Success stories
Ad-hoc steam to reduce spiral cooler cleaning from 8 hours to 2 hours
Project description
Steam solution for efficient sanitization of a 675-meter cooler at a leading food company.
Original situation:
Challenges posed by the client:
An important company in the food industry had a cooler consisting of two spiral towers (a total of 675 meters of conveyor), a key part of its production line. However, the existing cleaning system had serious limitations in terms of efficiency and output quality.
The washer integrated into the line left the conveyor belt with excessive moisture and condensation, resulting in a poor finish and the need for additional manual cleaning to meet the hygiene standards required by the food industry.
In addition, the process involved very long drying times, which prevented production from restarting immediately. Under these conditions, the total belt cleaning and preparation time was no less than 8 hours, generating a significant bottleneck.
The operational impact was considerable: this was a highly seasonal line, capable of operating up to 21 shifts per week, so reducing cleaning and maintenance time had become a strategic priority.
The customer was looking for an alternative and sustainable solution that would guarantee total belt sanitization, minimize water consumption, reduce manual intervention and, above all, shorten downtime between shifts in order to increase production capacity.
Proposed solution:
Customized steam solution developed by Giconmes.
Proposed solution:
After analyzing the limitations of the original system, the Giconmes team designed a customized solution to guarantee a complete and fast cleaning of the two spiral towers, optimizing the downtime to the maximum.
The proposal was based on a steam cleaning system at 8 bar pressure consisting of six rotating spinners installed on a modular frame that covers the entire width of the conveyor.
These rotating heads project jets of high temperature steam uniformly onto the modular conveyor, effectively removing organic debris, grease and biofilm without the use of detergents or large volumes of water.
The system is powered by a 120 kW electric steam generator, built entirely in AISI 304 stainless steel, which ensures corrosion resistance, steam circuit hygiene and operational reliability even in demanding environments.
Since the client was concerned about the possible humidification of the work environment, Giconmes incorporated a transparent methacrylate capsule that contains the emitted vapor and prevents its dispersion to the environment, guaranteeing a safe and clean operation.
A stainless steel collection tray with a slight slope was integrated in the lower part of the conveyor, channeling the dirt and condensate to a single drainage point. A high-power water-air aspirator was connected to this point, capable of simultaneously suctioning steam, water and residues, leaving the belt completely dry at the end of the process.
Thanks to this development, the system makes it possible to clean the 675 meters of conveyor in just two hours, drastically reducing downtime and eliminating the need for additional manual cleaning.
The system was mounted on a stainless steel skid with adjustable legs, which integrates all the elements necessary for the autonomous operation of the unit.
Technology used:
- Giconmes 120 kW electric steam generator made entirely of AISI 304 stainless steel.
- Six rotating spinners installed on a modular frame covering the entire conveyor width
- Transparent methacrylate capsule containing the emitted vapor and preventing its dispersion to the environment
- Slightly sloped stainless steel collection tray
CHALLENGES
We meet customer requirements
Steam solution for the fast and complete cleaning of a 675-meter cooler at a leading company in the food industry. We achieved the following results:
Comprehensive and homogeneous cleaning, thanks to six rotating spinners that cover the entire surface of the conveyor.
Reduction of cleaning time from 8 to 2 hours, minimizing production stops and increasing line availability.
Elimination of the use of detergents and excess water, by means of steam at 8 bar pressure that removes residues and biofilm.
Safe, clean and sustainable operation, with steam containment, hygienic drainage and completely dry belt at the end.
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There are no emissions beyond those produced during the electricity production process. Consequently, emissions can be neutral depending on the electricity mix. Electric steam boilers are the present and the future.
Absolutely. In fact, it is recommended to achieve maximum efficiency. There is no problem with remote control as long as it complies with current regulations.
A steam generator is a pressure vessel that, together with the piping network, is subject to regulatory control and complementary technical instructions, according to the regulations published in Royal Decree 809/2021, of September 21. Maintenance is divided into a part that can be easily fulfilled by the owner:
- Know and apply the manufacturer’s instructions regarding use, safety measures, and maintenance.
- Not to put the installation into service or prevent the operation of pressure equipment if the requirements of the Regulation are not met.
- Having at least the following documentation for the pressure equipment while they are installed: Declaration of conformity, manufacturer’s instructions (if applicable), and, if necessary, installation certificate, along with other supporting documentation (such as installation project, record of the last periodic inspection, certifications of equipment repairs or modifications, and any other documentation required by the relevant technical instruction complementary to this regulation). For detailed contents, refer to Annex IV of the regulation. Making this documentation available to the competent authority of the autonomous community and the companies responsible for maintenance, repair, or periodic inspections.
- Use the pressure equipment within its intended operating limits as specified by the manufacturer and take it out of service if it no longer meets the necessary safety requirements.
- Perform maintenance on the installations, pressure equipment, safety accessories, and control devices in accordance with the operating conditions and manufacturer’s instructions, and examine them at least once a year.
- Arranging for the necessary periodic inspections as required by Article 6 of the regulation.
- Having and maintaining an up-to-date record of pressure equipment categories I to IV, as defined in RD 709/2015, of July 24, or equipment similar to these categories according to Article 3.2 of the regulation, as well as their installations.
It is known that by applying heat to water, it transforms into steam at the boiling point and atmospheric pressure. From there, depending on the required saturation degree of steam for its proper application, we need to increase the pressure to obtain a higher temperature. To change the temperature and saturation degree of steam, we always need to modify the pressure.
It is a unit of pressure equivalent to 1 kg/cm2, 0.98 atmospheres, or 14.50 PSI.
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