How to Reach Annual Five Figure Savings in Energy and Water Costs
Mar 25, 2021Lowering overall energy consumption of retort operations and consuming less water in the preparation of shelf-stable food are not only sound financial strategies but also methods to improve the long-term sustainability of the plant. A proven way of accomplishing savings in energy and water is by applying heat and water capture and reuse systems. With these state-of-the-art systems, water usage can be reduced in the retort room by as much as 50%, and energy savings on an annual basis can, for large operations, exceed $150,000 for electricity and $50,000 in natural gas costs.
The Energy- and Water-Intensive Shelf-Stable Food Process
Every day, packaging lines heat thousands of gallons of water to generate steam or super-heated water for the sterilization process of shelf-stable food packaged in cans, jars, trays and pouches. After the low acid food has been sterilized, the water is typically flushed into the sewer system or steam is vented into the atmosphere — losing the energy value initially put into the water. Also, for sterilization processes, cold water is used to reduce temperature within the vessel to complete sterilization and equalize pressure within the package. This water is also simply flushed away in many operations.
Capture and Reuse Systems
To conserve both heat energy and water, a way to capture and reuse both is needed. Captured heat energy in the form of hot water can be reused for heating the plant, clean-in-place, washdown and/or provide heat for food processing. One of the most efficient uses for captured energy and water from the retort process is to preheat boiler-feed water via a heat exchanger.
To read the full article by Flexible Packaging Magazine, click here.
About Allpax
Supporting the highest levels of product safety and regulatory compliance, Allpax manufactures processing and sterilization solutions for the food, beverage, pet food, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries, including autoclaves, retort room components, fully automated retort rooms, and product handling equipment that supports retort room automation. Allpax is a product brand of ProMach, a global leader in packaging line solutions. As part of the ProMach Product Handling business line, Allpax helps our packaging customers protect and grow the reputation and trust of their consumers. ProMach is performance, and the proof is in every package. Learn more about Allpax at www.Allpax.com and more about ProMach at ProMachBuilt.com.
Media Contact
David Starck | David.Starck@promachbuilt.com← Back to Press Releases