Paul Mueller Company Academy

Heat exchangers all work by passing a hot fluid and a cold fluid across opposite sides of a piece of metal. The heat from one fluid passes across the metal (which is thermally conductive) into the other fluid without the fluids making contact. High fluid velocity, high turbulence, high surface area and a large temperature differential all contribute to more efficient heat transfer. However, different designs are more efficient than others depending on the application.

Plate heat exchangers are a highly useful industrial component for passively (without extra energy) controlling fluid temperatures using other fluids that may already be part of the industrial process. Here’s a brief explanation of how they work and their benefits, as well as links to more helpful resources.

In the world of wine aging and storing, French Oak barrels have long been considered the gold standard. But if you don’t want to pay a truckload of gold to buy and maintain these barrels over the years, you might be considering alternatives for your winery.