Temperature control units for use in food and beverage production lines must therefore meet stringent requirements in terms of materials and design, ensuring hygienic design of equipments. Thanks to an audit conducted by a notified body for the certification of the internal components of our TREG temperature control units, Tempco is therefore now able to provide IP55-certified temperature control units. The IP55 certification of a component specifically indicates the level of protection a device provides against the ingress of dust and liquids.

This is further important addition to Tempco’s range of temperature control solutions for the food and beverage industry, where it already boasts a wide range of important and interesting applications, from chocolate processing to pasta, candies and sweets, milk, wine, and beer, to name just a few. The ability to offer internal components for our TCU specifically designed with IP55 protection, to meet the needs of the food and beverage market which requires the ability to wash down equipment with water jets, therefore opens up a wide variety of new application opportunities for Tempco, to even better meet the temperature control needs of the food industry.

L'articolo IP55-certified temperature control units for food & beverage proviene da Tempco Blog.

An important feature of this TCU is its construction in compliance with UL regulations, which establish safety standards for electrical and electronic equipment for use in the North American market. UL certification therefore allows our Tempco TREG units to be exported and installed for applications in the United States and Canada.

This particular thermoregulation unit has a cooling section using a shell and tube exchanger with stainless steel core. The TCU’s power supply is 575V-3Ph-60Hz-3Ph+T. The oil circuit is finally served by a UL 100 liter, 30 meter, 2.8 kW magnetic drive pump. The choice to use a magnetic drive pump, as an alternative to traditional mechanical seal pumps, is based on safety considerations.

Magnetic drive pumps eliminate any type of mechanical coupling, instead using a magnetic coupling between the motor shaft and the pressurized oil in the pump impeller. The exclusion of mechanical seals in the pumping circuit therefore eliminates any risk of possible leakage of diathermic oil at extremely high-temperature, ensuring overall safety of the equipment and eliminating the risk of pump cavitation due to air infiltration.

L'articolo UL-certified temperature control unit for carbon fiber impregnation proviene da Tempco Blog.

Precise control of heating and cooling temperature ramps is crucial to achieve the chemical reactions between ingredients in pharmaceutical production recipes, essential for the efficacy and quality of the finished products and active ingredients.

This TCU specifically allows to reach a maximum operating temperature of 300°C, thanks to an installed heating power of 300 kW equipped with a water-cooled section. The system’s efficiency is ensured by modulating power control in the reactor’s temperature regulation, achieved thanks to SCR thyristors. The TCU is finally equipped with a remote expansion vessel with a capacity of 1,500 liters.

L'articolo Modulating power temperature control unit for a pharma reactor proviene da Tempco Blog.

Tempco already has several applications of temperature control units designed to meet the specific thermoregulation needs of molding carbon fiber components. The unit pictured below is a temperature control unit we recently supplied to a company in the province of Bergamo, specializing in the production of custom carbon fiber components for high-performance vehicles as well as other applications.

Tempco’s TCUs have a wide range of applications in the automotive sector, supporting our clients in defining the design and engineering process using a DFM (Design for Manufacturing) approach, aimed at achieving an ideal balance and harmony on both fronts. Maximizing aesthetic appeal while simultaneously enhancing the mechanical and structural performance of the components.

L'articolo Thermoregulation for custom carbon fiber components proviene da Tempco Blog.

These activities are crucial for the future of sustainable mobility, essential for the development of more sustainable technologies for the future of the automotive industry. We therefore extend our sincere thanks to Giacomo Silvagni, PhD Assistant Professor at Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, responsible for these projects at the University Department, who provided us with detailed information on two of the ongoing research projects.

The first image, in the scheme below, shows the construction of a flow bench for experimental diesel and gasoline common rail GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) injectors, aimed at hydraulic characterization of the injection system and the development of control-oriented models.

As Giacomo Silvagni explains, high-pressure injection systems are typically used in control strategies with multiple, closely spaced injections. These strategies generate dynamic pressure wave effects and electromagnetic interactions that induce deviations from the normal injector operation, causing imbalances in the torque delivered by the engine from cylinder to cylinder, resulting in reduced efficiency and increased pollutant emissions. Thanks to the flow bench, built within the laboratories of the Department of Industrial Engineering of the University of Bologna, it was possible to carry out ad hoc experimental campaigns to experimentally characterize the tested injection systems, both diesel (up to 1,800 bar) and gasoline (up to 700 bar), and to develop control-oriented physical models aimed at real-time compensation of these dynamic phenomena compatible with standard engine control units.

For this first application, the Tempco temperature control unit was a central component of the test system, used to regulate the fuel temperature within the injection systems. The TCU therefore allowed for precise control of the fluid temperature, which is crucial for ensuring the repeatability of the experimental tests, and simultaneously verified the impact of different fuel temperatures on the system’s hydraulic dynamics.

The other two images below relate to the study for converting a 1.3-liter multijet diesel engine to operate on compression-ignition gasoline, aimed at studying high-efficiency combustion modes.

The study of innovative, high-efficiency, low-emission combustion methods is part of the ongoing development of internal combustion engines for high-efficiency, low-emission applications. Innovative combustion methods still represent one of the most promising solutions, especially considering the advent of synthetic and sustainable fuels. To verify the benefits of these technologies, a small 1.3-liter multijet internal combustion engine, originally designed for diesel compression ignition, was converted to GCI (Gasoline Compression Ignition) operation in the laboratories of the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Bologna. This activity allowed to verify the benefits of this combustion method, both in terms of efficiency and pollutant emissions, compared to traditional diesel operation. The entire engine operating range was replicated while maintaining all internal engine components in their stock production configuration, thus verifying their full applicability to off-the-shelf hardware already on the market.

The Tempco temperature control unit, as Silvagni further explains, was a central element of the test system as it was used to regulate the temperature of the air drawn into the engine during start-up. Thanks to the Tempco temperature control unit and the use of a dedicated air-oil heat exchanger, it was possible to increase the temperature of the air drawn into the engine before it entered the combustion chamber, thus promoting spontaneous ignition of the gasoline. The precise control achieved by the Tempco system also allowed to verify the impact of different combustion air temperatures on combustion stability and engine performance in terms of torque/power output and pollutant emissions.

L'articolo Temperature control units in high-efficiency combustion engine test benches proviene da Tempco Blog.

Also for pharmaceutical applications, we recently supplied three TREG temperature control units for silicone fluids in glass-lined reactors. This is a classic mono-fluid temperature control application, equipped with heating via electric resistors and a low-temperature cooling section (-30°C) using brazed plate heat exchangers and mixing valves.

Temperature ramps control is achieved through dedicated electronic thermoregulators and thyristors (SCR), which allow the customer to drive the heating elements with modulating power. Finally, the thermal control units work with special pumps, featuring magnetic drive technology and a very wide temperature range of -30/+300° C.

L'articolo Temperature control units for reactors at -30° C in the pharma industry proviene da Tempco Blog.

CRN (Canadian Registration Number) number is a unique code issued by Canadian provincial/territorial authorities, required for the installation and use of pressure equipment, such as boilers, heat exchangers, pressure vessels, and fittings (fittings, valves, piping) in Canada. CRN certification is mandatory for equipment operating at pressures above 15 psig (approximately 1 bar) and, in the case of Tempco, ensures that the design and engineering of our brazed heat exchangers comply with Canadian safety standards.

A key safety requirement for importing and installing pressure-bearing components in Canada, this new certification, combined with the ASME certification, ensures that Tempco brazed plate heat exchangers comply with Canadian industry standards. Specifically, the CRN code is valid for installation of our brazed plate exchangers in the provinces of Ontario (ON), Quebec (QC), British Columbia (BC), Alberta (AB), and Saskatchewan (SK).

This new certification for installations in the Canadian market adds to the certifications Tempco has achieved over the years for its thermal control and industrial thermoregulation solutions such as ATEX for operation in potentially explosive atmospheres, such as in the chemical, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical sectors, and the ones for our TREG thermoregulation TCU units, which are UL certified for the North American market and EAC certified for Russia and the EAEU (Eurasian Economic Union) countries.

L'articolo Brazed plate exchangers with ASME certification and CRN code for Canada proviene da Tempco Blog.

Now we come to the final stage: forming and cooling, where the chocolate is poured into molds and finally takes its shape.

After tempering, the chocolate mass is rapidly cooled to crystallize uniformly and achieve the ideal consistency. Low, stable temperatures, around 10-15°C, are essential to ensure the chocolate solidifies without defects, such as air bubbles or irregular surfaces. TCU thermal control units also ensure that the process runs smoothly during this phase, avoiding thermal shocks that could compromise product quality. Furthermore, well-managed cooling speeds up production times and optimizes the efficiency of the production line.

The magic of chocolate ends with this phase, leaving us with perfect bars, ready to be packaged and enjoyed. A precision work that transforms each piece into a masterpiece!

L'articolo Thermal control units in chocolate forming and cooling  proviene da Tempco Blog.

With such a prestigious reference, Tempco is very proud to have contributed to ensuring the high performance of Dallara cars, thanks to the supply of a TREG HE temperature control unit employed for radiator test benches of Dallara Automobili’s racing cars. The unit is specifically designed to heat a thermal oil circuit, operating in a temperature range of +30°C to +180°C and transferring heat to the test fluid via a brazed plate heat exchanger. The flow rate range of the test fluid is between 5 and 80 l/min.

Test benches for these components are essential for laboratory simulation of the same track conditions that the cars will be subjected to during races. Tempco’s thermal control unit is therefore meticulously designed to ensure the simulation of the thermal conditions in which the Dallara supercar radiators will operate, precisely regulating the flow rates and temperatures of the test fluid with great stability and repeatability (temperature regulation accuracy ± 2°C).

Behind every tested radiator, there is thus a control unit that ensures that every degree truly counts in determining the maximum performance of Dallara racing cars. At the heart of the test bench, the TREG HE thermal control unit uses low-specific-power resistors, offering PID-controlled temperature regulation with proportional SCRs and integrated safety logic. An electro-pneumatic modulating valve ensures the necessary heat transfer stability even at low flow rates (5 l/min), maintaining the correct turbulent flow rate on the brazed exchanger.

Finally, the system was designed to always maintain maximum efficiency in regulating the temperature of the test fluid, taking into account the strong variability of the fluid’s viscosity as the temperature varies, together with the need to contain pressure drops.

L'articolo Thermal control unit for radiators test bench in Dallara Automobili proviene da Tempco Blog.

The project aims to transform waste treatment into an advanced energy process: increasing biomethane production while simultaneously converting non-recyclable waste into syngas (gas mixture obtained from the gasification of biomass or carbon-based waste), through thermochemical processes such as gasification and pyrolysis.

For these processes, heat regulation is critical: the heat supplied to the process must be stable, precise, and available at high temperatures. The Tempco control unit is therefore designed to ensure the required temperature regulation with maximum levels of safety and operational continuity of the system.

Our TREG meets these requirements precisely:

• It works with diathermic oil at high temperatures, ensuring proper thermal decomposition of the materials.
• ATEX certification, essential in environments with potentially explosive atmospheres.
• Remote control, which allows for remote management of process parameters, reducing on-site interventions and increasing operational continuity.

From waste to Syngas: a closed cycle
TREG’s seamless integration into the project therefore represents a concrete example of circular economy applied to energy, with a green perspective and fostering sustainable energy transition:

• Waste becomes a resource: materials that were previously a disposal cost are now transformed into an energy-rich gas.
• The district becomes more self-sufficient, thanks to a process that recovers value from flows considered to be at their end-life cycle, achieving circularity.
• Lower emissions and greater efficiency, because high-temperature thermoregulation makes the entire conversion cycle stable and reliable.

L'articolo Waste-to-energy and high-efficiency thermoregulation in circular economy proviene da Tempco Blog.