Heat Recovery in A Food Processing Facility

Heat Recovery in a Food Processing Facility

Problem

A food processing facility needed to reduce its energy consumption and operational costs associated with heating and cooling processes.

Solution

The facility implemented a finned tube heat exchanger to capture waste heat from the cooling system’s refrigerant discharge and use it to preheat water for cleaning and sanitation processes.

Implementation

Heat Exchanger Design: Stainless steel tubes with aluminum fins were chosen due to their durability and resistance to food-grade environments.

Configuration: The heat exchanger was integrated into the cooling system, with the refrigerant passing through the tubes and water flowing over the fins in a crossflow configuration.

Results

Efficiency Improvement: The system recovered 60% of the waste heat, significantly reducing the need for additional heating.

Cost Savings: The facility saved $120,000 annually on energy costs.

Environmental Impact: The initiative led to a reduction in the facility’s carbon footprint by 300 tons of CO2 annually.