Viability analysis of heat recovery solution for the industrial process of roasting coffee

Abstract

Every industrial heat recovery solution is a specific engineering challenge, not because of the predicted energy rationalization or the achieved energy savings but due to potential unavoidable technological deviations and consequences on the related processes and for sure, due to high investment related to delicate de-sign and construction. Often, the energy savings in a particular segment of the industrial process is a main goal. However, in the food industry, especially roast-ing coffee, additional criteria has to be strictly observed and fulfilled. Such crite-ria may include the prescribed and uniform product quality, compliance with food safety standards, stability of the processes etc., and all in the presence of key process parameters such as variability, inconsistency of raw material composi-tion and quality, complexity of measurement and analytical methods, etc. The pa-per respects all circumstances and checks the viability of the proposed recovery solution. The paper analyzes the possibility of using waste heat from the roasting process to ensure the shortening of the roasting cycle, the reduction of fuel con-sumption and the increasing capacity of roasting lines on daily basis. Analysis concludes that effects are valuable and substantial, although the complete solu-tion is on the threshold of economic sustainability with numerous opportunities to improve both technical and economic indicators. The analysis combines measur-ing and analytical methods with standard cost-benefit analysis. Conclusions are derived from measurements and calculations of key parameters in the operating conditions and checked by experimental methods. Test results deviate from 10 to 15%, in relation to parameters in the main production line.