Dimple jacket

Laser-welded dimple jacket integrated into process or bulk vessels

We have experience to fit jacketed vessel for over 40 years, specializing in dimple jacketed tanks and reactor plates for process, storage vessels, and pressure vessels. Our vessels utilize thermal heat exchange surfaces to control the temperature and quality of the contents inside.

Jacketed vessels are common in various industries. The surfaces of these vessels can be designed to either heat up or cool down the contents. They may be utilized to remove excess heat generated during a reaction (heat reactor vessel) or decrease the thickness of highly viscous fluids.

Dimple plate jackets, compressive strength and scratchfree inner tank surface walls

Laser-welded pillow plate jackets are primarily utilized as process tank plates, particularly in milk tanks, wine tanks, beer tanks, reactor vessels, and pharmaceutical vessels. They are also commonly used in vessels for warming up and cooling in the food industry or cylinders for solvent recovery. However, when it comes to warming up or maintaining a constant temperature in melting vessels for waxes or fats, double-wall vessels have had issues due to the strength of their jackets.

Our single embossed dimple plates have already been deformed and rolled with 100 bar. They have the advantage of providing compressive strength while also ensuring a smooth and scratch-free interior for the inner tank wall.

Pillow plate jacketed vessels surface and quality benefit

The surface of the vessel has a large dimple jacket which helps control the temperature of the product during various process steps. This design also allows for safe and homogeneous temperature control. By using this method, a separate thermal process stage may not be needed, which can lead to increased productivity and better quality products.

Vessels that are made using laser-welded dimple jackets have less weight due to the reduced use of stainless steel material. This also results in vessels being manufactured at a lower cost while maintaining a high product quality.

Pillow Plate integration into operation

Our process vessels have single embossed dimple jackets that function for both cooling and warming up. These jackets are customizable in terms of material, shape, and size, making them suitable for various industries. Additionally, they can be retrofitted to vessels already existing by rolling them into a cylindrical half-jacket that clamps onto the vessel or by welding them into rings to construct a new pressure vessel.

How to manufacture a dimple jacket?

Inflation and dimple plate profiles

Vessels are constructed using laser-welded panels, without any blown-up profiles. The flow profile of the heat exchange panels will be created after the vessel has been built. The laser welding process does not cause any damage to the later dimple plate vessel or pressure vessel inside. In modern times, surface treatments are unnecessary and various shapes of cuts for pipes can be accommodated. A closed-loop heating system for a vessel with a jacket provides a lot of convenience in batching processes. It is common for certain industries to require a vessel to undergo both heating and cooling in a single process. Utilizing a well-designed jacket with a thermal fluid system is a smooth way to accomplish the necessary temperature changes.

Single embossed pillow plate standard connection version

There are two versions of the embossed dimple plate. The standard version includes a butt-welded tube to the inner metal sheet. The reinforced version includes a crown that is welded to the base metal sheet, and then the tube is welded to the crown. To connect the fluid to the laser-welded dimple jacket, you can use flanges, welding nozzles, or screw pipe connections. It's important to follow the projected flow direction for the heat transfer fluid.

Pillow plate screw connection version

For screw connections, it's necessary to retighten them while the equipment is running after a certain period. The heat exchange plates are not electrically connected and, if the design does not already provide a venting facility for the plates during liquid operation of the laser-welded dimple jacket, one should be arranged above the upper piping. If the design of the plates did not include an oil removal device and the refrigeration process requires it, then one should be installed through the lower pipe for the laser-welded dimple jacket to function properly with refrigerants.

Dimple jacket advantages in comparison to half pipe or double wall manufacturing of process vessels

To build process and bulk vessels, there are three primary options: dimple jackets, double shell, and hilf pipe manufacturing. Laser-welded dimple jacket plates are more efficient and homogenous compared to the double-jacket design or welded-on half-pipe coils that only cover half of the surface. Laser-welded dimple plates occupy the entire surface and require less volume, allowing for thinner tank wall thicknesses.

Therefore, we should not explore the option of double shell any further when comparing prices of the three alternatives, as its wall thickness is too high compared to competitive pricing. In terms of cost, the process of welding a half pipe can be more than twice as expensive as laser-welded dimple jacket execution. The main factors driving up manufacturing costs for half pipes are their thicker walls and longer welding times.

Assembly of Laser-welded dimple jackets

Our laser-welded dimple single embossed jacket heat exchange plates can be delivered either inflated or not inflated. Not inflated means they have not been inflated yet. If you choose to inflate the fluid channels yourself, we can provide assistance with the important steps.

Embossed dimple plates, either single or double, can be used for cylindrical or rectangular vessels. Single plates can be welded into the tank, functioning as the pressure-approved tank wall, and customized to fit complicated tank shapes. Double plates can be clamped onto existing vessels, with improved heat transfer possible through the use of heat transfer cement.