Dimple Jacket Engineering Services: Efficient Solutions for Temperature Control

What Are Dimple Jackets?

Precise temperature control is indispensable in industrial processes to ensure product quality, energy efficiency in terms of maximum savings, and operational safety. Dimple jackets, also known as pillow plate jackets, are state-of-the-art solutions for thermal management and are widely used in sectors such as food processing, pharmaceutical, chemical plant engineering, and energy technology. These plate jackets guarantee uniform heat transfer, robust performance, and cost-efficient operation.

What Is a Dimple Jacket?

Definition and Operating Principle

A dimple jacket is made of two stainless steel sheets that are welded together at defined points or lines. The sheets are then hydraulically or pneumatically inflated, creating flow channels for heating or cooling media, such as water, glycol, steam, thermal oil, or refrigerants. This design ensures efficient and uniform heat transfer across the entire vessel surface.

Materials and Surface Treatments

Before deployment in demanding industrial environments, dimple jackets are manufactured from carefully selected materials and further refined to meet specific hygiene and process requirements. Various materials and surface finishes are used to achieve optimal results with respect to durability, stability, and cleanability:

Materials: Commonly used grades are AISI 304 and AISI 316L stainless steels; titanium is available for special applications.
Surface Treatments: Options include pickling, polishing, or grinding – selected based on stringent hygiene requirements, particularly in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
Media Compatibility: Suitable for water, glycol, steam, thermal oil, and various refrigerants, supporting a wide range of process requirements.

Key Advantages and Benefits of Dimple Jacket Technology

Dimple jacket technology offers a variety of advantages that directly impact efficiency, safety, and economic viability in industrial processes. The most important benefits include:

Uniform temperature distribution across the full surface of tanks or vessels – for optimal product quality and process safety.
High heat transfer coefficients with minimal pressure drop – for faster heating/cooling cycles and reduced energy consumption.
Reduced material and media usage.
High pressure resistance (tested up to 100 bar).
Easy cleaning and maintenance; compatible with CIP (Clean-In-Place) systems.
Long service life and low overall lifecycle cost.
Energy-saving through efficient use of heating/cooling media and minimized thermal losses.

Types of Dimple Jackets

To cater to various industrial requirements, dimple jackets have been developed in several configurations that can be custom-tailored in design, shape, and mounting method depending on application needs. The available versions offer unique benefits for a range of uses.

Weld-In Jackets

Integrated during tank manufacturing.
The base sheet provides structural support, while the embossed upper sheet delivers optimal heat transfer.
Suitable for cylindrical, conical, and curved tank sections.

Clamp-On Jackets

Retrofitting by means of clamps, bolts, or tension straps.
Use of thermal paste (e.g., BUCOmastic) is possible to boost performance.
Ideal for upgrading existing tanks and vessels.

Manufacturing and Quality Assurance

CNC-controlled laser welding guarantees precise and individually adjustable weld patterns for optimal flow and heat transfer.
After inflation, plates are inspected and processed to ensure quality and performance.
Rigorous testing and certification according to international standards (PED, ASME, TR CU, TÜV) ensure reliability and global applicability.

Flexible Applications

Adaptable shapes: rectangular, round, conical, or segmented—to fit various industrial containers and processes.
Broad application spectrum: tank heating, ice storage, reactor cooling, battery management, and much more.
Industries served: food, pharmaceutical, chemical, energy, e-mobility, and environmental technology.

Technical Consulting and Project Support

Professional review of construction drawings and process data to guarantee optimal system design.
Tailor-made solutions: channel routing, flow optimization, and media selection for maximum efficiency.
Long-term support: continuous performance optimization and system updates.

Dimple Jackets – Technical Overview

To provide a rapid overview of the key technical features, the following specifications are particularly relevant for planning, design, and operation of a dimple jacket:

Feature	Specification / Details
Maximum dimensions	Up to 14,000 × 2,000 mm
Wall thickness	0.8 – 3 mm (double layer); up to 12 mm (single layer)
Operating pressure	Up to 50 bar (single-sided plates tested up to 100 bar)
Integration options	Welded or clamped (Clamp-On)
Certifications	PED, ASME, TR CU, TÜV
Surface treatments	Pickled, polished, ground; CIP-compatible, accessible, polishable
Media compatibility	Water, glycol, steam, thermal oil, refrigerants
Industries	Food, pharmacy, chemical, energy, e-mobility, environmental technology

Single Embossed Dimple Plates for Process tank cooling

Double Embossed Clamp-on Pillow Plates.mp4

Advantages of single embossed dimple plates

Any design possible according to application criteria or demand.
Any welding contour of the pillow plate is freely programmable
High heat transfer coefficient with low pressure drop
No surface damage on the inside of the tank due to the laser-welding process.

Double Embossed Clamp on Pillow Plates for Process tank cooling

Single Embossed Pillow Plates one side flat for Process tank ccoling

Advantages of double embossed dimple plates

Possibilities of using an external clamp-on plate on an existing tank, which is not welded in. The mounting on the existing tank is done by means of screw connections or tension straps, as well as

Any kind of welding free programmable. Cut-outs for pipes, legs. etc.
Attractive investment costs of a pillow plate due to thin-walled plates and an automated laser welding process

Photos & examples

The image shows a process tank with a dimple plate jacket featuring evenly spaced dimples for efficient heating or cooling.

Dimple-Plate-Jacket-Process Tank

The image shows a square process tank featuring a dimple plate jacket design for efficient temperature control.

Dimple Plate Jacket design of a square process tank

The image shows a half-cylinder clamp-on plate featuring precision cut-outs for secure mounting on existing tank structures.

Half cylinder clamp-on plate with cut-outs for mounting on existing tank

The image shows a clamp-on half-cylinder plate designed specifically for use on process tanks.

Half cylinder clamp-on plate for process tanks

The image shows a tank with a dimple plate jacket featuring an inner pillow design for improved thermal performance.

Dimple Plate Jacket Tank with inner pillow design

The image shows two half-cylinder metal plates with lock clamps mounted on a standardized tank, designed for quick and flexible attachment.

Half cylinder plates with lock clamps for flexible use on standardized tanks

We have always assimilated engineering science and thermodynamics optimally in the various manufacturing processes.

Thermodynamicists,mechanical engineers and welding engineers define the dimensioning, design and construction of customised heat exchanger panels and systems in materials ranging from mild and austenitic steels through to titanium, and ensure successful distribution of their work worldwide.

In doing so they fall back on production engineering expertise and calculations developed in the course of the past hundred years that are still being continuously optimised in an ongoing process.

In the perception of our customers, the Buco product stands for:

Technical and process-oriented consulting
Thermodynamic efficiency
Quality and longevity