Coolers in Feed Mills

When pellets leave the feed pellet mill they are hot and moist, so they need to be cooled before moving on to the next stage.

This is where the feed cooler comes in. It draws heat and moisture out of the pellets after pelleting, which helps preserve their cohesion and quality during storage.

What Does a Feed Cooler Do?

The cooler's main function is to cool the feed pellets after they leave the pellet mill and draw excess heat and moisture out of them.

Pellets leaving the pellet mill are hot, and if they are handled or stored before they have cooled properly, they may cake and lose their cohesion.

The cooler is therefore an important stage in the feed production line.

Where Does the Cooler Sit in the Production Line?

The cooler comes directly after the pellet mill. When producing crumbled feed, the line order is, in simple terms:

Pellet Mill → Cooler → Crumbler → Screener → Packing

When producing whole pellets:

Pellet Mill → Cooler → Screener → Packing

How Does a Feed Cooler Work?

The hot pellets enter the cooler chamber, and air is drawn through them by the blower.

The air passes through the layer of pellets and helps draw heat and moisture out of them, and the pellets then leave at a temperature suitable for the next stage.

The cooler system relies on the movement of the pellets inside the cooling chamber, followed by discharge through the moving discharge mat located at the bottom of the chamber.

What Are the Components of Adham Coolers?

The Adham cooler unit consists of:

• A cooler chamber.
  
• A cyclone.
  
• A blower.
  
• 2 airlocks.
  
• A moving discharge mat.
  
• An Italian piston to move the mat.
  

These parts work together to complete the cooling and discharge process properly.

What Does the Blower Do?

The blower is responsible for drawing air through the layer of pellets inside the cooler.

The passage of air helps draw heat and moisture out of the pellets, so the blower is an essential part of the cooling unit.

What Does the Cyclone Do?

While air is being drawn through, it can carry some dust and fine material with it.

The cyclone separates this material from the air before it leaves the cooling system.

What Does the Airlock Do?

The Adham cooler unit has 2 airlocks.

The airlock is used to handle the material that is separated inside the cooling system while maintaining the air suction within the system.

What Does the Mat Do?

The mat at the bottom of the cooler chamber is responsible for discharging the pellets once cooling is complete. The mat is moved by an Italian piston.

It is important to note that the cooler chamber itself has no motor for movement; the movement is in the mat located at the bottom of the chamber.

Why Is Feed Cooled After Pelleting?

Because pellets leaving the pellet mill are hot and moist. Cooling helps to:

• Lower the temperature of the pellets.
• Draw out part of the moisture.
• Preserve the cohesion of the pellets.
• Prepare the pellets for the next stage.
• Reduce the chance of the pellets caking during storage.

This is why hot pellets are not treated as the final product ready for storage right away.

What Happens After the Cooler?

That depends on the type of product.

If crumbled feed is required, the pellets move after cooling to the crumbler, then to the screener. If whole pellets are required, they can move from the cooler to the screener and then to packing.

Does the Cooler Need a Motor on the Cooler Chamber?

No.

In Adham coolers, there is no motor on the cooler chamber itself. Discharge movement is carried out through the mat at the bottom of the chamber, which is moved by an Italian piston.

What Sizes of Adham Coolers Are Available?

Adham coolers are available in four sizes:

• 100 × 100 cm — for lines of about 1.5 tons/hour.
• 120 × 120 cm — for lines of about 3 tons/hour.
• 160 × 160 cm — for lines of 5 to 7 tons/hour.
• 200 × 200 cm — for lines of 10 to 15 tons/hour.

The suitable line capacity varies depending on the type of feed and the operating conditions, so the size is chosen according to the line's capacity.

How Do You Choose the Cooler Size?

Choosing the cooler depends mainly on the capacity of the production line.

The higher the required production capacity, the larger the cooler the line needs for the amount of pellets passing through it. The line's output must therefore be known before choosing the cooler size.

Why Do Cooler Sizes Differ?

Because feed production lines differ in capacity.

A cooler suited to a small line is not necessarily suited to a larger production line, so different sizes are available to match different capacities.

What Are the Signs of a Cooling Problem?

Some signs call for inspecting the cooling system, such as:

• Pellets coming out clearly hot.
• Uneven cooling.
• Increased moisture in the product.
• Pellets caking during storage.
• Weak movement of the mat.
• A problem with the air suction.
• A build-up of fines inside the cooling system.

When a problem appears, the cooler, blower, cyclone, mat, and discharge system should be inspected.

Feed Cooler Maintenance

To keep the cooler efficient, its components should be monitored regularly, including:

• The cooler chamber.
• The blower.
• The cyclone.
• The airlocks.
• The mat.
• The piston.
• Mounting points.
• Moving parts.
• Air paths.

Areas where fines and dust collect should also be cleaned.

What Happens If the Pellets Are Not Cooled Properly?

If the pellets come out still hot or with high moisture, storage quality may suffer and the pellets may cake inside the bags.

Cooling is therefore an essential step in getting a more stable product before storage or before moving to the crumbling and packing stage.

The Feed Cooler and Crumbled Feed

In crumbled feed production, the pellets are not crumbled directly after leaving the pellet mill. They first go through cooling, then move to the crumbler.

After crumbling they pass over the screener, where fines and off-spec pieces are separated before packing. The flow is therefore:

Pellet Mill → Cooler → Crumbler → Screener → Final Product

Frequently Asked Questions About Feed Coolers

What does a feed cooler do?

It cools feed pellets after pelleting and draws heat and moisture out of them before they move to the next stage.

Where is the cooler placed?

It is placed directly after the pellet mill.

Is the cooler used before the crumbler?

Yes, in a crumbled feed production line the cooling stage comes before crumbling.

What are the components of Adham coolers?

A cooler chamber, a cyclone, a blower, 2 airlocks, and a discharge mat operated by an Italian piston.

Is there a motor on the cooler chamber?

No, discharge movement is carried out through the mat at the bottom of the chamber by an Italian piston.

What sizes do Adham coolers come in?

100×100, 120×120, 160×160, and 200×200 cm, covering lines from about 1.5 to 15 tons per hour depending on the size.

Does the cooler preserve pellet cohesion?

Yes, cooling the pellets and drawing heat and moisture out of them helps preserve their cohesion before storage.

Conclusion

The feed cooler is the stage that comes after the pellet mill to cool the pellets and draw heat and moisture out of them before they move to the next stage.

The Adham cooler unit consists of: cooler chamber + blower + cyclone + 2 airlocks + discharge mat + Italian piston.

In crumbled feed production:

Pellet Mill → Cooler → Crumbler → Screener → Packing

For whole pellets:

Pellet Mill → Cooler → Screener → Packing

Adham coolers are available in four sizes to suit different production lines, from about 1.5 tons/hour to 15 tons/hour.