Tempco Blog articles

Thermoregulation in pharma r&d laboratories for bioservices

28/04/2023

Here’s another interesting application within the pharma sector, developed by Tempco for one of the most important Italian companies in the field of r&d for bioservices. The customer is in particular a main manufacturer of APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients), highly committed in the deployment of innovative and sustainable pharmaceutical production processes.

For the applications serving the laboratories of the customer we have developed an integrated thermoregulation system, equipped with PID control of several temperature levels, providing different thermal power capacities depending on the requested duty. Fine and precise regulation of temperature is a key factor in the research and development of new molecules and APIs, in order to ensure maximum and repeatable quality standards and process safety.

applicazione-Tempco-termoregolazione-Ricerca-pharma-bioservices-API

The thermoregulation system for APIs production has been realized as a turn-key plug and play solution.

Tempco termoregolazione Ricerca pharma API

Tempco termoregolazione Ricerca bioservices pharma produzione API

Tempco termoregolazione Ricerca pharma API bioservices

Tempco termoregolazione Ricerca pharma produzione bioservices API

Tempco termoregolazione Ricerca bioservices pharma API

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Where to install the expansion vessel on hydraulic plants

21/04/2023

In this new video on our Tempo Youtube channel we talk about the expansion vessel, which can be found in every thermodynamic plant, thermoregulation unit, cooling or heating system and hydraulic plants, wherever there are fluids circulating.

As the word itself tells, the expansion tank is aimed at compensating the expansion of fluids that, when exposed to temperature variations, are also subjected to volume variations.

Let’s talk in particular about open expansion vessels, and thus meaning expansion vessels exposed to the atmosphere. Well, where the expansion vessel has to be installed? The expansion vessel always has to be installed at the highest point of the plant. That’s because, complying with the communicating vessels principle, all of the fluids within the pipings tend to settle at the same level.

Therefore, if the expansion tank is installed at a lower point compared to the pipings, there will be an overflowing of the fluid due to an excess of the capacity volume. It happens because the fluids circulating in the pipings at higher positions tend to settle at the same level of the spot opened and exposed to the atmosphere.

That’s why, in consequence, the expansion vessel must be installed at the top. On the piping side it will then possible to install some vent valves.

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From water to energy, Baglietto unfolds the future of zero emission yachting

14/04/2023

On April 12 was held the official launch of B^zero, a hybrid electric system for zero emission navigation in the luxury yacht of Baglietto, that leverages renewables, photovoltaic power and hydrogen fuel cells, to bring sustainability within the sea travels.

Tempco proudly participated at the event as a technological partner of Baglietto. The constant and ongoing commitment of both Baglietto and Tempco to safeguard the environment have found a common point of contact in this highly innovative project.

The B^zero project, in order to create a more green and sustainable yachting, primarily aims at increasing the electric cruising range of vessels in zero-emission mode. In fact this is obtained thanks to the integration of hydrogen fuel cell technology on a hybrid or diesel-electric platform on board of the Baglietto yachts. Within the construction facility of Baglietto, a fully functioning prototype of the system has been realized, to be mounted on board on the manufacturer’s vessels.

Tempco contributed to the achievement of the objective by supplying the cooling systems for power electronics on board. Following an in depth study of the application, Tempco has been able to provide an efficient and compact solution that is, clearly and furthermore, completely customized upon the customer’s needs.

This very innovative and groundbreaking yacht requires indeed a refined and elegant design and engineering, both in terms of equipments and the luxury details of even the smallest finishing touch. Tempco has therefore achieved a relevant goal, proving that innovative engineering and luxury can go hand in hand while pursuing a common objective.

Baglietto Bzero yacht zero emissioni celle a combustile idrogeno Tempco

The technical scheme of the machinery clearly shows the highly innovative content of the Bzero project by Baglietto

The name B^zero (B raised to zero) means that the emissions produced during the travel of this yacht will be equal to zero. This is possible thanks to solar energy and to a hydrogen production module directly from seawater, filtered and deionized. This module produces the main fuel of the vessel, hydrogen, with 5.0 degree of purity at a maximum pressure of 35 bar through a system of AEM-type electrolysers (for a total power of about 55 kW). The electrolysers are primarily powered by energy from renewable sources (photovoltaic panels) and/or the electricity grid with the aim of producing as much ‘green hydrogen’ as possible.

In short:

➔ Seawater is collected, filtered and deionized by a hydrogen production module
➔ Starting from treated water, hydrogen is synthesized, providing the main green fuel of the yacht
➔ During the process, solar energy collected by photovoltaic panels is employed to power AEM-type electrolysers. These enable the correct functioning of each step.
➔ The final output, is clean and green hydrogen with zero emissions

Each one of these steps requires a fine control of temperature, and to achieve it Baglietto entrusted Tempco. Ad hoc engineered systems ensure the cooling of power electronic components on board, that include all of the electrical instruments serving the start and powering of the yacht. Once again, producing energy in an eco-friendly mode.

The video here below (courtesy by Baglietto), as a further proof of the efficacy and the care given to every detail of the project, suggests a hypothetical zero emission trip with the new Baglietto yacht. At eeach stop-over of the travel is it possible to see how the vessel recovers energy, so that its cruising is completely sea-friendly, safeguarding environment and the sea.
The final results shows the success of what once was just an ambitious project, and now in fact became a reached goal.

Tempco firmly believes that the future of mobility and sustainable transports relies on the correct employ of hydrogen and CO2. Using new sophisticated technologies, thanks to these sources, once considered just as production waste, it’s possible to completely change the point of view and look at the new opportunities that innovative technologies unfold for the mobility of the future.

Starting with quietly sailing in the blueness with Baglietto.

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Turn-key thermal systems in precious metals furnaces

07/04/2023

For a main manufacturer of furnaces for precious metals, that provides innovative and sustainable solutions for the precious metals industry, casting, melting and separation with automation and control of every production step, Tempco develops turn-key thermal systems designed upon the specific technical requirements of the customer.

These are in particular systems in which we have a consolidated know how and expertise, coming from the carbon ceramic fibers sector. The thermal systems we develop for applications in precious metals furnaces are therefore equipped with redundant pumps, emergency water supply systems, management and control via PLC and remote assistance.

Tempco sistemi termici fornaci metalli preziosi

Tempco sistemi termici fornaci settore metalli preziosi

Overall, the systems are integrated and engineering following Tempco’s SCF – Standard Custom Flexibility principles.

Tempco sistemi termici chiavi in mano fornaci metalli preziosi

Tempco sistemi termici fornaci industria metalli preziosi

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Questions are NEVER silly, on the contrary…

31/03/2023

Very often customers in Tempco have something to ask, and start saying ‘I have a question, but it might be silly… I’m not sure if I can ask you this question, but…’

Well, questions are NEVER silly, irrelevant or useless. On the contrary, questions are very useful in order to better identify the kind of thermal energy management problem we need to solve for the customer. It happens to all of us, when we’re not skilled into a certain domain, and we can speak with an expert in that field we will likely ask something that to him could be taken for granted, or the answer to our question is something that he could be taking for granted. But clearly if we don’t know anything about that topic, we need informations to understand or try to understand it at our best, and by the way giving him some informations that can help him solve our own problem.

That is exactly what happens in Tempco with our customers, when they present us a problem involving cooling, heating or thermoregulation within their production process. Especially while meeting new customers, we do a very in depth interrogatory, asking really a lot of informations, some even redundant. But this is crucial in order to cross all of the data to have double check and validations, being able to clearly understand the terms of his thermal energy management problem. Which is, for example, how much is the amount of thermal energy to dissipate, the temperature level he wants to achieve or which are the production goals he is set to.

Questions are thus NEVER silly, on the contrary they are very useful. Better then to flush a little at the beginning, than to fade later!

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Heat exchangers and temperature in olive paste kneading

24/03/2023

This time we leave emergent and grounbreaking applications to concentrate on a more traditional one, but still very much interesting. And in fact we’re going to talk about olive oil, and in particular of the importance of temperature regulation and control during the kneading process of olive paste. Heat exchangers have a crucial role here, aimed at heating the olive paste at the correct temperature the most rapidly as possible, and then maintaining it at the optimal temperature level.

Kneading, or also called malaxing, is a fundamental step to determine the final quality of an extra virgin olive oil, its taste and organoleptic properties. This is a production step that follows the grinding and crushing process, and during kneading the olive past is processed in a machine called malaxer that provides a continuous and slow stirring of the olive paste making it more homogeneous, facilitating the separation of oil from water.

In order to increase the thermal transfer efficiency of heat exchangers employed within the kneading process, for a customer we have made a research about the cooling/heating task of olive paste during the production process. While at it, we found a very interesting technical article by Giulia Angeloni, a researcher of the Department DAGRI at the University of Florence, that goes in depth with technical details of the thermal transfer process. The goals of the research were to help coalescence of small oil droplets within the olive paste creating bigger droplets, thus facilitating the separation process, while at the same time preserving the organoleptic properties of the final product.

Tempco scambiatori gramolatura pasta olive olio

The study shows that the correct temperature is a crucial factor to facilitate coalescence, dimishing the viscosity of olive paste and at the same time stimulating the enzymatic activity. Anyway, the temperature during kneading must be kept under 40° C, because higher temperatures lead to changes in the rheology of the dough, which is the way it reacts to external forces, diminishing the yield of the oil and water separation process. Furthermore, the different enzymes involved by the biochemical processes triggered during the mixing phase require different optimal temperatures: the study shows that polar phenolic compounds are increasingly released by the olive paste as long as temperature increases from 25° C up to 30° C, while when the limit of 30° C is exceeded there is a sudden decrease in their concentration.

Beyond 30° C there is also a decrease of volatile compounds, such as C6 and C5, which are responsible for the fruity aroma and quality of the olive oil. Fostering, at temperatures over 30° C, the release of C>6 compounds that cause sensorial defects of the extra virgin olive oil.

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Water and oil, thermoregulation and… French fries

17/03/2023

An interesting subject of which I talk about in this new video refers to the startup and commissioning of thermoregulating units and plants working with diathermic oil. From time to time we are involved in the startup of this kind of plants, and… have you ever did French fries? What it got to do with it, you may ask, but this is very related if you think about what happens when a water drops into hot boiling oil. The effect is devastating and really damaging.

Let’s then imagine what can happen in a thermoregulating plant that works using high temperature diathermic oil, if it gets accidentally washed with water, or simply if there is remaining humidity inside the plant. There will be huge issues, and usually we can solve these problems during the startup phase because there is suddenly the sensation that something isn’t working properly… due to the fact that there is smoke coming out of the expansion tank, followed by some sort of murmur and grumbling noises and also by the leaking of hot oil in the expansion tank itself.

It is thus mandatory to be very careful, as we write in all our manuals and recommend as well our customers: where there is oil, NEVER put water.

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Dry cooling in harsh environment for cement factory production

10/03/2023

Supply of a dry cooler system aimed at cooling a water/antifreeze solution employed in cooling of slewing rings for the loading and unloading process in a cement factory. Following the revamping we did last year of a first plant, the customer is now furnishing all of the new plants with our Tempco dry coolers equipped with axial fans, in special execution for harsh environments that characterizes production in a cement factory.

Each cooler is supplied to the customer complete with control panel e related water circulating pump. In order to ensure full operations continuity, the systems has been designed with a redundant set up, with at least 50% of additional fans based on the number of equipments required in normal working conditions.

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Hydrogen fuel cells cooling applications

03/03/2023

Brazed plate heat exchangers and hydrogen applications. We have published a few weeks ago a video on hydrogen applications in fuel cells for green electric power generation from renewable sources. In fact, these are applications mostly deployed within the transport sector and mobility in general.

There are many kind of heat exchangers, and these plate heat exchangers in particular are special brazed plate exchangers especially designed for the cooling of fuel cells. These are in fact brazed plate exchangers made with special materials and brazing, making them resistant to very high temperatures involved in fuel cells applications, up to 900° C, but as well compliant with use of deionized water.

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New references in renewables for Tempco

24/02/2023

The month of February dedicated to Renewables in Tempco is coming to its conclusion, and we’re glad to present you four new success cases that we’ve added to the section References – Renewable Energies of our website. These are in fact four new applications that involve renewable energy in different ways, and we hope you will find these inspiring and to trigger the deployment of further technologies and solutions aimed at lowering the carbon footprint and increasing the sustainable use of energy.

We invite you then to discover these four new applications, including the employ of CO2 in refrigeration thanks to special high pressure resistant brazed plate exchangers; the significant energy savings achieved in industrial laundries using TCOIL immersion exchangers; hydrogen applications with fuel cells, which involve heat exchangers in a series of main processes, especially for the transports sector; and finally power generation from wave energy thanks to gyroscopic wave energy converters that require accurate temperature control systems using heat exchangers, with titanium construction to stand the contact with sea water.

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