Tummers Condenser Saves Energy, Improves Workflow
Steam peeling is the most effective way to peel potatoes and vegetables, but due to its emissions, it also causes lots of noise, odors and wasted energy. Tummers’ recently introduced E²E-Condenser minimizes the loss of energy by condensing and redirecting the steam so the excess energy can be used for other processes such as blanching or heating cleaning water. Because the steam doesn’t escape to the atmosphere anymore, the process becomes quiet and odorless.
The most critical point in a steam peeling line is the exhaust time of the peeler. Therefore the E²E-Condenser is designed to have a similar or lower back pressure to the exhaust system of the peeler, ensuring that the peeling process will remain the same, or could even be improved. “The use of the recovered energy needs a bespoke connection to the best available ‘user’, for example the blancher of the processing line. This connection will be a customer-made system, but in most cases this can be achieved with very limited changes to the overall system,” head of sales Edwin Langbroek explains.
Apart from the standard models, which are dedicated to a certain size of peeler vessel, Tummers also provides custom-made E²E-Condensers. “In order to calculate the required dimensions, we will assess the peeler size, product dimensions, average steam time and based on the customers steam costs, we can also perform an accurate pay-back calculation,” says Langbroek.
The E2E condenser will then provide a certain amount of energy, and in consultation with the customer, the best use for this energy can be selected and the system adapted around this.
The E²E-Condenser is the fourth generation of condensers and is developed by Tummers Food Processing Solutions together with the specialists of Solutherm. This model is the first one that does not cause any emission. In addition, it distinguishes itself from previous models by its lower cost and compact size. It is designed to be ‘self cleaning’ and only requires preventive scheduled inspections, being constructed entirely from stainless steel to eliminate corrosion issues.
Langbroek reveals that a typical processing line with E2E condenser will have sufficient energy to heat up the blancher with minimal addition of ‘normal’ energy. The expected ROI is thought to be between one and four years, depending on capacity, energy costs and various other factors.
As an added bonus of using such a condenser, besides the energy savings, having the ability to make the steam peeler emission-free offers big advantages to the plant. It can reduce the nuisance to the neighbors and could allow processors to increase production within their current environmental permits.
