Photo of the Week: Rotary Cooler Flights

This article was co-authored by:

Jenny Seim
Technical Writer

Shane Le Capitaine
Thermal Processing Expert

This week’s photo reveals the flights in a rotary cooler. The flights, also known as fins, are fastened to the interior of the cooler in order to increase heat transfer efficiency.

Flights work by scooping up the material inside the drum and dropping it through a stream of cool, ambient air in a cascading motion as the drum rotates. This creates what is called a “curtain” of material.

In designing an efficient rotary cooler, engineers consider a combination of flight design and pattern inside the drum, as well as material characteristics to create the ideal curtain for efficient heat transfer. The goal here is to let the material fall uniformly through the air stream, and not in one big clump. Thus, flights may be staggered or lined up in a specific way to create the most effective cooling process.

For more information on flights or rotary coolers, contact us today!

About the Authors . . .


Jenny Seim is a technical writer and service specialist.

More About Jenny

Shane Le Capitaine is a Process Sales Engineer and thermal processing and fertilizer production expert.

More About Shane