Whether you use steam as a food ingredient (culinary grade) or for cooking, with today’s natural gas and oil prices trending upward, conservation is not only important from a corporate sustainability viewpoint, but especially the bottom line. Today, think the three R’s—reduce, reuse and recycle—wherever possible. For example, reuse and recycle condensate? It’s already water, it’s treated—and it’s hot. Consider cost of production in terms of BTUs per pound of food produced or per barrel of beer. Where and what are the common losses of steam energy?
“Steam venting systems are the largest point of energy loss, but can be effectively managed with strategic solutions,” says Sam Simkowski, process engineer III at Stellar. A properly balanced steam system can help reduce energy losses and overall boiler emissions. To accomplish this, plants should try to minimize or eliminate the amount of steam released into the atmosphere. Rather than venting steam, plants can recover and recycle flash steam to support plant needs, such as heating water in processing areas. Incorporating heat exchangers or condensers enables facilities to use the flash steam’s energy, which can make a significant positive impact on overall costs. Another way to prevent losses due to venting is by incorporating a flash tank or cascading system in a high-pressure steam system. This method provides a source of low-pressure steam that can be used elsewhere within the plant, adds Simkowski.