Seed and Grain Heating
High-Efficiency Bulk Solid Heat Exchangers
Steam Engineering's high efficiency bulk solid heat exchangers are built to last with high strenghth SCH40 pipes. Uniform heat flow ensures a consistent discharge temperature of product.
Highlights:
- Reduced Energy Requirements
- NO Emissions Generated
- NO Moving Parts or Seals To Replace
- Compatible With Existing Heating Systems
- Modular space saving design!
- Consistent Product Conditioning
- Comparing to a direct heating system, indirect heating use upto 85% less energy.
- With the use of indirect heating and/or cooling, wasted energy can be re-directed for use.
- With no moving electrical or mechanical parts, maintenance costs are virtually eliminated!
- Boilers, water, and waste energy heaters are compatible with our system, but will have to be pressure regulated to prevent pressure vessel requirements. Our Industrial Steam Generators are recommended for improved efficiencies and safety!
- Stackable sections which can be expanded or reduced to a large variety of shapes and sizes,
- With a slow controlled discharge of product, there is little to no abrasion which reduces dust and degradation. Consistent product improves product yields by 2%, as a result creating consistent grinding conditions and preventing condensation in product for better sanitation.
We always recommend pre-cleaning for seed and grain heating to prevent any blockages and wear of the pipes. The optimal location for insertion into a mill is in the earlier stages of process, after the draw bins, in replacement to a standard surge hopper.
Wheat Mills - CASE Example
Wheat heating is considered in mills to prevent condensation in machines and spouting from the cold grain coming in.
FACT - Frozen or cold kernels absorb less water which will result in longer temper times. Most mills are operating at full capacity all year. During the colder months, most mills cannot adapt to the colder grain intakes and tempering times are increased placing an even higher demand requirements for heat. Heating your wheat will improve tempering and thus give mills better yields. If there is less fluctuations in the grain temperature throughout the year, the machinery will not need to be changed and adapted to obtain consistent results.
Wheat temperature below 15C (59F) results in higher ash and lower yield. Optimal yield and colour is obtained at 20C(68F). Cold storage grain temperature can be as low as -10C(14F) but more typical is 1C(35F).
Why not apply hotter temperatures to achieve results faster?
Wheat can change it's characteristics when above 42C (107F)
The chemical structure will get damaged if the grain temperature goes above 60-80C (140-176F) especially the gluten structure. Temperature sensors are used to monitor the grain temperature inlet and discharge temperatures for efficiency and consistency.
Closed loop vs "Live" Steam. What is better?
Closed loop systems are ultimately better and safer for food processing because of the following:
Closed loop systems have a higher retention time.
A closed loop system eliminates spilling because there is no pressure active on the grain.
No need for precautions of food contaminates. Normally the use of food grade steam (Otherwise known as culinary steam) is required and can costly to maintain. Normal low pressure boiler steam (Less than 14.7 PSIG) or Steam Generators can be used.
Boilers and Water Heaters are recommended for existing heating systems that are already in place and with little to no adjustment they can be applied to a Wheat Heater System. Typical boilers run at 60PSIG will need to be reduced at the exchangers to 14.7PSIG 100C (212F).> Steam Generators are recommended for new installations where pressure vessels are not wanted and steam temperature variances are required at low pressures. With pressures up to 8PSIG and a temperature range of 100-176.67C (212-350F) a higher delta T can be achieved with greater efficiency.