General process heating in food industry

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1. OBJECTIVE

This category includes heating processes in the food industry related to utility processes for energy production. Boiler feed-water preheating is included in this category. The objective is to preheat the boiler feed-water before entering the boiler, so that the boiler’s efficiency can be increased (BAT in the Food, Drink and Milk Industries, June 2005).

2. FIELD OF APPLICATION

General process heating is applied to all food industry sectors according to the specifications of each industry.

3. DESCRIPTION OF TECHNIQUES, METHODS AND EQUIPMENT

Water can be used as an auxiliary feed for the process. In the case of boiler feed-water preheating, heat transfer is accomplished by using heat exchangers (BAT in the Food, Drink and Milk Industries, June 2005).

4. COMPETITIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND ENERGY SAVING POTENTIALS

Depending on the heating process, different methods can be used to achieve energy savings. In the case of boiler feed-water preheating, the re-use of waste water streams of the process for heat recovery is an effective way to reduce the energy consumption (Joanneum Research). Re-use of condensates produced by evaporation leads to considerable heat recovery as well as savings in the use of chemicals for the treatment of boiler feed-water (BAT in the Food, Drink and Milk Industries, June 2005).

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