Marine Vienney

Pfannenberg Process Chillers used for Cooling Edge Banding Machines

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Duravit is a leading manufacturer of porcelain bathroom fittings, making top-grade bath furniture at their Schenkenzell site. Pfannenberg was contacted to replace a 12 year old process chiller for the subsystem switchgear cabinets used with their edge banding machine.

Needs Assessment

Duravit consulted with their engineering firm for advice on upgrading their equipment. This same engineering firm was also a  Pfannenberg Competence Centre (PCC) partner. Pfannenberg business development manager for chillers was brought in on-site to meet and review the necessary requirements to cool both the cabinet and machinery.

At the end of this process the decision was clear: a Pfannenberg EB 60 WT packaged chiller with a custom configuration was the ideal solution for cooling the switchgear cabinets used with the edge banding machine.

“We already had some Pfannenberg process chillers in use at various places in the Schenkenzell plant. When the existing unit for our edge banding machine had to be replaced, it was clear that we needed a new solution. In the end we chose the energy-efficient chiller solution from Pfannenberg due to our good experience with them in the past.”

Reliable cooling capacity


The edge banding machine in Duravit’s Schenkenzell plant runs about 4,500 passes a day.The edge banding machine feed unit glues edging to bath furniture. With double-sided gluing and four sides to be handled, each item passes through the machine twice – and thousands of items are processed per day.

Due to high dust levels in furniture manufacturing, a closed-circuit cooling system with water refrigerant is the ideal solution for thermal management of switchgear cabinets. In the summer the ambient temperature can rise to 40°C when bright sunlight shines through the glass roof of the Schenkenzell factory building.

This makes a reliable, high-performance cooling solution especially important. The EB 60 WT unit has a rated capacity of 6 kW and delivers a continuous flow of chilled water. The water is used to cool the electronic components inside the switchgear cabinets distributed over the 50m length of the machine, including variable speed drives and controllers. The modular switchgear cabinets are integrated into the machine as pull-out subcabinets.

Individually adaptable and easy to service

A special feature of Pfannenberg’s EB series is their modular architecture, which makes them easy to adapt to individual applications. In addition, Duravit opted for an special high-performance pump with rated pressure up to 5 bar, instead of the standard 3 bar with 35 litre flow volume in 50 Hz operation.

The chiller’s flow monitor keeps an eye on how much water is flowing through the cooling circuit, and the thermostat measures the water temperature.

If the cooling water flow is too low (risk of condensation) or the refrigerant temperature is too high (risk of overheating), the chiller sends an alert to the machine’s operator console so that damage to the electronic components of the edge banding machine can be avoided and high machine reliability can be achieved.

The refrigerant tank is also monitored by a sensor so that service personnel are informed promptly when the tank needs refilling. Pressure sensors monitor the air flow through the inlet filter. This enables preventive maintenance and reduces the need for wear parts.

The alerts are made possible by chiller’s ability to exchange control signals with the edge banding machine through the Harting connectors. The HMI display makes EB 60 WT operation convenient for users, who can also view fault messages and causes on the display.

“A decisive factor for us was that the EB 60 is very easy to maintain. For example, the filter mats only have to be cleaned every two to three weeks, despite the high dust level. The unit was installed six months ago, and we haven’t had to replace the filter mats yet. Thanks to the various alerts, we can perform preventive maintenance to increase our machine availability”

Modular and energy-efficient chiller technology

In a closed-circuit system, switchgear cabinets or electronic components are cooled by pumping cold water at a defined supply temperature through the switchgear cabinets in a pipe system.
After passing through the switchgear cabinets, the water flows back to the chiller at a higher temperature (return temperature). The chiller removes the temperature difference by cooling the water from the return temperature back to the supply temperature.

Pfannenberg offers chiller solutions covering the capacity from 1 to 70 kW, using water or oil as the refrigerant. Particularly in combination with air/water heat exchangers, water chillers (WT) provide an ideal system solution because all cooling task in a plant or machine can be implemented easily and economically using a closed-circuit pipe system.

The modular design of the EB series gives users a choice of up to 30 standard options, including UL certification. Good access from all sides enables easy and efficient maintenance. All components are rugged and top quality. In addition, Pfannenberg’s chiller is an especially energy-efficient chiller with load-based speed control that can reduce energy consumption by about 40% compared to the standard series.

“The Pfannenberg unit is top quality. You just switch it on and it works. It was delivered quickly, and the sales team put a lot of effort into it. The entire process was very smooth”

Pfannenberg is a global manufacturer of products and solutions developed to keep critical plant operations online and personnel safe.

Click here to get more information about Pfannenberg’s range of Chillers!

Protecting Man, Machine and the Environment… since 1954.

Topics: Packaged Chillers, Chillers

Marine Vienney

Using Chillers to Help Make Pasta

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Pasta – A staple in Italian cuisine that can be found in almost every household. It is a food that carries memories and conveys emotions.

Pasta is a noodle that is made from water and flour (eggs and other ingredients can be added for various flavors) – it has a simple composition, but the process requires a lot of love and patience. Pasta is classified under two broad categories: dried and fresh – from there it is classified by various shapes, sizes, flavors and ingredients.

In the United States, there has been an increase in buying trends for ready-made meals and easy to prepare foods. Dried pasta falls under both categories, but also has a strong nutritional composition – containing various vitamins and nutrients. Pasta takes many different shapes and sizes. Making dried pasta is a delicate process, it can easily tear and get ruined.  Ingredients are first mixed, extruded and dried, then taken to be packaged and shipped – all important steps into delivering a sought-after product.

Variety of types and shapes of dry pasta

An important manufacturing step in the dried pasta making process is the use of an extruder.Pfannenbergs’ packaged chillers are an ideal solution for the temperature regulation in this process. At the extrusion phase the pasta is given it’s distinct shape and size. This is the step in the process that classifies the pasta style, from angel hair and bow tie to lasagna and spaghetti.  Depending on the type of pasta that is desired, the dough is either pushed through dies or rolled out and cut.  Many types of dried pasta are commercially reproduced through this extrusion process.

The extrusion machine can mass produce large amounts of pasta to be dried. As the pasta enters the extruder it is approximately 95 °F (35 °C). As the pasta is pressed through the extruder there is an increase in the product temperature due to the friction of the pasta being forced out. A chiller is used to cool the water jacket built within the extruder to maintain an ideal exit temperature of 115 °F (45 °C). Anything warmer than this leads to a different consistency and risk of damage to the product.

Our Pfannenberg CC chiller series are used for this extrusion process globally. It’s compact design, ease of use and durability allows for integration within the OEM equipment.

We would all love to make our own fresh pasta at home, but with today’s busy lifestyle having a box of dried pasta in your cupboard is a staple for a quick meal.  Next time you cook your pasta in a pot of hot boiling water, remember its the cooling needed in the process to help make this delicious meal possible.

Click here to learn more about Pfannenberg’s CC series chillers.

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Topics: Packaged Chillers, Food & Beverage, Chillers

Marine Vienney

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

Marine Vienney

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

Marine Vienney

How to select the right chiller for your application

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Whatever your industry, choosing the best packaged chillers to meet the demanding requirements of today’s industrial applications can be complicated. 

For that reason, Pfannenberg designed a 6 step guide to help you select the best chiller depending on your environment, process and type of application.

Click on the picture to open the PDF or use this link!

Pfannenberg designs versatile packaged chillers which are ideal for applications that have cooling requirements of less that a half a ton up to 30 tons. All chillers are shipped as factory packaged systems requiring only field power and piping to provide recirculated chilled coolant to virtually any process. Pfannenberg’s new CC Chillers are ideal for quick setup and trouble free operation.

Click here for more information about our range of Packaged Chillers!

Topics: Enclosure Cooling, Cooling Units, Packaged Chillers