Scope of works:

Arcade worked with Anglian Compressors and Bakkavor Pizza and Bread in Harrow to design, supply and install a heat recovery system to preheat the washdown water used to clean the production facilities. Heat was recovered from the refrigeration compressors and the air compressors – and using a number of heat exchangers increased the incoming water temperature prior to storing ready for nighttime use.

It is expected that for every 1 degree of heat rise to the washdown water, £5,000 per annum is saved by not requiring the use of gas-fired boilers. Therefore, a rise in 30 degrees saves approximately £150,000 per annum.

Recovering heat from air and refrigeration compressors was the environmentally friendly way for this pizza and bread manufacturer to both reduce costs and reuse otherwise wasted energy.

Key challenges:

• A live food factory environment meant the team had to meet exacting HSE standards at all times
• A commitment to meet customer demand meant that a factory shutdown had to be kept to an absolute minimum
• The heat recovery system had to integrate with existing systems

Solutions:

• Installing a heat recovery system into an air compressor captures the expelled waste heat, which can be around 90% of the input power. A similar system in a refrigeration compressor also captures waste heat: this compressor expels around 20% of its input power as waste heat. It also adds in the heat removed during the refrigeration cycle, meaning there is less heat discharged via the condensers, again requiring the condenser fans to work less and save energy.
• The captured heat is used to produce hot water up to 80℃, which will be used to preheat the washdown water used in the factory’s daily cleanse.
• This reduces the reliance on gas-fired boilers that currently heat the washdown water, ultimately saving the client money while reducing emissions.

Products Supplied: 

• 3D design and modelling
• Installation of refrigeration heat recovery
• Installation of air compressor heat recovery
• Pipework
• Controls
• Pumps

Service: Heat Recovery and Decarbonisation