaces maximizes efficiency and tolerance to fouling to provide low operating costs and trouble-free operation – even in the most demanding food and beverage environments.

Topics: Cooling Units, North America, Packaged Chillers, Food & Beverage

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Cooling Food & Beverage Applications with Pfannenberg’s DTS/DTT Series

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Innovative, Efficient, Reliable

Whether in washdown locations or control rooms, the DTS Series key internal electronics are positioned away from potentially moist and/or caustic air in food and beverage applications.  The wide condenser fin spacing allows for filterless and maintenance-free operation.  The stainless steel units have an epoxy coating on all exposed copper tubing to compliment the electrostatically-coated condensers. The fans are conformal coated, backward curve impellers that have a standard life of 55,000+ hours, providing the longest life and best air flow in their class.

DTS Series Cooling Units

  • Active condensate management utilizes a PTC heater which eliminates the need for drain line.
  • NEMA Type 4/4X 304 Stainless Steel with #3 polish to repel contaminants in food grade applications and to provide for easy washdown.
  • High Temperature models can operate in ambient temperature models can operate in ambient temperatures up to 140° F (60° C), ideal near industrial ovens or baking lines.
  • Optional cover to protect fan if used in washdown or in high dust/debris areas.

DTT Series Top Mount Cooling Units

  • DTT Series Units provide convenient top mount cooling while eliminating the danger of condensate entering cabinets.
  • Innovative service panel design provides easy to change filters, controls and fuses, decreasing service time and allowing filters to be changed without downtime.
  • Product variety: multiple performance levels available.
  • Easy mounting: quick release mounting frame and quick mount design.

By keeping electronics in enclosures from overheating, Pfannenberg provides an invaluable service to companies, keeping their machinery and processes consistently operating.  By developing and producing products which are designed to save energy and other resources, Pfannenberg operates by their business philosophy – Protecting man, machine and the environment

Topics: Enclosure Cooling, Cooling Units, Thermal Management, North America, Food & Beverage

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Pfannenberg Food & Beverage Applications: Air/Water Heat Exchangers

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The Complete Liquid-Cooled Solution for F&B Industrial Control Enclosures

For over 50 years Pfannenberg has been a leader in thermal management solutions.  From simple Fan Cooling and Packaged Air Conditioners to more complex water cooled applications, our expertise helps ensure industrial electronics operate at peak efficiency and extended service life.

Pfannenberg’s Air To Water Heat Exchangers offer a solutions to fix your thermal management problems in washdown areas of the plant or areas with high amounts of particulate . The sealed cabinet provides contaminant-free component cooling without adding heat to the local environment.  It provides an excellent economic solution where plant water is available or when used in conjunction with a process chiller.  It’s sealed design and available stainless steel, NEMA Type 4/4X construction provides a maintenance free solution with no exposed fans or maintenance of filters required.

Typical Food and Beverage Applications:

  • Ingredient Mixers
  • Product Cooling/Drying
  • Packaging Automation Equipment
  • Inspection Machines
  • Oven Controls

For applications which require local enclosure cooling using a remotely located source of refrigeration, PWS Series Air To Water Heat Exchangers provide the perfect solution.  Paired with our CC or  EB Series Chillers, the air to water heat exchanger provides a total cooling solution that manages process and/or control enclosure heat gain and effectively removes it from the processing area.  Single source responsibility for the complete system ensures properly matched components that are engineered to work together – and to provide a custom fit to the most complex food processing equipment.

Topics: Air To Water Heat Exchangers, Enclosure Cooling, Cooling Units, Thermal Management, North America, Water Cooling, Packaged Chillers, Food & Beverage

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Liquid Cooling Solutions for Commercial Bakery Electrical Enclosures

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Are the VFDs in your Commercial Bakery failing due to high amounts of flour and moisture entering your electrical enclosure?

Pfannenberg is your proven partner for complex thermal management problems in the baking industry. High security classes of equipment and corrosion-resistant construction materials resist even the most difficult ambient conditions.

Looking for another energy savings solution? Pfannenberg’s PWS Air To Water Heat Exchangers are ideal for cooling your electrical components. Designed for maintenance free operation in the most demanding areas of a plant.

Click here to download the NEW Pfannenberg Bakery Flyer!

Also, be sure to visit us at IBIE 2016 in Las Vegas, NV — October 8th-11th at Booth #9247!

Topics: Air Water Heat Exchangers, Enclosure Cooling, Cooling Units, Thermal Management, North America, Water Cooling, Food & Beverage