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10/11/2012

 

The utility plant is the heart of any food processing facility. Whether it is steam used for sterilization, pasteurization or sanitation, or cooling used for refrigeration, the facility cannot operate without it. Over the past several years, cost cutting measures have, in many instances, taken dedicated operators out of the utility plant.

Because processing equipment maintenance issues usually take priority over the operation and testing of steam generating and cooling equipment, they are consequently neglected. With the costs of both energy and water rising today, there are potentially many areas within the utility plant that can produce significant energy savings and extend equipment life.

 

Improperly operating boilers and cooling equipment can result in significant energy losses:

 

Leaking pipes and steam traps result in loss of water and also Btu’s of heat energy.

Leaks in condensate return systems likewise waste water and Btu’s.

Not maintaining proper burner settings results in wasted fuel and increased energy costs.

Improper chemical feed results in deposits which retard heat transfer resulting in increased fuel usage in boilers and electrical consumption in compressors and chillers.

Operating with lower than desired cycles of concentration wastes water, Btu’s and chemicals.

Not performing general housekeeping on cooling towers or evaporative condensers can increase fan motor electrical costs, and accumulation of sludge can foul heat transfer surfaces.

Lack of a properly applied and maintained microbial control program in cooling equipment can lead to loss of heat transfer with increased electrical costs and potential for equipment damage.

Failure to maintain chemical feed and control equipment can result in corrosion or severe fouling of equipment, both of which consume extra energy and eventually may require production shutdown for cleaning, repair and possibly replacement.

If onsite waste treatment operations are not operated properly, excessive water losses can result and opportunities for recycling wastewater for reuse may be overlooked.

While individually these may not seem significant, in total they can have a major impact on a facility’s energy efficiency. Placing a full time hands-on person over operation and maintenance of the utility plant can potentially result in finding and correcting the above examples of inefficient conditions in the facility.