At what temperatures can plate heat exchangers achieve instant sterilization?

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Plate heat exchangers are generally used for high-temperature, short-duration pasteurization (72–75°C, 15 seconds). After pasteurization using a plate heat exchanger, pathogenic and harmful bacteria are killed, and some enzymes are inactivated; the product must be stored under refrigerated conditions. Tubular heat exchangers are generally used for ultra-high temperature instantaneous sterilization. In plate heat exchangers, the heating and cooling fluids flow in the gap formed between two stainless steel plates; since the gap between the plates is very small, usually only 3.5–4 mm, the fluids can reach high flow velocities when flowing through this gap. Moreover, the heat transfer plates have ridged and corrugated patterns stamped on them, which force the fluid to constantly change direction, resulting in intense turbulence that disrupts the stagnant layer and reduces thermal resistance. This condition not only enables the fluid to be distributed evenly between the plates but also results in a higher heat transfer coefficient; therefore, for achieving the same amount of heat transfer, the plate heat exchanger is the most economical option.