Method and Device for Heating, In Particular Highly Viscous Products

Abstract

A method for heating, in particular of highly viscous products, and a device for performing the method, wherein the product is pre-heated to a first temperature T1 in a first step with at least one product/water heat exchanger section with water as the heating medium, wherein the water cools down. The product is further heated to a second temperature T2 in a second step with at least one product/product heat exchanger section 2 a with the product as a heating medium, wherein the returning product serving as heating medium is cooled down, and is then further heated to a third temperature T3 in a third step with at least one product/water heat exchanger section 3 a with water as the heating medium, wherein the water cools down and wherein the heated product is then recirculated as heating medium for heating the product.

1 . Method for heating, in particular of highly viscous products, comprising:
 pre-heating the product to a first temperature (T1) in a first step with at least one product/water heat exchanger section with water as the heating medium, wherein the water cools down,   further heating the product to a second temperature (T2) in a second step with at least one product/product heat exchanger section with the product as a heating medium, wherein the product serving as heating medium is cooled down, and   further heating the product to a third temperature (T3) in a third step with at least one product/water heat exchanger section with water as the heating medium, wherein the water cools down and wherein the heated product is then recirculated as heating medium for heating the product in the second step.   
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein, after the recirculated product has been cooled down in the second step, cooling down the product to a temperature (T5) in a fourth step with at least one product/water heat exchanger section, where water that has been cooled down in the first step is used as cooling medium. 
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claim 2 , and circulating the heated water of the fourth step which heated water serves as heating medium for pre-heating the product in the first step, and the water cooled down in the first step serves as cooling medium in step four. 
     
     
         4 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the product is heated to a temperature in step 1, such that the viscosity of the product is lower than 25 mPa·s with structured heat exchanger areas and lower than 15 mPa·s with smooth heat exchanger areas. 
     
     
         5 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein T1<T2<T3. 
     
     
         6 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the initial viscosity of the product to be heated at 20° C. is within a range of >5 mPa·s. 
     
     
         7 . Method at least according to  claim 1 , wherein for performance regulation, passing the product by the at least one product/water heat exchanger section in a partial flow via a product bypass. 
     
     
         8 . Device for performing the method according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 a product inlet,   a first heating region which comprises at least one product/water heat exchanger section by which the product can be pre-heated to a pre-heating temperature (T1) with water as the heating medium,   a second heating region comprising at least one product/product heat exchanger section by which pre-heated product from the heating region can be further heated to a temperature (T2) with the product as the heating medium, and   a third heating region comprising at least one product/water heat exchanger section by which the heated product from the second heating region can be further heated to a temperature (T3) with water as the heating medium, wherein the heated product from the third heating region is recirculated to the second heating region as heating medium.   
     
     
         9 . Device according to  claim 8 , wherein a heat exchanger section comprises at least one heat exchanger. 
     
     
         10 . Device according to  claim 8  wherein the heat exchanger sections of a respective heating region are connected in series. 
     
     
         11 . Device according to  claim 8 , wherein the device further comprises:
 a cooling region which comprises at least one product/water heat exchanger section by which the product cooled down in the second heating region can be further cooled to a temperature (T5), wherein the water cooled down in the first heating region can be supplied as cooling medium.   
     
     
         12 . Device according to  claim 8 , wherein the device comprises a water cycle in which the cooling region is connected to the first heating region, such that heated water from the cooling region can be supplied to the first heating region as heating medium for pre-heating the product, and the cooled water of the first heating region can be supplied to the cooling region as cooling medium. 
     
     
         13 . Device according to  claim 8 , wherein the device further comprises a product bypass conduit by which the product can be passed by the first heating region and directly to the second heating region. 
     
     
         14 . Method according to  claim 6 , wherein the viscosity of the product to be heated is within a range of 5 to 100 mPa·s. 
     
     
         15 . Device according to  claim 9 , wherein a heat exchanger section comprises at least one tubular heat exchanger or plate heat exchanger section.