Solex Thermal Indirect Plate Heating & Cooling

World Leaders in
Energy
Efficient
Technology
for Cooling, Heating
and Drying Bulk Solids.

World leading technology for cooling, heating and drying a wide
variety of free flowing bulk solids such as sugars, fertilizers,
chemicals, plastics, minerals, oilseeds, and many other types of
granules, crystals and powders.

Content
BULK SOLIDS COOLING TECHNOLOGY

Cooling Product from 400ºC ...................................... 4
Cooling Product from 2000ºC .................................... 6

BULK SOLIDS HEATING TECHNOLOGY

Heating Using Steam, Hot Water, Thermal Oil .......... 8

BULK SOLIDS DRYING TECHNOLOGY

Drying Bulk Solids, Oilseeds Grains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

SOLIDS-TO-AIR HEAT EXCHANGE
Indirect Cooling Heating Using Air/Gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

APPLICATIONS
Chemicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Fertilizers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Sugars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Polymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Dried Biosolids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Minerals and Sands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Oilseeds and Grains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

DESIGN ADVANTAGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Discharge Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

TESTING

Lab Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Pilot Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

ENERGY EFFICIENCY
What Makes Solex Technology So Efficient? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

ABOUT SOLEX

Experience, Service, and Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Installation Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Technology
Technology for Cooling, Heating Drying Bulk Solids that
uses up to 90% less energy.

BULK SOLIDS COOLING TECHNOLOGY

Cooling Product from 400ºC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Indirect plate cooling technology works by
passing cooling water in the plates to cool
material by conduction.

Cooling Product from 2000ºC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Indirect plate cooling technology for
challenging high temperature applications.

BULK SOLIDS HEATING TECHNOLOGY

Heating Using Steam, Hot Water, Thermal Oil . . . 8
Indirect heating of bulk solids by passing steam,
hot water or thermal oil through hollow heat
exchanger plates.

BULK SOLIDS DRYING TECHNOLOGY

Drying Bulk Solids, Oilseeds Grains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Ultra-efficient drying technology combining
indirect heat transfer and low volume purge air.

SOLIDS-TO-AIR HEAT EXCHANGE

Indirect Cooling Heating Using Air/Gas . . . . . . . . 15

Scan this QR code to
view a video about
Solex capabilities.

Bulk Solids Cooling Technology
(Cooling Product from 400ºC)
how it works

Slow Controlled Product Flow
Bulk solids pass slowly downward between a series
of vertical hollow heat exchanger plates.

Indirect Plate Cooling
Cooling water flows through the plates to cool
the material by conduction.

Mass Flow Technology
The mass flow discharge feeder creates uniform
product velocity through the cooler and regulates
Specifications
Capacity: 100 kg/hr to 150,000 kg/hr
the product flow rate.
Cooling Medium: Water, Glycol
Product Temperatures: up to 400ºC
why it’s better

Uses up to 90% ZERO Emissions, Dust,
Less Energy Fines Odor
The Solex cooling technology is The indirect plate cooling design means air
ultra-efficient, using up to 90% less energy is not in contact with the product during
than technologies such as fluid beds or the cooling process. Emissions, dust, fines
rotary drums that require the use of air. and odors are eliminated..

Produces a Superior Final Product Uniform Final
T h e s l ow a n d c o n t ro ll e d Product Temperatures
movement of the product The mas s f low design
through the cooler prevents
means the product moves
product abrasion and
slowly and with uniform
degradation so that there
ve l o c i t y t h ro u g h t h e
is no change in par ticle
characteristics or crystal shape. cooler. This enables even
temperature distribution
producing stable and
uniform f inal produc t
temperatures.
Compact and
Modular Design
The compact installation footprint makes this
design easy to integrate into existing plants,
Reduced Installation Costs
and is ideal for debottlenecking or revamps. The
Since air is not used in the heating process,
modular design means additional heat exchanger
installed capital costs are reduced due to
plate banks can be stacked if increased cooling
the elimination of costly and unnecessary air
capacity is required in the future.
handling equipment.
4
Learn more at www.solexthermal.com

Energy Recovery While Cooling Bulk Solids

energy recovery
Technology Makes Energy
Recovery Easy
During the cooling process, the heat from the
bulk solids is transferred to the cooling water,
producing pressurized hot water that can then
be used for other processes, such as building
heat, pre-heating air, or pre-heating product.

Recovering Heat
from Bulk Solids
Cooling Process

5


High Temperature Bulk Solids Cooling Technology
how it works


Cooling water flows through the plates to cool
the material by conduction.

The mass flow discharge feeder creates uniform Specifications
product velocity through the cooler and regulates Capacity: 100 kg/hr to 150,000 kg/hr
Cooling Medium: Water
the product flow rate. Product Temperatures: up to 2000ºC

Finally, a Solution for Cooling High
why it’s better

Temperature Bulk Solids
Cooling high temperature bulk solids is inherently challenging
due to large thermal gradients and high stresses. The Guaranteed Thermal Performance
high temperature cooler from Solex is a fit-for-purpose Solex’s proprietary thermal modeling
technology engineered specifically for cooling high temperature s of t ware, T her maPro, acc ur ately
materials up to 2000ºC. models p ro d u c t temperatures of the
material at each point through the heat
exchanger. The result is guaranteed
thermal performance.

Uses up to 90% Advanced Engineering
Less Energy Extensive modeling, including finite element analysis (FEA) is
The Solex bulk solids cooling carried out to ensure successful operation under extreme conditions.
technology is ultra-efficient, using
up to 90% less energy than other
technologies.
Plate Profile Engineered for
High Temperature Cooling
Specially designed plates for high temperature service are
engineered to minimize thermal s tres ses. L o w s t r e s s
Recovers High
levels are achieved with multiple banks to reduce the
Grade Heat
temperature gradient over each bank. Precise design ensures
The indirect cooling design uniform water distribution which eliminates stagnate zones.
enables efficient recovery of
heat from high temperature bulk
solids during the cooling process.
The heat is most easily recovered
as pressurized hot water that can
be flashed to steam.
6

Energy Recovery Technology

energy recovery
Recovering High Grade Heat
from High Temperature Solids
Solex Technology can recover the heat during
the cooling process in the form of pressurized
hot water, which can be flashed to steam and
made available as an energy source elsewhere in
your facility.

Recovering High
Grade Heat
While Cooling
High Temperature
Conceptual energy recovery loop for Solids
cooling high temperature solids, such
as ash, petroleum coke or graphite.

Scan this QR code to view
a video about Solex high
7
temperature technology.

Bulk Solids Heating Technology
(Using Steam, Hot Water, or Thermal Oil)
how it works


Indirect Plate Heating
Heat transfer media such as steam, hot water or
thermal oil flows through the plates to heat the
material by conduction.

Mass Flow Technology Specifications
The mass flow discharge feeder creates uniform
Heating Medium: Hot Water, Steam,
product velocity through the heater and regulates Thermal Oil
the product flow rate. Product Temperatures: up to 300ºC
why it’s better

Uses up to 90% ZERO Emissions, Dust,
Less Energy Fines Odor
The Solex bulk solids heating The indirect plate heating design means air
technology is ultra-efficient, using up to is not in contact with the product during the
90% less energy than other technologies. heating process. Emissions, dust, fines and
odors are eliminated.

Uniform Final
Produces a Superior Final Product Product Temperatures
The slow movement of the The mass flow design means
produc t through the heat the product moves slowly and
exchanger prevents product with uniform velocity through
abrasion and degradation so the heater. This enables even
that there is no change in te m p e r a t u re d i s t r i b u t i o n
particle characteristics or producing stable and uniform
crystal shape. final product temperatures.

Compact and Reduced Installation Costs
Modular Design Since air is not used in the heating process,
The compact installation footprint makes this installed capital costs are reduced due to the
design easy to integrate into existing plants, elimination of costly and unnecessary air
and is ideal for debottlenecking or revamps. handling equipment.
The modular design means additional heat
exchanger plate banks can be stacked if
increased capacity is required in the future.
8

Use Recovered Energy to Heat Bulk Solids

energy recovery
Indirect Plate Heating
Technology Makes Energy
Recovery Easy
The unique design of the Solex heat exchanger plates
makes it possible for the plates to heat the bulk solids
by conduction using a variety of recovered heat mediums,
such as hot water, steam, thermal oil, or even air.

Heating Bulk Solids
with Recovered
Exhaust Gases

Typical energy recovery loop in a glass plant

9


Bulk Solids Drying Technology
how it works

Bulk solids pass slowly downward between a
series of vertical hollow heat exchanger plates.

Indirect Heating Cross-Flow Air

Hot water, steam (or waste heat) flow through
the plates to heat the material and evaporate
moisture from the product.

Cross–Flow Air Removes
Product Moisture
A small amount of cross-flow air is used to
remove moisture from the product.

Precise Temperature and Moisture Control
Solex dryer/conditioner technology enables both moisture content and the temperature
of the final product to be independently and precisely controlled. The combination of the
two media - indirect heat and cross-flow air - enables accurate control over the desired outcomes. The
indirect method of heating regulates the final product temperature; at the same time, the amount of
cross-flow air used regulates the final product moisture content.

Ultra-Efficient Technology with 90%+ Efficiencies
The indirect method of heating the product serves to heat the product and maintain the temperature
of the cross-flow air. Since the temperature of the cross-flow air does not drop, the air maintains its
moisture carrying capacity and is capable of carrying larger quantities of moisture. As a result, only
a very small amount of cross-flow air is needed to remove moisture from the product. The result is
efficiencies of greater than 90%.

10

Ultra-Efficient Drying Technology

Solex Technology vs. Conventional Dryers

WHY IT’S BETTER
The Problem with Conventional Dryers
Conventional drying technologies utilize hot air to heat the product and remove moisture from the product.
In this process the following takes place:

Air at ambient temperature
Is heated
Reaches its saturation point after absorbing moisture from the product

The Solex Drying/Conditioning Process
Increases the moisture carrying capacity of the air by using indirect heating technology to keep the
temperature of the drying air constant. As a result, only a very small amount of cross-flow air is
needed to remove moisture from the product. The efficiency of this technology is greater than 90%.

11


Drying Bulk Solids with Recovered Energy
energy recovery

Solex Dryer Technology Operates on 100%
Recovered Energy.
Due to the indirect method of heating, the Solex dryer can utilize waste heat from elsewhere in
your facility to indirectly heat the product during the drying process.

Drying bulk solids
using a combination of
recovered heat and steam

Use a combination
of recovered energy
and steam to heat
and dry bulk solids

12

Conditioning or Heating Oilseeds with Recovered Energy

WHY IT’S BETTER
Reduce Steam Consumption with the Solex Heat Exchanger

The indirect method of heating utilizing plates can operate with low grade waste heat to assist in the
heating of oilseeds. The more recovered energy you have available, the greater the savings.

STEAM RecoveredSTEAM
Energy Recovered STEAM
Energy Recovered STEAM
Energy

STEAM STEAM RecoveredSTEAM
Energy RecoveredSTEAM
Energy

STEAM STEAM STEAM RecoveredSTEAM
Energy

Scan this QR code to view
a video about energy 13
recovery possibilities.

Technology Possibilities with Indirect Air/Gas Cooling
how it works

of heat exchange elements.

Indirect Heat Exchange
Air (or gases), acting as the heat transfer medium,
cools or heats the material indirectly by conduction.

A mass flow discharge feeder creates uniform Specifications
product velocity and regulates the product flow.
Heat Transfer Medium: Air/Gases
Product Temperatures: up to 2000ºC
Pressures: Atmospheric to High
Pressure Air/Gases
energy recovery

Recovering Energy
with
Indirect Air Cooling
Technology

14

Solids-to-Air Heat Exchange

energy recovery
The Advantages of Indirect Heat Exchange
Indirect air/gas heat exchange provides many advantages. The air used for heat exchange
never comes into direct contact with the product, which preserves the integrity of the product
and eliminates the need to treat the exiting air. It also makes energy recovery while cooling or
heating a viable option.

Heating
Bulk Solids
with
Recovered
Exhaust
Gases

15


Applications

Solex heat exchange technology is engineered specifically for cooling,
heating and drying a variety of free flowing bulk solids such as sugar,
fertilizer, chemicals, plastics, minerals, oilseeds, and many other types
of granules, crystals and powders. Following are some of the most
common applications.

17 Chemicals

18 Fertilizers

20 Sugar

22 Polymers

24 Dried Biosolids

25 Minerals and Sands

26 Oilseeds and Grains

page

applications

COOLING HEATING CHEMICALS

Indirect Cooling Heating
Technology Ideal for
Chemicals
The Solex heat exchanger is capable of cooling and heating
a wide range of chemicals and powders, including high
temperature products up to 2000ºC.

Cools Chemicals Using
up to 90% Less Energy
Uses up to 90% less energy than Zero Product Degradation
technologies requiring the use
The slow and controlled movement of the chemical particles
of air.
through the cooler prevents product abrasion and degradation
ensuring that the characteristics of the product are not changed
in the cooling process.

Compact Design
The vertical configuration gives this heat exchanger a small
installation footprint, making it ideal for debottlenecking, revamps
Zero Emissions
or capacity increases.
Emissions, dust, fines and odors are
eliminated because air is not used to
directly heat or cool the product.
Reduced Installation Costs
The indirect heat exchange design eliminates the need for costly
and unnecessary air handling equipment, significantly reducing
installed capital costs.

Stable Final Product Temperatures
The mass flow design means that the chemicals move with
uniform velocity through the heat exchanger. This feature, U se
s
combined with long residence times, enables even temperature
less up to 90
e %
Find nergy.
distribution producing remarkably stable and uniform final
product temperatures.
on p out mo
age r
35. e

Scan this QR code to view a
video about Solex technology 17
for chemicals.

applications

COOLING HEATING FERTILIZER

Clear Advantages for the
Fertilizer Industry
The Solex heat exchange technology is widely used in the
fertilizer industry due to the many advantages it offers.

Cools Fertilizer Using up to 90% Less
Zero Product Contamination
Typical Electrical Energy Since air is not used to directly cool the product, air is not in
Requirements kW.h/tonne
contact with the product eliminating the risk of product
6

5.3
moisture content changes or product contamination.
5

4

Zero Emissions
kW.h/tonne

3

Emissions, dust, fines and odors are eliminated because air is
2
not used to directly heat or cool the product. (Purge air may be
1 required.)
0.3

0
Fluid Bed Cooler Solex Heat Exchanger

*Source: Jacobs Engineering Study 1995
Typical energy requirements for a 50 TPH DAP train
The mass flow design means that the fertilizer moves with
uniform velocity through the heat exchanger. This feature, combined
with long residence times, produces even temperature distribution
and remarkably stable and uniform final product temperatures.
Compact Design
The vertical configuration gives this heat
exchanger a small installation footprint, Guaranteed Product Storage Temperatures
making it ideal for debot tlenecking, Due to the indirect water-cooled technology, fertilizer can be
revamps or capacity increases. efficiently cooled to within approximately 10ºC of cooling
water temperatures, which enables lower produc t
storage temperatures.

view a video about
18
Solex technology
Learn more at www.solexthermal.com for fertilizers.

applications

COOLING HEATING FERTILIZER

Efficiently Cool Fertilizer Without Caking

The problem
Fertilizers are hygroscopic, containing a low percentage of water. As they cool, this water
will transfer to the air in the void space which can lead to condensation and caking.

The Solex Solution
Solex has developed advanced modeling based on the critical relative humidity and the drying characteristic of each type and grade
of fertilizer. Caking is prevented by ensuring that the water temperature is above the dew point of the air in the void space between
the prills or granules. In the Solex Fertilizer Cooler, the water temperatures and purge air requirements are carefully selected to
provide optimum cooling performance without the risk of caking.

The Result
The Solex heat exchanger cools fertilizers reliably without condensation or product caking.

HOT PRODUCT IN

VENT

Water temperature must
be to the right of the
COOLING WATER OUT dew point line to avoid
condensation.

Product Temperature
Dew Point
COOLING WATER IN
Water Temperature
PURGE AIR

GATE FEEDER

ACTUATOR
POSITIONER

COLD PRODUCT OUT
20 40 60 80 100
Temperature (ºC)
19


applications

COOLING SUGAR

What Makes Solex
Technology Ideal for Cooling
Sugar?
The ultra-efficient Solex heat exchanger technology is widely used in the
sugar industry due to the many advantages it offers sugar producers.

Cools Sugar Using up to
90% Less Energy
Uses up to 90% less energy than
Zero Product Contamination
technologies such as fluid beds or
Since air is not used to directly cool the sugar, air is not in
rotary drums that require the use
contact with the product, eliminating the risk of bacterial
of air.
contamination, odor contamination, and moisture content changes
in the sugar.

Compact Design
Zero Product Degradation The compact installation footprint makes this design easy to
integrate into existing sugar plants and can conveniently be installed
The slow and controlled movement of the sugar crystals through
in conjunction with drum dryers.
the cooler prevents product abrasion and degradation ensuring
that the characteristics of the sugar crystals are not changed in
the cooling process.
Easy to Add Future Capacity
The clever modular design means that additional plate banks can
Guaranteed Storing and Packing Temperatures be stacked if cooling capacity needs to be increased in the future.

With Solex technology, cooling water temperatures can be
controlled and sugar can be cooled to a specific temperature,

U se
enabling constant storing or packing temperatures year round,
s
less up to 90
independent of ambient or weather conditions.

e %
Find nergy.
on p out mo
age r
35. e
view a video about
20 Solex technology
for sugar.

applications

COOLING SUGAR

Solex Technology Ideal for
Debottlenecking and Capacity Increases.
The Solex sugar cooler can cool large volumes of sugar with a small installation footprint,
making it an ideal solution for capacity increases.

Designed to Cool Large Volumes of Sugar
The Solex sugar cooler solves capacity increase challenges. Existing drum coolers can be easily converted to a second stage drum dryer
allowing the compact Solex sugar cooler to be installed downstream as the primary sugar cooler.

40,000 kg/hr
Sugar Processing Capacity

60,000 kg/hr
Sugar Processing Capacity

21


applications

COOLING HEATING POLYMERS

Technology Advantages for
Cooling and Heating Polymers
The Solex indirect cooling and heating technology is
ideal for polymer applications due to the many operational
advantages it offers.

Zero Emissions
Air emissions, such as VOC, NOX,
dust, fines and odors are eliminated
Ideal for Degassing and Conditioning
because air is not used to directly The Solex indirect heat exchanger design is a sealed unit,
heat or cool the product. designed to operate with blanket gas or a purge gas stream, such
as in degassing and conditioning applications.

Zero Product Degradation Compact Design
The slow and controlled movement of the polymers through The vertical configuration gives this heat exchanger a small
the heat exchanger prevents product abrasion and degradation installation footprint, making it ideal for debottlenecking,
ensuring that the characteristics of the polymer pellets are not revamps or capacity increases.
changed in the process.

Superior Design for The mass flow design means that the polymers move with
Ongoing Maintenance uniform velocity through the heat exchanger. This feature,
The heat exchanger plates are combined with long residence times, enables even temperature
configured to enable simple and distribution producing remarkably stable and uniform final
complete access for inspection product temperatures.
and cleaning. The design makes
it possible for individual plates to
be isolated or replaced.
U se
s
less up to 90
e %
Find nergy.
on p out mo
age r
35. e
view a video about
22 Solex technology
for polymers.

applications

ENERGY RECOVERING OPTIONS - HEATING POLYMERS

Indirect Plate Heating Technology
Makes Energy Recovery Easy
Solex technology makes it easy to capture and use waste heat for preheating polymers.
The unique design of the Solex heat exchanger plates makes it possible to heat the bulk
solids by conduction using recovered heat from other sources, such as the plastics extruder.

Preheating
Resin
with
Recovered
Heat

23


applications

COOLING DRIED BIOSOLIDS

Cooling Dried Biosolids
The unique indirect plate cooling design of the Solex heat
exchanger does not use air in the cooling process which
helps solve many of the challenges when cooling products
like dried biosolids.

Zero Emissions
When cooling dried biosolids using
the Solex heat exchanger, emissions,
dust, fines and odors are eliminated
because air is not used to directly Reduced Installation Costs
cool the product. There is no need Installed capital costs are reduced due to the elimination of costly
for additional dust removal or odor and unnecessary air handling equipment such as large diameter
control systems. air ducting, motors, fans, scrubbers, chillers, etc.

Prevents Product Degradation
Maintenance The slow and controlled movement of the dried biosolids through
Friendly Design the heat exchanger prevents product abrasion and degradation
The cooling plates in the Solex during the cooling process.
heat exchanger are configured to
enable easy access for inspection
and cleaning. The design includes
large access doors that provide
easy entry and make it possible
for single plates to be accessed,
repaired or replaced.

24

applications

COOLING HEATING MINERALS AND SANDS

Cools and Heats Minerals and
Sands, Whether Highly Abrasive or
Extra Hot
The ultra-efficient Solex heat exchanger is a unique design
capable of cooling and heating a wide range of minerals and sands,
including abrasive or high temperature products (up to 2000ºC).

Cools Minerals and Sands
Using up to 90% Less Zero Product Loss
Energy Since air is not used to directly cool the product, the possibility
Uses up to 90% less energy than of product loss and carry-over in the discharge air is eliminated.
technologies requiring the use of air.

Zero Emissions
Emissions, dust, fines and odors are
eliminated because air is not used to
directly heat or cool the product.
Suitable for High Temperature Products
Unique design is capable of handling difficult high temperature
products of up to 2000ºC.

Compact Design
The vertical configuration gives this heat
Suitable for Highly Abrasive Materials exchanger a small installation footprint,
The mass flow design results in low product velocities and low bin-wall making it ideal for debottlenecking, revamps
pressures on the heat exchanger plates. This combination results or capacity increases.
in extremely low abrasion of the heat exchanger plates and casing.

view a video about
Solex technology for 25
sands and minerals.

applications

DRYING CONDITIONING OILSEEDS GRAINS

The Ideal Dryer/Pre-Heater
for Grains and Oilseeds
The Solex Dryer/Conditioner offers significant
advantages for oilseed and grain applications.

Pre-Heating Grains and Oilseeds
The Solex pre-heater can operate on 100% recovered energy.
The indirect method of heating with plates makes it possible to use waste heat as the
source to indirectly heat the oilseeds or grains.

Drying Grains and Oilseeds
The Solex dryer technology operates with efficiencies of greater than 90%, and can also
utilize waste heat as the heat source for drying, making it one of the most efficient drying
technologies available on the market.

Use Waste Heat for Added Efficiency
Waste heat can be used as a heat source to indirectly heat the product, further enhancing
the efficiency of this drying technology.

view a video about
26 Solex technology
for oilseeds.

applications

DRYING CONDITIONING OILSEEDS GRAINS

Hot water or steam moves through the plate
bank to heat the material while a small amount
of cross-flow air removes moisture from the
product.
Cross-Flow Air

Typical Canola
Conditioning Process 27


Design Advantages

The off-set plate bank design achieves
improved efficiency and uniform final

LEVEL SENSOR

Temperature Profile Between Plates 1
Product Entering
First Plate Bank
100
90 1

80
70 2
2
Temperature (ºC)

60 Product Exiting
3 First Plate Bank
50
4
40
30
20 3
10 Product Exiting
0 Second Plate Bank
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
Position Between Plates

1 Product Inlet Temperature
2 Product Temperature Exiting First Plate Bank Temperature Equalization MASS
3 Product Temperature Exiting Second Plate Bank in Discharge Cone FLOW
CONE
4 Product Discharge Temperature

4
Product Discharge
28

Design Advantages

The Solex heat exchanger uses welded
heat transfer plates installed in a
reinforced, fabricated casing with
Exchanger
external fluid manifolds. This simple Plates

but advanced design offers many
benefits for reliable operation and
easy maintenance.
Access
Door

Exchanger Plates
» Plate technology provides high efficiency heat
transfer surface.
» Individual plates can easily be isolated or
replaced.
» Plate connections are at the top and bottom of the Full Height Access Door
plates for true counter flow operation and the » Design allows full access for inspection
ability to drain the plates. cleaning or plate removal.
» Plates are fully welded and finished to meet ASME » Can be hinged or bolted depending on
pressure vessel codes. the application.
» Additional doors can be fitted on the
manifold side.

Materials of Construction
» 304L/316L stainless steel
Flexible Hose Connections between » Carbon steel
Plate and Manifold » High grade alloys and duplex stainless steels

» Flexible stainless steel hoses allow for
thermal expansion.
» Individual threaded connections allow for
plate removal.
» All connections are outside of the product stream.

29


Design Advantages

The Solex indirect heat exchanger technology offers significant design
advantages over traditional methods of heating and cooling bulk solids.

Technology Comparison

Solex Technology Fluid Bed Technology Rotary Drum Technology

Energy Consumption Low High High

Installed Capital Cost Low High High

Maintenance Low Medium High

Product Degradation None High High

Modular Construction Yes No No
(ease of expansion)

Compact Design Yes No No
(small installation footprint)

Cooling Air Required No Yes Yes

Air Emissions None Yes Yes

30 view a video about
Solex technology.

Discharge Options

The right discharge feeder is a critical
component in the successful operation
of your bulk solids heat exchanger.
Solex conducts a feeder assessment
and selects the best feeder for your
application.
Solex ensures uniform product velocity
over the heat exchange surface.

Vibrating Feeder Gate Feeder
The most universal feeder for a wide Best for high capacities.
range of products. » Suitable for high duty applications
» The flow rate is controlled by varying » Plane flow hopper incorporating
frequency hinged gate to regulate flow
» Low headroom requirement » High product capacity
» No product degradation » Low headroom requirement
» Good turndown capability » No product degradation

Mass Flow Cone with Plane Flow Hopper to Mass
Rotary Valve Flow Screw Feeder
» Suitable for a wide range of applications » For special applications and products
» The mass flow cone creates uniform » Variable pitch screw feeder creates
product velocity. uniform product velocity mass flow.
» Flow rate is controlled by a VFD on the » Flow rate is controlled by VFD
rotary valve drive on motor
» Provides air seal when feeding to » Collects products over large cross
pneumatic conveying systems section and discharges at a single point
» Typically lowest cost option » Low headroom requirement
» Shear in valve may lead to product » Good turn-down capacity
degradation or high abrasion rates
» Requires more headroom for installation

31


Lab Testing

The Solex lab testing facility provides its clients with extensive analysis
of bulk solids materials to help evaluate physical and thermal properties
of the bulk material, as well as determine material flow characteristics.

Lab Testing Consists of the Following Procedures:

1 Material Property Analysis 3 Mass Flow
Material characteristics of the product sample are tested to Mass flow testing (shear cell testing) is carried out to determine
determine particle size distribution, bulk density, moisture material flow characteristics to ensure that mass flow (uniform
content and angle of repose. velocity) is obtained in the equipment.

2 Flowability Testing 4 Thermal Property Analysis
Flowability testing determines the optimum heat exchanger Thermal Conductivity testing is performed to provide the
plate spacing. measure of how well a material conducts heat. Solex measures
this in its lab using an advanced hot wire method.

32

Pilot Testing

Solex performs advanced theoretical modeling to predict the thermal
performance of the proposed equipment, and validates this modeling
with pilot testing under true process conditions. The result is guaranteed
thermal performance.

Theoretical Modeling
ThermaPro, the proprietary thermal
modeling sof t ware developed by
Solex, enables precise theoretical
modeling. ThermaPro accurately
predicts product temperature profiles
of the bulk solids materials at each point
through the heat exchanger providing
100% accurate predictions of final

Pilot Testing
Pilot testing is performed with test units that closely
duplicate full size equipment. The on-site testing can
help analyze and validate the following:
» Equipment thermal performance.
» Product flowability under true process conditions.
» Heat exchanger performance over an extended
time period.
» Successful operation through typical plant cycles
including possible upsets.
» Successful operation with a specific product mix.

33


What Makes Solex Technology So Efficient?

Traditional Cooling Technology
Requires High Energy Consumption
The most common method of cooling bulk solids is direct air-cooling – like fluid bed
coolers or drum coolers. With this method, large horsepower fans take in
and blow ambient air across the product. The air is then discharged through
an air cleaning system to an exhaust stack. The inherent problem with using
air to direc tly cool bulk solids is the signif icant quantit y of air required
and the ex pense involved in chilling, proces sing and cleaning that air.

Solex Cooling Technology Requires Minimal Energy
The Solex technology cools bulk solids indirectly using water. With this technology,
cooling water is pumped through a vertical bank of hollow stainless steel plates while
the bulk solid passes between the plates at a rate sufficient to achieve the required
cooling. No air is required in the cooling process and the energy requirements are
minimized. The total energy consumption of the Solex heat exchanger can be 90%
less than air-cooling methods.

34

Energy Savings Example

Compare the energy consumption of the Solex indirect cooling technology to a typical fluid bed
cooler.

Example: 50 tph Facility
Energy Consumption: The energy consumption of the Solex cooler
is 0.3 kWh/tonne vs 7 kWh/tonne for a
typical fluid bed cooler.
Energy Savings: The total electrical energy savings over five
years is approximately USD $750,000.
More Details: For more details on the energy saving
feature of the Solex technology,
visit www.solexthermal.com.

35


About Solex

History
Solex Thermal Science Inc. is a privately held company
specializing in the science of heating, cooling and drying
bulk solids. Founded under the name Bulkflow Technologies
in 1999, Solex Thermal Science has installed over 400 heat
exchangers in more than 43 countries world-wide.

Experience
Solex engineers of fer world-leading heat exchange
exper tise. Even NASA has consulted with Solex on
advanced heat exchange challenges. The heat–exchange
specialists at Solex have the knowledge and experience
to assist you in the implementation of advanced heat
exchange solutions.

World-Wide Technical Services

Equipment Commissioning
» A qualified Solex technical services representative is on-site with your team to ensure the
Solex heat exchanger is installed and commissioned according to specifications.

Training
» On-site user training covers all aspects of equipment operation and maintenance.
» Detailed maintenance procedures facilitate long and reliable equipment operation.

Equipment Optimization
» The Solex customer support team can verify and validate equipment and process
performance in the field.
» Solex helps clients identify and document opportunities for improvement in
operational processes.

Spare Parts
» Solex provides both spare and replacement parts.
Complete company
and product details
available at www.solexthermal.com

36

World-Wide Customer Support

CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
Canada
100, 3595 114 Ave SE
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
T2Z 3X2
403-254-3500
info@solexthermal.com

SALES TECHNICAL SERVICES

Asia Europe Middle East
+49 4109 25 04 85 +49 4109 25 04 85
info@solexthermal.com info@solexthermal.com

Africa North America
+49 4109 25 04 85 403-254-3500

Australia South America (Except Brazil)
+49 4109 25 04 85 412-564-9003

Russia FSU Brazil
+7 495 350 4792 +55-11-4148-6700 ext 119

India
+044 2445 2011/ 0611
info@solexthermal.com 37


Installation Photos

38

Installation Photos
Worldwide Customer Support

39


Solex Thermal Indirect Plate Heating & Cooling

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