In industries like food processing or chemical manufacturing, precise temperature control is critical to maintaining product quality, ensuring safe operations, and optimizing efficiency. Jacketed vessels and reactors are commonly used to heat sensitive processes, but traditional heating methods—such as the use of live steam—can lead to challenges including hot spots, thermal shock, and delayed cooling of the contents. ProSonix’s Direct Steam Injection (DSI) technology addresses these challenges with a more reliable, efficient, and controlled approach.
Challenges with Traditional Heating Methods
Hot Spots and Uneven Jacket Temperatures
When live steam is introduced into the jacket surrounding a vessel or reactor, the jacket temperature can vary significantly across different locations. This can lead to uneven heating, negatively impacting the product—especially for heat-sensitive materials. Hot spots may cause inconsistent reactions, reduced product quality, and even damage to delicate materials.
Thermal Shock
When live steam is injected into a vessel jacket, rapid temperature changes caused by steam condensation can create stress on the vessel wall, leading to cracks in welds or the glass lining of reactors. Over time, this compromises vessel integrity and can result in costly repairs, unplanned maintenance, and extended downtime.
Delayed Cooling Cycles
Following the heating phase, systems using live steam often experience delays during the transition from heating to cooling. Steam must first be fully purged before cooling water can be introduced, extending the cycle time. This lag can disrupt precise temperature control, affect reaction timing, and lead to process inefficiencies—or, in some cases, unsafe operating conditions.
The ProSonix Heater Solution: Efficient, Reliable, and Precise
ProSonix offers a superior solution with its Direct Steam Injection (DSI) heaters, designed to provide precise, uniform heating for jacketed vessels and reactors. The PSX heater operates by injecting steam directly into jacket water, quickly and accurately raising the temperature of the circulating water through the vessel’s jacket. This approach eliminates the issues associated with live steam and provides enhanced control over the heating process.
Precise, On-Demand Heating
The PSX Direct Steam Injection (DSI) heater provides near-instant water heating with a wide temperature control range—from 1°F to 250°F in a single pass. It handles flow rates from 1 to 2,000 gallons per minute (GPM) and offers up to 10:1 liquid turndown per model, making it adaptable to a broad range of vessel and reactor sizes. With ±1°F temperature accuracy, the PSX heater ensures fast, precise ramp-up for more consistent, linear, and controlled reaction processes.
Smooth Transition to Cooling
Once the heating portion of the cycle is complete, PSX heaters can be closed, allowing the system to transition seamlessly into the cooling phase without the need to purge steam. This reduces the time required for cooling and ensures a faster, more efficient response to changing temperature needs.
Conclusion
ProSonix’s Direct Steam Injection (DSI) technology offers a reliable, high-performance alternative to traditional live steam heating for jacketed vessels and reactors. With precise control, efficient operation, and smooth transitions between heating and cooling, the PSX system enhances product quality, streamlines operations, and reduces maintenance costs. For facilities where temperature precision and uptime are critical, the PSX heater is a proven solution.