BuzzWord
What is a Temperature Control Unit?
Lisa Calovini 
July 20, 2023
What exactly is a Temperature Control Unit, or TCU, and what does it do?
A temperature control unit or “TCU” is exactly what the name implies: a device that is used to regulate the temperature.
In the simplest terms, a TCU removes or adds heat to a process. A Temperature Control Unit works by circulating a fluid through the processing equipment to either heat or cool the process media, such as air, water, or oil, to meet a specific temperature set-point.
Instead of letting a medium heat or cool naturally, the process of actively removing or adding heat leads to higher productivity for faster processing times, a larger range of achievable temperatures, better consistency of the end product by using precise temperatures, and reduction of waste.
All of that translates into a better bottom line. Budzar Temperature Control Unit’s are used daily in a variety of applications across every manufacturing industry.
Typical TCUs are comprised of 5 main components.
Although these vary in size and configuration, the principal function remains the same.
The heart (1st component) of the Temperature Control Unit is the pump which provides pressurized fluid flow thru the process loop. Examples of some commonly used pumps are centrifugal pumps and positive displacement pumps.
The 2nd component is the Heater. Examples of commonly used heaters are electric, steam, or direct injection of hot fluid.
The 3rd component of the TCU is the Cooler which may be a closed loop with a heat exchanger or again direct injection with cold fluid. Examples of commonly used heat exchangers are shell & tube, brazed plate, and plate & frame exchangers.
To meter utility fluid thru the exchanger a control valve is used. The control valve can be an on/off solenoid, or for more precise control, a modulating valve, which can open to a certain percentage based on an analog signal from the controller.
The controller uses a thermocouple or RTD to measure the process temperature of the liquid and modulates the heater and control valve(s) based on the difference between the setpoint and measured process temperature.
There are three (3) different TCU System configurations in total, and two (2) methods of Temperature Control Unit heating.
Closed Loop Cooling –In this configuration the heat exchanger alone is used to cool the process water, with no direct interaction or mixing of the heat transfer fluid and the process medium. The system stays clean and both water consumption and maintenance are reduced.
Direct Injection Cooling is when the fluid from your cold-water source is mixed directly into the process loop. When the cooling valve is opened, the warm fluid from the process loop escapes the system and goes directly to a drain or to a return line back to the cooling source.
Double Injection Heating and Cooling utilizes hot and cold plant utility fluid and a 3-way valve to modulate process temperature.
As the experts in custom process temperature control, Budzar Industries has developed a comprehensive line of core process heating and cooling equipment that includes everything from small portable hot oil units, to large central chiller systems, to towers, tank sets and other ancillary equipment including glycol feed systems and pump heat exchanger packages. There is no request too small or too large for our sales, engineering, manufacturing, or customer service team to deliver.
Budzar Industries has the capability and experience to design, engineer, and manufacture a Temperature Control Unit (TCU) to your exact requirements. Our sales team can help you determine the best chiller or chiller system for your process.
Need information specific to your requirements? One of our sales managers can help you. It’s easy, contact our team today.
