Cooling systems
All UV systems produce excess heat which must be efficiently removed to ensure uniform, stable & long-term output of the ultraviolet radiation. GEW utilises air, water and/or nitrogen cooling across the wide variety of products. All cooling systems are rigorously designed and tested internally by GEW to ensure perfect compatibility with your UV system.
Air-cooling systems typically consist of a central fan connected to a rigid steel ducting manifold which runs the length of the press. Outlets at regular spacing are connected to the lamps via flexible ducting and an automatic damper valve controls the volume of air passing through the lamphead, ensuring it remains at constant temperature. The central fan is ducted to atmosphere outside the factory.
Water cooling systems, like LeoLED and E4C, typically consist of a central air-cooled chiller with a water manifold mounted close by. Flow and return hoses run to each lamphead with flow indicators and monitoring on each channel.
GEW’s experienced team of engineers will specify and engineer a solution to fit the specific project needs and can, if required, handle extremely complicated cooling systems. We have a wide range of cooling systems available and all are supported by our global network of service partners.
GEW’s cooling options
Air Blast Cooler
The GEW Air Blast Cooler is a simple, low-energy, closed loop system that features an air-cooled heat exchanger that uses ambient air to remove heat. It provides efficient, low maintenance cooling without water loss, contamination risk and avoids the use of regulated refrigerants (F gases), which face new EU restrictions in Europe from January 1, 2027.
Air Blast Coolers are specified to suit the GEW UV system and can be configured in tandem, to provide cooling capacity at 20kW, 38kW or 56kW. They are standalone refrigeration units that can be ducted to atmosphere by the customer, if required. The master unit consists of an axial fan, heat exchanger, filter, pump, expansion vessel, fill tank and control cabinet. Slave units consist of an axial fan, heat exchanger and filter.
Air Blast Coolers typically consume around 50% less energy than chillers because they eliminate the need for compressors.
Chiller
GEW chillers operate using a closed-loop liquid refrigeration circuit that continuously cycles a coolant (usually water or a water-glycol mixture) between the chiller unit and the UV lampheads.
The chiller is connected to a water manifold located close to the printing press. High-pressure pumps drive chilled water through dedicated flow and return hoses directly into channels built inside the UV lampheads or the backing plates of the LED modules.
As the cool liquid passes through the lamphead, it absorbs the ambient heat generated. By transferring the heat from the metal components into the liquid, the internal temperature of the curing system remains regulated.
The now-warmed water flows back into the central air-cooled chiller unit. Here, it passes through an internal heat exchanger (evaporator) where a refrigeration cycle transfers the heat out of the water. Internal fans exhaust this pulled heat away into the atmosphere, re-cooling the liquid so it can be pumped back to the press.
Water-to-Water Heat Exchange
The GEW water-to-water heat exchanger provides a means to cool UV lampheads and any associated water-cooled heat-sinks and rollers. Cooling water is circulated around a closed, pressurised system and any heat generated by the UV system is transferred out via a water-to-water heat exchanger to the customer’s own in-house cooling system. Hence, the water within the two circuits remains separate; the in-house system referred to as the “primary circuit” and the GEW side as the “secondary circuit”.
Specification table
| Air Blast Cooler | Water-to-water Heat Exchange | Chiller | ||||||||
| Model 1 | Model 2 | Model 3 | Model 1 | Model 2 | Model 1 | Model 2 | Model 3 | Model 4 | Model 5 | |
| Cooling capacity | 20kW | 38kW | 56kW | 50kW | 120kW | 5.3kW | 9.8kW | 18.4kW | 31.9kW | 70kW |
| Physical dimensions W x D x H (mm) | 743 x 1138 x 1360 | 1486 x 1138 x 1360 | 2229 x 1138 x 1360 | 1082 x 712 x 1060 | 1082 x 712 x 1060 | 640 x 640 x 635 | 715 x 945 x 1490 | 715 x 945 x 1490 | 715 x 945 x 1490 | 1040 x 1435 x 1890 |
| Modular configuations | Master unit | Master unit + slave unit | Master unit + 2 slave units | N/A | N/A | |||||
| Ambient temperature | ≤ 35°C | ≤ 40°C | -15°C ≥ x ≤ 40°C* | |||||||
| Control method | Thermostat fan control | Modulating valve | Condenser fan control | |||||||
| Nominal water flow rate | 114 l/min | 100 l/min | 200 l/min | 13.8 l/min | 43 l/min | 80 l/min | 100 l/min | 196 l/min | ||
| Fan volume flow rate (continued running) | 8500m3 /h | 17000m3 /h | 25500m3 /h | N/A | 2400m3/h | 7000m3/h | 7000m3/h | 9000m3/h | 19,000m3/h | |
Cooling system examples
Speak directly to a sales representative
If you would like to know more, or discuss your requirements, we are here to help. Please contact the sales representative that is best placed for your region.
Region, Americas:
Jennifer Heathcote
Vice President, Business Development
Email Jennifer directly
Region, International:
Marcus Greenbrook
Director, International Sales
Email Marcus directly
