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Conventional CHP technologies include prime movers--which generate electricity and recoverable heat--and thermally activated technologies such as absoprtion chillers and desiccant dehumification systems which make use of "waste" heat from the prime movers to condition building space. Recovered heat from prime movers can also be used for industrial processes in the form of hot water or steam.. Heat recuperators, controls, interconnect systems, etc. are also part of most CHP systems.
Certain emerging CHP technologies may make CHP more cost-effective and widespread in the food & beverage processing industries. The California Energy Commission’s Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program has been working closely with the California League of Food Processors (CLFP) to develop and demonstrate emerging CHP and energy efficiency technologies.
Descriptions of, and benefits from, waste heat-driven technology projects funded by the PIER program (up to $ 2.4 million dollars) can be found below.
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Description
• Food processors in California are primarily concentrated in the Central Valley that is experiencing load growth and a rise in peak demand.
• Waste heat in food processing plants is commonly available at relatively low temperatures typically around 200F.
• Organic Rankine Cycle is best suited for conversion of low temperature waste heat to electricity.
• Operates across 95° to 315° C
• Generates from 200 kW to over 125 MW
• No toxic or greenhouse gas emissions
• Project uses waste heat from the potato frying process to generate electricity.
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Benefits
• Estimated to save 400 kW of demand and about 2.4 million kWh per year during 6,000 hours of operation. This results in about $192,000 of annual savings to the host plant.
• Most of the large food processing plants are in Central Valley and operate mostly during peak summer months.
• This project is expected to reduce 20 MW of load during summer if it is adopted by 50 food processing plants across the food industry. Generating electricity using waste heat will reduce the overall system load and particularly during summer.
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Description
• Thermal processing of fruits and vegetables involves heating the cans in a retort and then cooling the cans using chilled water
• Waste heat driven refrigeration technology linking heating & cooling together has the potential to optimize the can cooking and cooling cycle
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Benefits
• The chilling cycle of the can cooker/cooler process at the selected site consumes about 1.32 million kWh of electricity per year.
• This demonstration project is expected to save about 75% of this electricity. Savings are partially offset by the 13,000 therms of gas that may be needed to supplement waste heat.
• There are approximately 56 “processor” members of the California League of Food Processors. It is estimated that two-thirds of these companies have cooking and cooling operations, with the total number of cookers statewide exceed 200 sites. Assuming same level and size of savings the electricity savings could be 264 million kWh/year
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Description
• Refrigeration is commonly used in food processing industry and on a large scale and is electricity intensive.
• Waste heat in food processing plants is available at relatively low temperatures typically below 200F.
• Adsorption technology is better suited for conversion of low temperature waste heat to chilling compared to absorption technology.
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• Using the waste heat from food processes—poultry, dairy products, juice, and breweries—and industrial waste treatment can enhance the heat balance of the process
• Chilled water standard temperature of 38°F; hot water temperatures ranging from 122 - 194°F
• Water refrigerant; 30-year silica gel as an adsorbent
• Electrical load of 0.4KW for 100-ton model
• No compressor, no pressure vessel
Benefits
• Food processors in California are primarily concentrated in the Central Valley that is experiencing load growth and a rise in peak demand.
• Estimated to save about 1.5 million kWh per year and 300 kW of demand resulting in about $123,000 of annual saving.
• Most of the large food processing plants are in Central Valley and operate mostly during peak summer months. Reducing the electricity for refrigeration and chilling by the use of waste heat will reduce the overall system load and particularly during summer. This project is expected to reduce 15 MW of load during summer if it is adopted by 50 food processing plants across the food industry.
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Description
• Conventional CHP waste heat technologies produce either hot water or chilling - not both
• Food processors usually need both hot water and chilling
• ThermoSorber waste heat technology co-produces chilled and hot water
• Available from 30 to 150 tons
• 5’ x 5’ footprint for 100 tons
Benefits
• ThermoSorber waste heat technology co-produces chilled and hot water for potential energy savings
• Reduces the electrical load by up to 70% while savings on gas for boilers reduced by 20%
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Description
• Organic wastes—from meat processing refuse, manure, cheese, beer, snack food—contain significant energy potential
• Anaerobic digestion is the process where organic matter is broken down into biogas by microorganisms in an O2-deficient atmosphere
Benefits
• Biogas digested is from 50-65% methane, or natural gas, which can be fed back into a CHP system
• Waste stream processing or removal costs are reduced
• Centralized anaerobic digestion (CAD) plants are becoming a popular option in Europe—wastes from several sources are combined in a single digestion plant
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