The new belt drying system from Rosenqvists Food Technologies is ready to heat with hot water-driven coils, dealing with both drying – the largest cost factor in the French fries processing line, and also providing a sustainable ecosystem.
“With the heat recovery system utilizing the vapors from your frying system, you can harvest up to 85% of the energy from the fryers to run the drying system and other systems in your production,” according to a recent company press release.
Having in mind both hygiene and energy efficiency, the Rosenqvists engineers developed a new belt drying system with a modular system, offering maximum flexibility and control.
“We can offer width up to four meters wide belts. Each module is controlled individually allowing you to control drying recipes completely. All heating coils – using water or steam – are located outside the product zone and are easily accessible for maintenance. The belt dryer is offered with a fully integrated CIP system. With the latest design changes for improved hygiene, we feel confident cleaning is made easier and we have greatly reduced the risk of any bacterial growth,” the company’s representatives also mentioned.
Design Improvements in The New Belt Drying System
The complete re-design of the belt dryer has secured some important features for improved hygiene and cleanability. All surfaces inside the dryer are sloped to one drainage point ensuring removal of water inside. Welding and details are specially designed for optimal hygiene with minimum risk of bacteria growth.
Non-sticking side blocks can be rotated for inspection after cleaning. The company’s designers made sure that the cleaning program can reach behind side blocks and other parts of the dryer. The support strips for the belt are replaced easily. The eye-link belt is continuously cleaned by high-pressure nozzles to remove debris.
“All heating coils are located outside the product zone achieving a clean passage for the product where the only focus is humidity, airflow, and desired temperature. The coils can be accessed easily for maintenance purposes. Standard options to run the heat exchangers with hot water or steam are available. The option of using hot water will require a lower drying temperature and consequently a larger drying surface. On the other hand, hot water heat exchangers offer exciting opportunities for heat recovery. Long-term, this can be a profitable investment,” the engineers added.
Heat Recovery From the Frying System
Energy costs are an important factor to control when producing French Fries. Removing so much water in the drying and frying step requires energy, this is a physical fact. Considering the environmental challenges of today and the energy prices, re-using energy from the processing line will be an even more important goal in the green factory. There are cost savings to be achieved and a carbon footprint to be minimized.
For heat recovery, Rosenqvists Food Technologies introduced a complete system for re-using the energy from the frying systems. A condenser is installed turning the hot fryer vapors into hot water. The hot water can then be used to run the drying system, blanchers, and/or other systems the customers need hot water for in their plant. Pay-back time for the heat recovery system depends on the energy prices they experience. The beneficiaries can expect a return of investment in one to two years.
