Energy Use Analysis of a Meat Processing Plant

Greg Harrap - 2002

The aim of this project was to identify and implement practical energy savings schemes at an export meat processing plant. The initial task was to conduct an energy audit whereby energy and production data, along with data obtained from additional monitoring, were used to determine the energy intensity and cost of each process undertaken at the plant. This analysis provided data quantifying areas of energy use and excessive waste. Gaining this insight into the efficiencies of the processes at the plant allowed potential energy saving schemes to be identified.

This thesis discusses in more depth a number of energy savings schemes proposed and/or implemented that justified investment for improved energy efficiency and conservation, these includes:

• Increased protection against infiltration heat loads through cold store doorways.
• Implementation of partial to full free cooling in the cutting rooms when the outside air temperature is low enough to act as a refrigerant
• Reducing the quantity of hot water use in the cutting rooms through stricter water management and modification to existing wash down hose.
• Turning lights off when not required, particularly in refrigerated areas.

  

The projects implemented, listed above, resulted in significant energy savings. These energy saving projects undertaken in this thesis are not exclusive to the plant examined here. The potential to multiply these energy savings from these projects can be easily achieved with implementation at other meat processing plants.