Why are heat exchangers used in beer brewing equipment?

As beer's appeal continues to expand, whether you're brewing beer or something else, one of the most important tools for increasing efficiency is a heat exchanger.

Heat transfer is necessary when producing any type of bottled beverage, and beer and cider are no exception. Plate heat exchangers can provide most of the process needs in these wine productions, including air conditioning, aging, fermentation and pasteurization. One of the biggest advantages a heat exchanger can provide is reduced electricity usage and emissions. A high-quality heat exchange system also reduces the amount of water used in the container cleaning process.

For manufacturers, one of the most important benefits of using a heat exchanger is reduced beer loss. A system like the Alfa Laval Decanter not only recovers more wort but also increases beer production, the cost savings are usually enough to pay for itself within 2 years. Each of these advantages leads to huge developments in the entire industry and allows breweries to become more efficient.

The brewing process begins by soaking malted barley in warm water to convert the starch into sugar. Wait for the liquid to become wort and steam in the pot for an hour or more (depending on the flavor you want). When the liquid has actually been made directly into the wort, it needs to be cooled as quickly as possible. Lower the temperature level of the wort as quickly as possible. This can be done in a number of ways, including putting ice in the pot, putting the pot in ice, and using a wort refrigerator or heat exchanger.

The heat exchangers commonly used in breweries are plate heat exchangers. A "heat exchange" occurs when warm fluid circulates along one side and cold fluid circulates on the other. In the mash room, the warm wort passes through a heat exchanger and is cooled by water or coolant. Effectively sized heat exchangers can achieve the desired temperature level in less than an hour. When the wort has cooled sufficiently, wait for fermentation. The cold water is then heated and returned to the warm water storage tank for subsequent blending or some other purpose in the brewery. The warm water used to boil the wort can be recycled and reheated.