Food production is one of the most energy-intensive industries. The processing of dairy products in particular has a high demand for cooling and heating. In order to make its own production efficient and environmentally friendly for the future, one of the largest and most modern dairy companies in Europe is relying on the expertise of ENGIE Refrigeration: The cooling and heating specialist from Lindau on Lake Constance is providing the cooling and heating supply for a spray dryer for the production of milk powder, which is supplied by a leading provider of industrial drying and evaporation technology.
Seven redundant thermeco2 high-temperature heat pumps, each with six compressors and a total output of 6.1 megawatts of heating capacity and four megawatts of cooling capacity, guarantee reliable operation of the almost 30 metre high system throughout the year.
ENGIE Refrigeration's team of experts put the highly reliable availability of the cooling and heating solution through its paces on its own test bench beforehand. The industrial heat pumps mastered the high temperature spread required in the processing of dairy products.
Frank Glaser, Key Account Manager Industrial & Commercial Heating at ENGIE Refrigeration and responsible for the project, explains: "Our thermeco2 high-temperature heat pumps cover a temperature range between 0.5 degrees Celsius and 125 degrees Celsius - in a single stage. They also precisely regulate the demanding temperatures, thereby guaranteeing the food safety and shelf life of the products."
The thermeco2 heat pumps and the spray dryer were delivered at the beginning of 2024; commissioning is planned for autumn 2024.
When developing the machine, the specialists attached great importance to future-proofing the cooling and heating solution: the heat pumps supply the spray dryer in a particularly environmentally friendly way thanks to the natural refrigerant CO2 . The COP (coefficient of performance) value of three emphasises the high energy efficiency of the system. This will pay off for the dairy farm in the future: It will reduce primary energy consumption by a total of 41 per cent compared to fossil fuels, saving 1.13 million euros annually.
Frank Glaser summarises: "The combination of our thermeco2 high-temperature heat pumps and the spray dryer offers great added value both ecologically and economically. The goal of climate-neutral and future-proof production is absolutely tangible for our customer - and makes this solution interesting for many other users with sensitive production environments."