Having developed and patented a unique direct steam injection (DSI) system in 1945, Pick Heaters has more than 15,000 installations in the food, chemical, pulp and paper, power, oil and gas, biomass, biodiesel and other industries, remaining an industry leader by continuously refining and innovating its DSI products.Pick offers a range of DSI heater models, the fit depending on application needs. For example, a Pick BX Steam Injection Heater offers precise heating of starch and water-miscible slurries. “It’s a great choice for viscous slurries like wastewater heating, waste grease, fats, oils and grease (FOG) sludge or oil extraction,” explains Mark Brueggemann, president of Pick. “We will fabricate steam injection heaters for special materials of construction or for pipe size outside the norm—we have the engineering and manufacturing skills to meet a customer’s exact requirements and specifications.”As for how they work, DSI heaters can be used wherever medium- to high-pressure steam is available and an unlimited supply of industrial hot water is needed, or to heat liquids or slurries in-line. “The Pick System injects steam into the liquid through hundreds of small orifices across a steam injection tube,” Brueggemann explains. “A fine mist of steam is instantly absorbed by the liquid, resulting in 100% heat transfer with all steam condensed within the heater body. A unique spring-loaded piston rises or falls as more or less steam is required. This prevents pressure equalization between steam and water pressure, thus eliminating steam hammer. Helical flights in the chamber promote thorough mixing prior to discharge.”Advantages include but are not limited to energy efficiency (savings of up to 28% in fuel costs), exceptional temperature control (plus or minus one degree Celsius), a wide operating range, no steam hammer, low noise, compact design and low maintenance costs.As for what differentiates Pick from competitor systems, Brueggemann points to the steam mixing chamber and internal injection tube of the Pick System as being the key performance features. “The injection tube smoothly injects steam into the process flow,” he says. “It eliminates shock, hammer, noise and vibration. The heater body is designed around low velocity mixing action, providing negligible liquid side pressure drop, low sound level and no downstream piping requirements for condensing of steam.”As for the most active segments in the bioenergy industry, biogas and biodiesel are frontrunners. Brueggemann says Picks systems are commonly used in animal waste operations, particularly in the manure-to-fuel sector. “Introducing heat to the process enhances the breakdown and conversion for the production of biogas,” he explains. “Equally prevalent has been separation of FOG in waste treatment. Adding heat to this process maximizes the separation of these byproducts, resulting in not only savings in waste treatment costs but also providing a valuable source of added revenue.”Brueggemann emphasizes the company’s goal of providing systems that are engineered to each unique application. “Off-the-shelf equipment only works if the customer’s process exactly fits with the supplier’s model,” he adds. “With industrial equipment, it’s not like selling shoes. At Pick, we gather all the facts, the application conditions to select and size the equipment, as well as an understanding of the complete process. This approach offers the best chance for success.”

2024-06-03 - SPOTLIGHT | Choosing Pick Steam Injection (Biodiesel Magazine)

Having developed and patented a unique direct steam injection (DSI) system in 1945, Pick Heaters has more than 15,000 installations in the food, chemical, pulp and paper, power, oil and gas, biomass, biodiesel and other industries.

SPOTLIGHT | Choosing Pick Steam Injection

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Upcoming Events

North American SAF Conference & Expo

2026 International Biomass Conference & Expo

SPOTLIGHT | Choosing Pick Steam Injection