Alfa Laval FusionLine heat exchanger

FusionLine, an open flow plate heat exchanger from Alfa Laval, is suitable for viscous and particulate products such as juices, prepared foods, soups and sauces, which have traditionally been processed in tubular heat exchangers. It combines the energy efficiency, accessibility and modularity of plate technology with the viscous and particulate-handling capabilities of tubular technology.

The product features a 4 to 6 mm open channel on the product side, which is easy to CIP and fully accessible. The open-channel design is made possible by bonded plate cassettes on the media side. The cassettes are bonded using the company’s AlfaFusion technology, which bonds two stainless plates together into one piece with no joints.

The AlfaFusion technology allows the use of thin plates providing optimum heat transfer and thus maintains a high resistance against product pressure. The channel geometry ensures gentle product treatment. Plates can be easily added and removed, providing the flexibility to react to changes in production volume. The footprint is 30 to 40% smaller than a tubular heat exchanger.

Other features include: zero contact points on the product side; low pressure drop, requiring low pumping power; small footprint; easy to clean and inspect.