Solids to Liquid

High-temperature heat transfer solutions

High-temperature bulk solid streams often need to be cooled, notably in industries such as minerals processing, carbon/ash and other specialty products. Cooling the bulk solid is often required for downstream processing or handling.

Increasingly, this high-temperature product can also be an energy source that can be recovered and used elsewhere in the plant, thereby reducing energy demands and the CO2 footprint.

Traditionally cooled by direct contact with air, indirect bulk solids heat transfer technology is rapidly being accepted as a better way to cool high-temperature bulk solids whereby the product moves slowly by gravity between liquid-cooled heat exchanger plates.

The process can also be reversed using high-temperature fluids or pressurized gas in the inside of the plates to heat a bulk solid that flows between the plates.

Solex's solution

We at Solex Thermal Science have applied our extensive knowledge of indirect heat transfer for bulk solids to the special requirements of high-temperature applications. 

Mass flow iconBuilt on the principle of a bulk solid moving slowly by gravity between plates containing a heat transfer fluid (i.e. solid to fluid heat transfer), our patented high-temperature indirect heat exchange technology addresses the unique challenges that come in these applications, such as:

  • High heat flux values occurring at the leading edge of the plates in the upper sections of the exchanger
  • Extreme variations in thermal expansion between the hot elements in contact with the product and the water-cooled surfaces

To ensure the equipment meets the thermal duty, Solex provides a complete solution that includes:

  • High-temperature heat exchange modules
  • Inlet hopper to receive the product and distribute to the modules
  • Mass flow discharge cone to create uniform mass flow through the heat exchange banks that feeds to a rotary valve or discharge screw feeder
  • Comprehensive instrumentation and control package
Energy recovery

High-temperature heat exchange technology can uniquely recover heat from a high-temperature product stream due to:

  • True counter-current flow between the solid and fluid streams
  • Efficient thermal design that incorporates a large heat transfer surface area into a compact space
  • High-pressure capability on the fluid side for a pressurized hot water system (up to 50barg operating pressure)

We’ve got the team and the technology to solve your toughest energy challenges

Bring us your toughest energy challenges. We’ll bring you our best work. We thrive on applying new thinking to old problems and exploring innovative ideas for unprecedented applications. Contact our experts today.