HEAT EXCHANGER INFORMATION

The operating principle of heat exchangers is based on the exchange of heat between fluids at different temperatures. In industrial or chemical applications it usually takes place without any work exchange.
The exchange fluids are usually in the liquid or gaseous state and the exchange takes place through a conductive wall.
The most used exchangers in the chemical, petrochemical, food and process industry are plate or tube bundle types, the latter being made up of a shell and a series of pipes designed to divide the two fluids in order to have heat exchange without pollution or direct contact between them.
In some applications the heat exchanger can be integrated into a reactor for better process control with fine thermoregulation of large reaction masses or to accelerate chemical reactions.
Today, SMC Group offers a series of solutions for heat exchange for all sectors:
• Oenological, food and pharmaceutical for the distillation and condensation of liquids
• Refineries, petrochemical and chemical for the control or management of chemical reactions
• Production and management sector of processes related to plastic polymers such as polymerization, regradation, condensation and polycondensation

SMC Group produces heat exchangers for industrial applications such as columns (with Rashig ring filling, with internal Sulzer or perforated plates), shell and tube heat exchangers with floating plate, concentric tube exchangers, “U” tube bundle exchangers, exchangers with external coil on plating or bottoms made in half-pipe.

Our heat exchangers can be manufactured and certified by ASME or PED directive.
We carry out different construction types: the pipes can be welded, expanded or expanded and welded. The exchangers can be floating and immersed in the reactors and also act as breakwaters.

SMC Group can boast 40 years’ experience on heat exchangers produced with the most varied and complex materials in terms of mechanical processing to support the customer with high standard products and materials suitable for the most demanding processes. It offers a wide range from the most common exchangers in carbon steel, stainless steel AISI 304 or stainless steel AISI 316, to the most complex heat exchangers made in Monel 400, Nickel Ni-200, Hastelloy C276 / C22 or Titanium.

MC has over 100 welding qualifications for materials.
We produce exchangers of different sizes, from the smallest tube-in-tube type up to diameters measuring over 4m and lengths in a single welded body up to 28m.
SMC Group is able to carry out all construction phases in-house in order to guarantee maximum quality control in all processing and assembly phases.

The use of chemical reactors is required when necessary in order to stimulate various kinds of chemical reactions.
Chemical reactors are different according to the type of process, which can be continuous or discontinuous (batch).
A fundamental part of chemical reactors are the mixers, which in combination with suitable means for temperature control (heat exchangers, shirts, coils) guarantee the homogeneity of the internal mixture, the uniformity of the temperature and the reaction speed inside the container .
SMC manufactures special mixers for all applications such as mixing liquids, solids in liquid, dissolving powders, reactions with polymers and metals.

SMC internally develops the design of the stirrers and is able to come up with innovative solutions, coming from the experience developed in the transferable skills acquired over the years due to the development of prototypes and reactors for the most important food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

The roughness of the surfaces is particularly important in some processes, and possible ease of cleaning the reactors.
SMC is able to supply reactors, stirring systems and electro-polished exchangers to ensure the best performance with the support of experience and technologies developed internally specifically for the chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and food sectors.

SMC uses the best technologies in the industry, cooperating with established partners for the development of specially designed mechanical seals and tailor-made drive units.

Here follows the list of machines that have been produced:

• Titanium reactors with extreme pressures, up to 1000 bar
• 150m³ reactors for polymerization processes, 30 bar pressure, 250kW stirring system with internal floating exchangers and internal thermoregulation coil; SAF 2205 material, fully electro-polished reactor internally (including exchangers and stirring system)
• Rotating reactors for polymerization of 24m³ in AISI 304/316/316 Ti, suitable for work at high temperatures with high vacuum
• Reactors for sulfuric acid at high temperatures and pressures for the recovery of precious materials
• Reactors for the treatment of pyrolysis / pyrogasification and waste in general
• Copper reactors for the food industry
• Reactors for mixing metal micro-powders and related high pressure sintering

Among SMC’s skills are the development and production of the whole reactor on site and the thorough check of the quality of all production stages with planking width of over 50 mm, mechanical machining of ends having diameters equalling 4.5 m and lengths up to 28 m.

Distillation columns are commonly used in the chemical, petrochemical and food industries. This device is used to change the state of a base liquid to bring it to a vapor state. Fractional distillation is the most used technique as it allows to divide the components almost completely. For this type of distillation flat columns are used.
The operating principle of these columns is mainly the continuous evaporation and condensation of the process liquid, the steam generated is bubbled on the upper plate so as to favor the condensation of the less volatile components that accumulate on the bottom of the plate, the column plate has a weir that allows the accumulation of the liquid part until the part in excess falls by gravity to the lower level. The lighter part reaches the upper plate, bubbling in the liquid and so forth, up to the top of the column where only the refined gaseous part will come out which then, if necessary, will be condensed and stored in special containers.

The speed of the vapor that passes through the bubbling bells is very important, as only its correct speed will allow a quality distillation of the product.

The types of filtration can be classified as follows:
• Normal flow filtration: the suspension to be filtered passes through the filter perpendicular to the filtering surface.
• Cross flow filtration: the suspension to be filtered passes through the filter parallel to the filtering surface.
• Cake filtration: the suspension to be filtered passes through a “cake” made up of the solid to be separated which accumulates on the filtering surface. In this case the “cake” is supported by a metal grid with pores with the largest diameter of the particles to be filtered.
• Deep bed filtration: the solid to be separated is retained inside the filter media (an example could be the sand filter) and usually, when it is saturated, the filter media is completely changed.

To increase the filtration speed, a greater pressure difference can be used between upstream and downstream of the filter. In these cases the fluid upstream is often pressurized with pumps. In this case batch or depression filtration will be needed so it will be possible to work without any stops.

For very high performance heat treatments, the extinguishing chamber can be used in combination with the vacuum furnaces for low pressure carburizing.
The quenching chambers can be used from 0 to 20 bar absolute and with temperatures up to 1250 ° C and are suitable for low pressure carburizing, quenching and tempering, solubilization and stress relief brazing, sintering, high temperature sinter hardening, etc.
Through the process control and the sensors placed inside the system, these autoclaves guarantee a high uniformity of treatment and absolute reproducibility, which guarantees absolute quality.

Microwaves are a form of electromagnetic energy with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz, generated by the magnetron under the joint force of magnetic and electric fields perpendicular to each other. In the electromagnetic spectrum they are identified between radio waves and optical waves. The most common frequency used for industrial purposes is 2450 MHz, due to the advantages offered by this frequency. Microwave fields are reflected by metals, which do not heat up. For this reason, metals are used as conduits for microwaves, or wave guides and as walls for the microwave oven.

Since industrial equipment is made of stainless steel, the chamber acts as insulation for microwaves by reflecting them. Microwaves penetrate materials and release their energy in the form of heat as polar molecules (those with positive and negative ends – such as water) vibrate at a high frequency to align with the frequency of the microwave field (2.45 GHz).

This vibration generates heat. Many studies have now been published showing no difference in the stability and physicochemical properties of materials dried with microwave processing, when compared to other drying methods. Since microwaves are non-ionizing and do not have an amount of energy necessary for the formation of free radicals, there are no conditions created during microwave drying that generate product instability.

This characteristic can greatly accelerate the drying of the material, which is why our dryers are so efficient and advantageous in terms of low energy consumption.

Microwaves are a form of electromagnetic energy with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz, generated by the magnetron under the joint force of magnetic and electric fields perpendicular to each other. In the electromagnetic spectrum they are identified between radio waves and optical waves. The most common frequency used for industrial purposes is 2450 MHz, due to the advantages offered by this frequency. Microwave fields are reflected by metals, which do not heat up. For this reason, metals are used as conduits for microwaves, or wave guides and as walls for the microwave oven.

Since industrial equipment is made of stainless steel, the chamber acts as insulation for microwaves by reflecting them. Microwaves penetrate materials and release their energy in the form of heat as polar molecules (those with positive and negative ends – such as water) vibrate at a high frequency to align with the frequency of the microwave field (2.45 GHz).

This vibration generates heat. Many studies have now been published showing no difference in the stability and physicochemical properties of materials dried with microwave processing, when compared to other drying methods. Since microwaves are non-ionizing and do not have an amount of energy necessary for the formation of free radicals, there are no conditions created during microwave drying that generate product instability.

This characteristic can greatly accelerate the drying of the material, which is why our dryers are so efficient and advantageous in terms of low energy consumption.

How Microwaves works:

Microwaves are a form of electromagnetic energy with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz, generated by the magnetron under the joint force of magnetic and electric fields perpendicular to each other.

Microwaves penetrate materials and release their energy in the form of heat as polar molecules (those with positive and negative ends – such as water) vibrate at a high frequency to align with the frequency of the microwave field (2.45 GHz).

This vibration generates heat. Many studies have now been published showing no difference in the stability and physicochemical properties of materials dried with microwave processing, when compared to other drying methods.

Since microwaves are non-ionizing and do not have an amount of energy necessary for the formation of free radicals, there are no conditions created during microwave drying that generate product instability.

This characteristic can greatly accelerate the drying of the material, which is why our dryers are so efficient and advantageous in terms of low energy consumption.

The food industry, polymers, cement factories and mills need to transport large volumes of bulk food.
The technology of truck transport in dense phase allows the handling of loose materials in powder or granules within a pipeline for distances of over 500 m, including continuous vertical sections of up to 100 meters, with capacities over 100 tons / h.
The dense phase transport preserves the integrity of the material, even in the case of mixtures of several products. The low speed is suitable for very fragile products, such as atomized ceramic, roasted or ground coffee beans, sugar, rice to be treated or white, cereals, dried beans, milk powder, extruded products and glass fiber.
The wear of the pipes using truck transport in the dense phase is considerably lower than in other systems.
Speed values ​​are listed as follows:
• Dense phase – about 5 m / sec.
• Other systems – about 30 m / sec.

Dense phase pneumatic conveying differs from other technologies for its low speed and high product / air efficiency ratio. The indicative ratio between air (or other gaseous fluids) and product is as follows:
• Dense phase about 30-60 kg of product per 1 Nm³ of carrier gas.
• Other systems about 6-10 kg of product per 1 Nm³ of carrier gas

The high efficiency ratio allows pipes to be used at a significantly reduced section compared to other systems.
The low amount of gas used does not disperse volatile substances and preserves the fragrance; the use of inert gas avoids oxidation of the products.
The greater flexibility of dense phase conveying, compared to both dilute phase systems and conveyor belts and traditional methods of industrial automation, allows the combination with any type of machines: extractors, silos, auger machines, hoppers, machines for emptying bags, bag cutters, electro filters and filters.

Thanks to the densification of the product during transport, the noise level drops below 75 dBA.
The use of reduced air volumes allows for significant energy savings. The maintenance costs of dense phase pneumatic conveying systems are contained; the number of spare parts and technical interventions is reduced.

SMC Group solutions are suitable for longer and shorter paths. The use of boosters to control compressed air or other inert gas makes it possible to transport powders and granules over large distances.