Cooler

Cooling During Animal Feed Production:

In animal feed manufacturing, cooling is a crucial step in the process. After the pelletizing or extrusion process, the temperature of the feed is typically elevated, which can affect the quality and shelf life of the final product. Effective cooling helps stabilize the feed, reduce moisture content, and enhance its durability.

The pellet cooler is used to cool the pellets pressed by the pellet mill, because the pellets are hot and contain a lot of water vapor when they first come out of the pellet mill. The function of the pellet cooler is to cool the pellets to room temperature. Pellet coolers are commonly used in the food and feed industries to cool down hot materials such as pellets, extruded products, and other materials after processing. Two commonly used types of coolers are slide-type counterflow coolers and plate-type counterflow coolers.

Types

1. Slide-type counterflow coolers use a sliding bed to move the material through the cooler. The hot material is introduced at the top of the cooler and flows down through the cooling section while the cooling air flows upwards through the cooling section. The cooling air removes the heat from the material as it flows through the cooler, and the cooled material is collected at the bottom of the cooler.

2. Plate-type counterflow coolers use plates to move the material through the cooler. The hot material is introduced at the top of the cooler and flows down through the space between the plates, while the cooling air flows upwards through the space between the plates. The cooling air removes the heat from the material as it flows through the cooler, and the cooled material is collected at the bottom of the cooler.

The key difference between slide-type and plate-type counterflow coolers is in the way they move the material through the cooler. Slide-type coolers use a sliding bed, while plate-type coolers use plates. Additionally, plate-type coolers can have a higher cooling capacity due to the increased surface area of the plates, which can lead to a higher cooling rate. However, slide-type coolers are typically easier to maintain and have a lower maintenance cost. Ultimately, the choice between the two types of coolers depends on the specific requirements of the application.