Energy and water efficiency in the gelatine production plant

Abstract

Nexus water-energy-food can be represented on a micro scale using the example of gelatine production in a rendering plant. The article presents the results of research on the variability of energy and water consumption in a rendering plant producing food gelatin. Monthly production was 565.2–631.3 Mg of gelatin and on average 18.89 Mg of gelatin was produced per day. The power of the installed electrical devices was 1150 kW. The average unit consumption of water was 18.97 m3/Mg, heat energy 22.39 GJ/Mg and electricity 1174.76 kWh/Mg. The influence of gelatine production on energy and water consumption was determined. It has been shown that in the examined plant there is an increased by about 20–30% non-production consumption of energy and water, which in the future should be reduced by introducing technological innovations. Moreover, it has been shown that there is a possibility of increasing production efficiency. The obtained energy efficiency and unit consumption indicators can be used to define environmental standards as well as eco-efficiency and production costs important for management of the enterprise.

Keywords

• rendering industry
• food industry
• production energy consumption
• energy efficiency
• water consumption
• energy consumption
• mechanical properties