Mass Cooling Tunnel
CAN COOLER
Post-fill cooling tunnel | hot fill can cooler | temperature reduction for beverage packaging lines
The CODI Tunnel Cooler is a controlled water spray system that reduces container temperature after hot filling, before labeling and downstream handling. Moving hot cans directly to pack-out risks flavor degradation, label failure, and handling problems. It cools gently to protect product integrity and support consistent label adhesion. Single-lane or mass entry, dual-lane exit to prevent jams. Water recirculation and CIP capable, compatible with all can sizes, in a compact footprint that fits into existing lines.
The CODI Tunnel Cooler is a controlled water spray system that reduces container temperature after hot filling, before labeling and downstream handling. Moving hot cans directly to pack-out risks flavor degradation, label failure, and handling problems. It cools gently to protect product integrity and support consistent label adhesion. Single-lane or mass entry, dual-lane exit to prevent jams. Water recirculation and CIP capable, compatible with all can sizes, in a compact footprint that fits into existing lines.
PRODUCT FEATURES
Controlled Cool-Down for Hot Fill Lines
Rapid uncontrolled cooling stresses containers and can affect carbonation and flavor. Staged water spray brings temperature down at a controlled rate to protect product quality.
Energy-Efficient Thermal Design
Integrated heat exchanger recirculates water to reduce energy consumption. CIP capable for quick cleaning without teardown.
Compact and Retrofittable
Fits into existing lines without major reconfiguration. Available in 5x5' and 5x15' configurations.
Manufacturing Excellence
30+ years manufacturing precision equipment
Built in-house in our Littleton, Colorado facility
PRODUCT INFORMATION
10 or 25 sq.ft. configurations
all can or bottle sizes
Great for Hot Fills
Dimensions & Weight
L: 48" (1219 mm)
W: 31" (787 mm)
H: 61" (1550 mm)
Weight: ~325 lbs (147 kg)
Performance
25-100CPM
Utilities
Air: 1 CFM @ 110 PSI
Voltage
208-240V / 3PH
208-240V / 1PH
380-500V / 3PH
Certification
UL
CSA Compliant
CE Compliant
Cooling Method
Specify
Temperature Conditioning
Designed to bring hotfilled packaged products to a controlled temperature for downstream handling and distribution.
Cools hot-filled containers to target temperature
Stabilizes product prior to labeling, packing, and palletizing
Maintains consistent temperature across all containers
Zoned Cooling Control
Design enables gradual, controlled cooling to protect product and packaging.
Progressive cooling zones reduce thermal shock
Configurable stages for pre-cooling and final cooling
Controlled temperature transitions preserve product quality
Spray Cooling System
Water-based cooling delivers efficient and uniform heat removal.
High-coverage spray nozzles ensure consistent cooling across all containers
Recirculated water system improves efficiency
Even distribution prevents hot spots and uneven cooling
Throughput & Continuous Operation
Built to match modern canning line speeds without disrupting flow.
Continuous conveyorized operation
Scales with line speed and production requirements
Maintains consistent cooling at high throughput
Container Handling
Handles a range of container types while maintaining stability through the cooling process.
Compatible with aluminum cans, glass bottles, and PET
Gentle conveyance minimizes product disturbance
Supports multiple container formats on a single system
Line Integration
Designed to integrate seamlessly into existing beverage packaging lines.
Positioned after filling or pasteurization and before packaging
Supports consistent downstream labeling and packing performance
Construction & Durability
Built for long-term performance in beverage production environments.
Stainless steel construction for washdown conditions
Designed for continuous industrial operation
The CTP-15S is a space-efficient 6-zone tunnel pasteurizer featuring a 15-foot spray section designed to deliver reliable shelf stability for lower-speed, artisan canning lines.
Throughput Range: 20 – 50 CPM (Containers Per Minute)
Physical Footprint: 5' Wide x 20' Long Overall (15ft spray section)
Zone Profile: 6 thermal zones (2 warming, 2 holding, 2 cooling)
Available with instant hot water heaters
CTP-15S
CTP-15S
Compact 6-zone tunnel pasteurizer designed for smaller operations or those with space constraints.
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The CTP-20S is a highly versatile 8-zone tunnel pasteurizer featuring a 20-foot spray section, perfect for expanding producers requiring precise PU control and thermal efficiency.
Throughput Range: 50 – 100 CPM
Physical Footprint: 5' Wide x 25' Long Overall (20ft spray section)
Zone Profile: 8 thermal zones for precise temperature transitions
Available with instant hot water heaters and regeneration
CTP-20S
CTP-20S
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Mid-range tunnel pasteurizer for growing food & beverage operations. (shown with Instant Hot Water Heaters)
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The CTP-35S is a 7-zone pasteurizer engineered for medium-to-high speed lines.
Throughput Range: 150 – 300 Containers Per Minute
Physical Footprint: 5' Wide x 40' Long Overall (35ft spray section)
Thermal Design: 7 independent zones with central thermal recovery
Available with instant hot water heaters and regeneration
CTP-35S
CTP-35S
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High-efficiency 7-zone pasteurizer designed for mid-to-high speed beverage packaging lines.
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The CTP-40S is a heavy-duty industrial tunnel pasteurizer with a 40-foot treatment section built to sustain high-volume packaging lines with continuous, multi-shift operations.
Throughput Range: 150 – 300 Containers Per Minute
Physical Footprint: 5' Wide x 45' Long Overall (40ft spray section)
Feature Integration: Heavy-duty, high-flow spray nozzles and industrial pumps
Available with instant hot water heaters and regeneration
CTP-40S
CTP-40S
High-capacity 8-zone pasteurizer engineered for continuous, high-speed industrial canning.
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The CTP-50S is CODI's high throughput tunnel pasteurizer, featuring a 50-foot spray section and 10 thermal zones for products requiring maximized hold times and continuous throughput.
Throughput Range: 200 – 600+ Containers Per Minute
Physical Footprint: 5' Wide x 55' Long Overall (50ft spray section)
Advanced Features: Fully CIP-capable, open-frame design with 10 high-flow pumps
Available with instant hot water heaters and regeneration
CTP-50S
CTP-50S
Large-scale 10-zone pasteurizer built for maximum hold times on high-volume production lines.
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TUNNEL PASTEURIZATION MODELS
With nearly every tunnel pasteurizer we sell, customers ask the same question: "how do we integrate it into the rest of the packaging line?"
An advantage of working with CODI is that we have built our own conveyance systems since 1992. We don't resell conveyors from another manufacturer. We design and build them in our own shop.
That means when you order a tunnel pasteurizer from CODI, we can integrate it into your existing line or design a complete packaging line from the ground up.
You send a sketch of your floor. You tell us what the line needs to produce. We come back with a complete layout, including conveyance and how every piece integrates. From there you decide how much of it you want us to build. One machine, a section, or the whole line.
HOW TO INTEGRATE A PASTEURIZER INTO YOUR LINE
Tunnel Pasteruization basics
Tunnel pasteurization is a continuous thermal process applied after the container is filled and sealed. Containers ride a belt through a series of temperature-controlled zones while water sprays over them from overhead nozzles, raising product temperature, holding it, and then bringing it back down before discharge.
The sequence is always the same four stages: preheat, heat, hold, cool. What changes from one application to the next is how long the product spends in each stage and how hot it gets. Because the package is already sealed, the process treats the beverage and the container together, and the product is microbiologically stable by the time it reaches labeling and packing.
Thermal processing is measured in Pasteurization Units. One PU equals holding product at 60°C for one minute.
The relationship between time and temperature is exponential, not linear:
PU = t × 1.393^(T − 60)
That exponent is why PU is the control variable instead of temperature alone. A small increase in temperature sharply reduces the dwell time required to reach the same PU, which means the same thermal result can be achieved by a short hot tunnel or a longer, gentler one. It also means PU stays accurate when line speed, ambient conditions, or incoming product temperature shift, where a fixed temperature setpoint would not.
Here is an example of CODI's calculations for a pasteurization curve:
Target PU depends on the beverage itself: formulation, pH, alcohol content, microbial risk, and the shelf life you need. That number is established by the producer working with a qualified process authority, not by the equipment manufacturer. The AFDO Directory is a good starting point for locating one.
Each zone has its own basin, recirculation pump, and spray headers. Water is drawn from the basin, brought to the zone's setpoint, sprayed over the containers passing beneath, and drained back to recirculate.
Zone temperatures are controlled independently, which is what makes a programmed curve possible. One zone might sit at 100°F while the next holds 145°F and a third runs cool water. Belt speed sets how long a container spends under each one, so dwell time and temperature are set separately.
Water routing is a separate question from temperature control. A standalone zone recirculates through its own basin. A regenerative pair does not: the preheat zone and its matched cooling zone share a water loop, so water that gives up heat to incoming containers is the same water that later absorbs heat from containers on the way out. The two zones still hold different temperatures and are still controlled separately.
More zones mean finer control over the shape of the curve. Gradual transitions matter for glass, which will fracture under sharp thermal change, and for carbonated product, where rapid heating drives internal package pressure.
A tunnel without regeneration spends energy twice: once heating containers on the way in, and again removing that heat on the way out.
Regenerative zones connect the two. Water that has picked up heat from containers in the cooling section is routed forward to the preheat section, where it warms containers entering the tunnel. The heat moves from where it is a problem to where it is useful, and the tunnel supplies only the difference.
The result is lower demand on both the heating utility and the cooling utility at the same time. On a line running continuously, that recovery is the largest single lever on operating cost the tunnel design offers. Regeneration also flattens the temperature curve, which is easier on glass and on carbonated product.
Beverages can be pasteurized before filling, by running product through a heat exchanger on the way to the filler. That approach is faster and uses less floor space, but it only treats the liquid. Anything introduced during filling and seaming, from the container, the lid, or the fill environment, arrives in the sealed package untreated.
Tunnel pasteurization treats the finished package. Whatever is inside when the container is sealed receives the full thermal process, which is why it is the standard approach where post-fill contamination is the primary shelf life risk. It is also why the tunnel sits downstream of the seamer rather than upstream of the filler.
The tradeoff is footprint and dwell time. A tunnel is a large machine and product moves through it slowly compared to line speed elsewhere, which is why accumulation upstream and downstream of the tunnel is part of designing the line around it.
The paired piping visible here is the regeneration loop, carrying heat from the cooling zones forward to preheat incoming containers. It recovers up to 70% of thermal energy.
FAQ
What is the primary purpose of the CODI Mass Cooling Tunnel?
It rapidly cools hot-filled beverages (such as craft teas, juices, and specialty drinks) down to safe ambient temperatures. This arrests thermal processing to protect delicate flavor profiles, prevents over-pasteurization, and stabilizes internal container pressure prior to secondary packaging.
What container types and line speeds can the Cooling Tunnel handle?
The system accommodates aluminum cans, glass bottles, and PET containers across scalable line speeds from 50 to 600+ CPM. Modular processing zones allow the footprint and dwell time to be customized to your exact container dimensions and thermal discharge requirements.
How does the multi-zone cooling distribution work?
Containers travel across a heavy-duty mass-conveyance belt while precision overhead spray manifolds deliver a controlled water shower. Gradual temperature reduction across isolated zones prevents thermal shock in glass containers while maximizing energy and water efficiency.
Can the cooling tunnel be integrated into an existing hot-fill line?
Yes. Engineered with sanitary 304 stainless steel construction and VFD-controlled conveyors, the CODI Mass Cooling Tunnel integrates seamlessly downstream of existing hot-fill seamers, cappers, and bottling lines .
