A compact liquid-circulating temperature control system from Mokon helps a snack-food processor remove heat generated by the extruder barrel and ensure product quality.
A snack-food processor needing to control temperature in multiple zones of its extrusion barrel has added a Mokon temperature controller to its production process. Mokon, a 50-year-old company in Buffalo, N.Y., met the tight requirements of its customer by custom designing the compact water-circulating system.

The snack-food maker's temperature problem came from heat that was generated by the screw as it turned inside the extruder barrel and moved the product from one end to another, said Rob Brzozowiec, Mokon's sales engineer. The customer needed to keep the temperature consistent in seven zones to produce the food product properly, he said.

In lieu of individual controls for each zone, the snack-food company requested that all seven zones be controlled from a single location. Benefits of a single cabinet included reducing the unit's footprint, which increased usable manufacturing floor space, and having one connection point to the electrical source. In addition, a common supply and drain require only a single-point hookup, eliminating numerous hoses around the processing area.

Taking the application needs into account, Mokon designed the water temperature control system so that each of the seven zones had a 3/4 hp motor, 25 gal/min pumping capacity and 9 kW heating capacity. The unit has nonferrous plumbing throughout the system, in- cluding a stainless steel pump and impeller. Remote start/ stop capabilities with an emergency stop function and indicator lights for modes of operation also are incorporated into the design.

The water temperature control system has easily accessed controls for all seven zones. The small holdup volume of fluid required by the unit provides energy efficiency, which translates to better heat transfer, Brzozowiec said.

“Our customer has expressed significant satisfaction in the control system's operation,” he said.