Recovers energy

Heinz is said to be saving 6% of its average steam load per year at its baked bean factory in Wigan by recovering energy from effluent using a system by Spirax Sarco.

Before the new system, purged hot water used to blanch the raw beans was disposed of, but the new system now intercepts it and uses it to help heat the blanching process. The filtered effluent is passed to one of two heat exchangers, which use its energy to pre-heat the blanching make-up water, cooling the effluent in the process. The make-up water then passes through another exchanger, which uses steam to raise its temperature before entering the blanching vessel.