Summary

Perfetti Van Melle Nederland bv in Breda applies a concentrated sugar solution to confectionery products on the coated tablet lines. This wet layer is dried by hot air. A total of three central air treatment cabinets (ATCs) ensure the drying air is conditioned. The company replaces steam, which acts as a heat source, with solar energy and low level residual heat. The residual heat is obtained from flue gases from the steam boiler and from compressed air cooling.
A newly installed hot water circuit (25/45 °C) distributes the heat to the ATCs. Compared with steam heating, the installation requires less maintenance, and down-time and capacity losses are also smaller. Total energy savings amount to 268,000 m³ of natural gas on an annual basis. Together with lower maintenance costs, the new system will pay for itself in 41/2 years.

Potential applications
The results of this project are important to companies in various industrial sectors that rely on heating or drying processes at temperatures of 25 to 50 °C. An important prerequisite for application is not only the availability of low-level residual heat but also that the air treatment cabinets are suitable for fitting the larger and heavier heat-exchangers.