High efficiency heater supports dairy spray drying

To provide these conditions, the heater must process 20 million BTU/hr. In addition, it had to be at least 90% efficient with high precision controls that met both CSA requirements and food grade construction standards. To meet the specifications, Munters’ VariMax® IFRG natural gas-fired indirect heater with a Thermo-ZTM® plate heat exchanger was installed.

Stainless meets standards

In order to adhere to food grade construction standards, the entire unit, including the base frame, exterior casing, and exterior supports were made from stainless steel with full seam welding. The control panels and gas train box were also stainless steel and wash down rated. To provide the required BTUs and precision for firing the system, a Maxon Ovenpak® burner system with dual burners and Maxon’s Smartlink control system were used, which allowed for high precision control, repeatability, and complete tuning ability for the air-to-fuel mixture ratio.

During the manufacturing of the VariMax system, the customer made periodic inspections, and conducted shop and field performance tests to ensure compliance with CSA standards. Successful tests and inspections left the customer confident in the quality and reliability of the final product. Experience and demonstrated expertise with indirect gas-heating allowed the customer to continue putting their trust in Munters for their heating needs.