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Direct steam injection heats a liquid by injecting steam directly into it, where the steam condenses and transfers all of its energy to the liquid. A Pick DSI heater does this inline, inside a compact chamber that mixes the steam and liquid so the steam fully condenses before the liquid leaves the unit.

Indirect heat exchangers, both shell and tube and plate, keep steam and liquid separate and use only the steam's latent heat. DSI uses both latent and sensible heat, so it is more efficient, with fuel savings upwards of 26% to 28% versus indirect exchangers. DSI units are also more compact, respond within seconds to process changes, and hold temperature more accurately.

Sparging can be 30% or more less efficient than DSI, especially at elevated temperatures of roughly 170 to 200°F, where steam bubbles often escape from the top of the tank before giving up their energy. Sparging also gives poorer temperature control and can cause damaging steam hammer and vibration.

With an electronic temperature controller, plus or minus 1°C. A pneumatic controller may not achieve quite that tight a tolerance, which is why many plants are moving to electronic controls.

DSI works best with medium- to high-pressure steam, typically 50 to 300 psi. It can operate at roughly 15 to 20 psi at the very low end, but low-pressure steam applications are often better suited to indirect heat exchangers.

Steam can only be injected if its pressure is higher than the liquid pressure. Pick recommends a differential of 20 psi or more because the steam control valve regulates steam upstream of the heater and there is a slight internal pressure drop of about 10 psi in the injector. For example, 100 psi steam and 50 psi water gives a 50 psi differential, which is ideal.

Yes, if the boiler chemicals are FDA or USDA approved. In food applications, the boiler chemicals must meet those approvals, and the hot water leaving the heater is then still considered potable.

Yes. Steam condenses directly into the liquid, which adds a small amount of water. For oils, certain food products, and some chemicals or pharmaceuticals that cannot be diluted, DSI is not a good choice. A closed-loop system, in which hot water heats the product through a plate heat exchanger or jacket, can solve the problem.

No. Because the condensate becomes part of the heated water, it is consumed in the process, and you will need a slight amount of additional makeup water at the boiler.

Turndown is the ratio between maximum and minimum steam flow a heater can handle accurately. Pick Heaters offer the widest operating range of any steam injector on the market: about 12:1 with a single steam control valve and up to 100:1 with dual steam control valves piped in parallel.

Normal sound levels are 85 dBA or lower. Pick Heaters break steam into fine bubbles through hundreds or thousands of small orifices, which is far quieter than venturi or choke-flow heaters that rely on a high pressure drop.

Choose a constant demand heater when flow is steady or varies only slightly. Choose a variable demand heater for wide or frequently cycling flows, such as tank filling or hose stations. Choose a sanitary SC jet cooker design for cooking or heating food-grade liquids and slurries, or a BX slurry and mash heater for starch cooking and viscous slurries. For very large flows, very high pressures, or exotic materials, Pick builds specialty fabricated designs.

Yes. Pick builds custom-engineered packaged process heating systems on compact skids or modules, built to your piping requirements and specifications. Where steam injection isn't allowed, Pick Custom Design (PCD) can supply systems using shell and tube heat exchangers, plate heat exchangers, or electric heaters.

No. Pick steam injection heaters are sold strictly for industrial process applications where steam is available.

Fill out an application data sheet with your process conditions. Pick's sales reps or factory engineers will size and recommend the right heater based on that information or call our office at 262-338-1191.