A DECADE OF OPERATION

Industrial Yeast Manufacturer

By improving steam-system efficiency and extending heat recovery from the facility’s 4.4 MWe CHP system, GEM™ Steam Traps and FLU-ACE™ reduced annual steam consumption by approximately 3,400 tonnes and natural gas use by 20%, with both technologies continuing to operate reliably a decade after commissioning.

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Industry

Ingredients & Specialty Processing

Location
Location

Italy

Solution
Solution

GEM™ Steam Traps & FLU-ACE™

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Completed FLU-ACE™ heat recovery installation with exhaust ductwork and stacks

Operating at industrial scale, the facility relies on tightly controlled fermentation and downstream processing, creating sustained demand for electricity, steam and hot water. Although a 4.4 MWe natural gas CHP system was already generating electricity and process heat onsite, significant thermal energy remained in the exhaust and there was further scope to improve steam-system efficiency.

Thermal Energy International installed a FLU-ACE™ condensing heat recovery system alongside GEM™ Steam Traps, reducing natural gas consumption and improving the overall efficiency of the site’s thermal energy system. Ten years after commissioning, both technologies continue to operate reliably, providing strong evidence of their long-term performance and durability.

GEM™ Conversion Delivers €93,000 in Annual Steam Savings

The facility’s maintenance and energy team was seeking to reduce steam consumption across the site and evaluated whether replacing its existing mechanical steam traps with GEM™ Steam Traps could deliver measurable savings.

Unlike mechanical designs, GEM™ uses a calibrated full-venturi design with no moving parts, continuously discharging condensate while preventing the loss of live steam.

Thermal Energy International carried out comparative bucket testing between GEM™ Steam Traps and the site’s existing mechanical traps. Even against traps assessed as operating correctly, the results demonstrated significant steam-saving potential and indicated a project payback of approximately nine months.

The facility’s own engineers conducted an independent assessment, verifying the projected payback and identifying annual steam savings of 8.5 tonnes per trap on the 12-bar system and 10 tonnes per trap on the 4.5-bar system.

Following a full-site conversion across process equipment, plate heat exchangers, line drainage and trace heating, steam consumption was monitored against production output to verify performance across the completed installation. After seven months of metering, the facility confirmed average steam savings of 600 kg/h at constant production, equivalent to approximately 3,400 tonnes of steam per year and €93,000 in annual savings. The measured performance exceeded the original projections and delivered a faster payback than anticipated.

Alongside the energy savings, the conversion increased condensate return at the correct temperature, eliminated visible steam plumes and significantly reduced steam-trap maintenance.

Ten years after the initial conversion, the GEM™ Steam Traps continue to operate reliably, sustaining the steam savings, improved condensate return and reduced maintenance achieved by the project. As the steam system has expanded, the facility has continued to choose GEM™, establishing it as the site’s preferred steam-trap technology and demonstrating sustained confidence in its long-term performance.

The facility’s efficiency improvements also extended beyond the steam system to its existing CHP installation.

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FLU-ACE™ Cuts Natural Gas Use by 20% Through Additional CHP Heat Recovery

The facility’s 4.4 MWe gas-turbine CHP system already recovered higher-grade exhaust heat through a waste heat boiler. However, the exhaust still contained useful thermal energy suitable for the facility’s lower-temperature hot-water requirements.

Thermal Energy International installed a FLU-ACE™ condensing heat recovery system downstream of the waste heat boiler, adding a further stage of recovery to the cogeneration system. The recovered energy was used to heat water for the site’s degasser and hot-water storage system, reducing the need for additional gas-fired heating.

Delivered as a turnkey retrofit, the project integrated the FLU-ACE™ tower, associated fan and exhaust ductwork into the facility’s existing CHP infrastructure.

Commissioning data confirmed that the FLU-ACE™ recovered approximately 1.2 MW of useful thermal energy while delivering hot water at close to 80°C. The project cut natural gas consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions by 20%, reducing annual CO₂ emissions by approximately 776 tonnes.

Completed FLU-ACE® heat recovery installation with exhaust ductwork and stacks

The FLU-ACE™ provided headroom for the facility to recover more energy as further heat-recovery requirements emerged. It was later upgraded to incorporate an additional high-temperature exhaust stream, extending the scope of the installation as the facility’s requirements developed.

Ten years after commissioning, the FLU-ACE™ remains operational, continuing to recover residual heat from the CHP exhaust, reduce direct fuel demand and improve the overall efficiency of the facility’s thermal energy system.

For other cogeneration facilities, the project demonstrates that a waste heat boiler does not necessarily capture the full usable value of the exhaust. Where lower-temperature hot-water demand exists, a further recovery stage can increase the useful output derived from the same fuel input and reduce the need for separate gas-fired heating.

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Explore more Food & Beverage case studies

Multinational Frozen Food Manufacturer

FLU-ACE™ and HeatSponge™ reduced natural gas use by approximately 16%, cut CO₂e emissions by around 2,450 tonnes per year, and achieved payback in under three years.

Industrial Yeast Manufacturer

GEM™ Steam Traps and FLU-ACE™ reduced annual steam consumption by approximately 3,400 tonnes, cut natural gas use by 20%, and have operated reliably for over a decade.

Meat Processing Plant

Hybrid FLU-ACE™ offset 71% of the LPG previously required for hot water production and reduced CO₂ emissions by 330 tonnes per year.

Major International Meat Producer

GEM™ Steam Traps reduced measured live-steam loss by almost 65%, cut annual CO₂ emissions by 277 tonnes, and achieved payback in under 10 months before funding.

Dairy and Nutrition Multinational

FLU-ACE™ delivered a payback of under two years, reduced CO₂ emissions by over 3,300 tonnes per year, cut natural gas use by approximately 1.73 million m³ annually, and recovered more than 2.4 MW of energy on average while improving CHP efficiency by over 10%.

Global Nutrition Provider

GEM™ steam traps were deployed sitewide for line drainage and process duty, delivering a one-year payback, 972,000 kWh annual gas savings, and approximately 180 tonnes of CO₂ reduction per year.

Leading Meat Company

GEM™ steam traps reduced gas consumption per tonne of product by approximately 15%, eliminated around €24,000 per year in steam losses, and delivered long-term reliability across a flagship meat processing site operating under highly variable loads.

Multinational Brewing Group

FLU-ACE™ and HeatSponge™ heat recovery systems are delivering approximately 8 million litres of annual water savings, reducing CO₂ emissions by over 1,800 metric tonnes per year, and achieving a payback period of under four years.

Leading Meat Producer

FLU-ACE™ reduced fuel use by 30%, cut carbon emissions by approximately 550 tonnes per year, delivered around £170,000 in annual savings, and achieved up to 90% reductions in particulate matter and acid gases.

Dairy Processing Company

GEM™ steam traps delivered a six-month payback, over 2,500 MWh/year energy savings, and approximately 505 tonnes of CO₂e reduction annually.

Global Nutrition Provider

HeatSponge™ economisers delivered significant annual savings, reduced CO₂ emissions by 621 tonnes per year, and achieved a payback of under two years.

Leading Beverage Conglomerate

GEM™ steam traps delivered measurable efficiency gains, achieving a 19.5% intensity-based steam reduction and a 14.8% absolute reduction in steam use following retrofit.

Leading Chicken Processor

PERCO-ACE™ and FLU-ACE™ delivered over 32,900 MWh of annual energy recovery, reduced CO₂ emissions by more than 6,100 tonnes per year, achieved payback in under one year, and enabled full decommissioning of ageing boilers.

Global Nutrition Provider

FLU-ACE™ delivered up to 1 MW of recovered energy, reduced CO₂ emissions by approximately 1,500 tonnes per year, cut natural gas consumption by around 75%, and increased boiler efficiency by roughly 20%.

Global Nutrition Provider

FLU-ACE™ delivered over 15,000 tonnes of CO₂ savings to date, recovered more than 2.7 MW of energy across four systems, and eliminated electric cooling load while supporting net-zero objectives.

Major Dairy Producer

FLU-ACE™ heat recovery and economisers captured CHP exhaust energy, cutting gas use by 22%, reducing CO₂ by 1,325 tonnes, and saving 3.2 GWh annually with payback in under two years.

Global Nutrition Provider

FLU-ACE™ delivered 3,138 MWh per year in energy savings, reduced CO₂ emissions by 581 tonnes annually, and achieved a return on investment of under 2.5 years.

Prepared Foods Manufacturer

HeatSponge™ delivered approximately 4.47 million kWh/year in fuel savings, significant annual cost reductions, and accelerated payback through utility rebates.

Commercial Bakery

FLU-ACE™ recovered energy from thermal oxidiser exhaust to offset natural gas consumption, delivering substantial annual fuel savings and achieving payback in under two years.

Leading Sugar Processor

GEM™ steam traps reduced CO₂ emissions by 104 tonnes per year, alongside over 9% fuel cost savings and a 10-month payback.

Wine Producer

GEM™ steam trap retrofit improved efficiency by 16%, a payback under two years, and a 100 tonnes CO₂ reduction per year.

Premium Drinks Conglomerate

GEM™ steam traps delivered a rapid six-month payback, eliminated mechanical trap replacement costs, and improved reliability with a 10-year no-fail guarantee.

Cereal Manufacturer

GEM™ steam traps ensured reliable 24-hour operation by eliminating steam losses from failed mechanical traps, reducing maintenance demands, and delivering over 10 years of dependable, maintenance-free performance.

Leading Confectionery Manufacturer

GEM™ steam traps delivered a verified 15% reduction in steam consumption, eliminated recurring mechanical trap failures in a 24/7 process, and provided long-term reliability with a 10-year guarantee.

Major Sports Drink Producer

FLU-ACE™ heat recovery reduced natural gas use by over 12% and cut CO₂ emissions by more than 480 tonnes annually while supporting process water heating.

Major Breakfast Foods Producer

FLU-ACE™ heat recovery reduced gas consumption by 10%, delivered £322,000 in annual savings, and cut greenhouse gas emissions by over 2,000 tonnes per year.

Major Packaged Foods Producer

FLU-ACE™ heat recovery reduced boiler fuel consumption by 15%, improved efficiency to 96%, and cut emissions by over 7,300 tonnes per year.
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