In the realm of industrial food and beverage manufacturing, sustainability is fast becoming the currency of success. The intricate balance between operational efficiency and eco-friendly practices is a game-changer in an era when businesses are under pressure to lower their carbon footprints while maintaining profitability.
JBT’s Retort and Rotary sterilizers serve as perfect examples of sustainability and efficiency in harmony. These products are designed to meet the rising demand for environmentally responsible manufacturing solutions. With our innovative product lines, JBT is not only addressing the immediate needs of the food processing industry, but also looking to the horizon, anticipating the future challenges of a world increasingly focused on sustainability. This article explores the range of these solutions and the positive impact we have on environmental conservation.
Energy Efficiency: The ERS Approach in Retort Product Line
The Energy Recovery System (ERS) is a significant addition to the JBT Retort Product Line. It’s designed to meet the customer goal of utility savings by reducing steam and cooling water consumption per batch. Using a hot and cold-water tank as a ‘battery,’ the system cleverly transfers energy between different phases of the retort’s thermal process.
The ERS offers significant utility savings and contributes to a greener future by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption. The result? A win for the environment, and for businesses striving to decrease their carbon footprint.
A Less-is-More Approach: The Low Energy Suction System (LESS)
Another key offering from the Retort product line, the Low Energy Suction System (LESS), aims at reducing steam, process water, and cooling water consumption per batch. It employs a passive suction system, which draws in water evenly along the retort length, allowing for less water to be used during the thermal process. Consequently, this leads to a decrease in the amount of steam needed to heat the water and cooling water to cool it.
The LESS technology contributes to environmental sustainability by reducing water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, it could potentially lead to reductions in process times—a double benefit for cost-conscious, environmentally friendly businesses.
Indirect Heating: An Eco-conscious Design
JBT’s Retort product line also introduces the concept of indirect heating, a smart approach to maximizing utility savings. By adding a shell & tube heat exchanger in the water flow circuit, indirect heating allows the steam condensate to be returned to the boiler feed water system. With process water on the tube side, steam from the boiler condenses on the shell side of the heat exchanger and is returned to the boiler. Thus reduces the steam/energy required to heat the boiler feed water.
The outcome? A clear win for sustainability: reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, and chemicals. Businesses can, therefore, expect to reap the rewards of a more efficient process while upholding their commitment to the environment.
SuperStatic: Increased Throughput with Reduced Resources
A sustainable yet high-performing solution in JBT’s arsenal is the SuperStatic Retort. This innovative technology combines improved water circulation, an optimized heat exchanger, higher flow spray nozzles, and increased steam input capability. SuperStatic is designed to provide increased throughput with the same, if not improved, quality.
By combining this technology with LESS, processors can not only increase productivity but also significantly cut down on resource usage. Higher throughput in the same footprint, reduced water consumption, and fewer resources used per process cycle—SuperStatic exemplifies JBT’s commitment to aligning efficiency and sustainability.
Rotary Product Line: Heat Recovery System (HRS)
The Rotary product line offers the Heat Recovery System (HRS), another inventive system designed with sustainability in mind. HRS targets utility savings by minimizing steam consumption in the rotary preheater and reducing cooling tower load. It achieves this by reclaiming the energy from the rotary cooler hot water discharge and repurposing it to heat up the water in the rotary preheater.
The HRS aligns with JBT’s other sustainable technologies by contributing to utility savings and further reducing greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption. It’s a forward-thinking example of how businesses can be resourceful and conserve vital energy sources, while still maintaining operational efficiency.
More Capacity, Less Floor Space: The 2.1M Rotary Pressure Sterilizer (RPS)
The 2.1m Rotary Pressure Sterilizer (RPS) from JBT’s Rotary product line represents a significant stride in sustainable and efficient operations. The 2.1m RPS offers up to an impressive 50% increase in capacity compared to the standard pressure rotary, with a minimal increase in footprint —an undeniable testimony to JBT’s commitment to optimizing space and energy usage.
With its higher throughput and fewer resources required per can produced, the 2.1m RPS perfectly aligns with JBT’s vision of sustainability, setting a commendable example for the food processing industry.
Leading the Charge Towards Sustainable Manufacturing
JBT is truly leading the way for sustainability in the food processing industry. Their innovative approach towards product design has enabled the integration of advanced sustainable practices within the Retorts and Rotary product lines. The company is providing their clients with highly efficient solutions that also significantly contribute to a greener future.
But the impact of JBT’s products goes beyond the walls of individual manufacturing units. They are essentially contributing to a larger movement – an industry-wide shift towards greener manufacturing. Their technology sets an example for businesses across sectors, demonstrating that it’s entirely possible to boost efficiency and profitability while also contributing positively to the environment.
By striking a balance between operational needs and environmental concerns, JBT’s product lines are a testament to the evolving face of the food processing industry—an industry that is ready to take on the challenges of the 21st century and beyond, without compromising the health of our planet. It is through such innovations and advancements that we can truly achieve a sustainable future—a future where businesses thrive, and so does the environment.
Want to Learn More?
If you have any questions regarding any of our solutions, please complete the form below and one of our JBT Equipment Specialists will contact you.