UHT Indirect Product-to-Product
GEA’s indirect Product-to-Product UHT system is based on proven heat exchanger technology and operates on a similar principle to conventional indirect UHT units. However, instead of using water as the primary heat transfer medium, the system uses the product itself for heat exchange.
In the product-to-product heat exchanger, hot sterilized product transfers heat to the incoming cold product stream. Heat exchange takes place through tubular barriers, ensuring that the incoming and outgoing product streams remain completely separated with no physical contact. Final sterilization is then performed using a conventional product-to-water heat exchanger.
Suitable for a wide range of liquid food and beverage applications, the system enables high levels of heat recovery without increasing the required heat transfer surface area.
This technology is particularly well suited to large-scale processing of products such as milk, dairy beverages, and juices. By maximizing heat recovery within the process, it supports reliable operation, consistent product treatment, and lower utility requirements, helping manufacturers manage operating costs while maintaining product quality and process performance.
Key Features
Indirect product-to-product UHT
- Product-to-product heat exchange: Heat from the outgoing sterilized product is transferred to the incoming product stream, supporting effective temperature transfer within the process.
- Indirect heating: Heat is transferred through a physical barrier, ensuring there is no direct contact between the product and the heating medium.
- Regenerative heat exchange: The system incorporates regenerative heat exchange, allowing up to 90% heat recovery within the process without direct mixing of product streams.
Benefits
Indirect product-to-product UHT
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Uniform heating: The product-to-product heat exchanger design provides controlled heat transfer throughout the process, supporting consistent processing conditions across the product stream.
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Integrated heat exchanger technology: The system incorporates product-to-product heat exchanger technology as part of the UHT process design and can be configured to meet specific application and production requirements.
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Continuous operation: GEA UHT plants utilizing indirect product-to-product heat exchanger technology are designed for continuous operation and can be configured for a wide range of production capacities and processing requirements.
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