Success stories
Design and fabrication of a clean superheated steam skid for a packaging machine.
Project description
Clean, superheated steam solution for a processed cheese packaging machine at a leading company in the food industry.
Original situation:
Challenges posed by the client:
A well-known manufacturer of packaging machines for the food industry was developing a new thermoforming line for the packaging of processed cheese.
During the process, it was necessary to inject steam directly into the container to generate a vacuum effect, ensure an airtight seal and guarantee the quality of the final product.
The customer was looking for an ad-hoc steam generation system that would simultaneously meet several technical and integration requirements:
- Steam supply at 3 bar pressure, with stability and precise control in each work cycle.
- Reheating of the steam up to 170 °C, to avoid condensation inside the container and to maintain the hygienic-sanitary conditions required by the food sector.
- Direct contact of the steam with the product (melted cheese), which implied guaranteeing a steam quality suitable for food use, without risk of contamination.
- All stainless steel AISI 304 construction, both in the machine and in the auxiliary system, to withstand humid environments and CIP cleaning processes.
- Estimated steam demand of approximately 10 m³/h, based on a production rate of 8 cycles per minute, despite the lack of precise consumption data.
- Independent water treatment system to ensure a constant quality of feed water, eliminating salts, silica and any impurities that could affect the purity of the steam.
- Direct connection and integration of the steam system with the packer, including condensate return to the skid, to optimize energy efficiency and minimize thermal losses.
Giconmes had to design a compact, hygienic and efficient system, able to adapt to the mechanical specifications of the machine and to guarantee a continuous and stable operation in a food environment.
Proposed solution:
Customized steam solution developed by Giconmes.
Proposed solution:
After a detailed study of the process requirements and the production cycle, the Giconmes technical team designed a customized steam system, compact, hygienic and completely integrated with the packaging machine.
It was determined that a 10 kW electric steam generator was sufficient to meet the estimated demand of 10 m³/h, keeping the working pressure constant at 3 bar.
The entire assembly was manufactured entirely in AISI 304 stainless steel, including fairings, manifolds, tanks and structural frame, ensuring maximum durability and compliance with the requirements of the food environment.
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:
- Electric steam generator Giconmes NGV1710 (10kW)
- 5 micron clean steam filter, to ensure the culinary quality of the steam in direct contact with the product
- Complete water treatment system with water softener and filtration, ensuring a pure and stable water supply.
- Condensate recovery tank, which allows the return and reuse of the condensate generated, optimizing energy efficiency.
- Electric overheater, in charge of reheating the steam up to 170 °C, avoiding condensation in the molds and ensuring process sterility.
- PTFE ¼” BSP flexible connection pipe, with AISI 304 double internal mesh and external silicone coating, installed between the skid, the overheater, the machine molds and the condensate tank.
The assembly was delivered ready to connect and prepared for direct integration with the customer’s packer, including all condensate return lines and safety accessories.
The result is a compact, safe, food-compliant system capable of delivering clean, superheated steam continuously and stably throughout the packaging cycle.
CHALLENGES
We meet customer requirements
We achieved the following results:
Stable steam supply at 3 bar, with reheating up to 170 °C to avoid condensation and ensure product quality.
Compact, hygienic and fully integrated with the packaging machine, ready for connection and autonomous operation.
Food-grade steam, with no risk of contamination and no effect on the final product.
Maximum energy efficiency, thanks to condensate return and reuse.
Do you need a customized solution?
We help you define what type of installation you need
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.
Haven't found the answers to your questions?
Please send us a question or download all the information
USES OF STEAM IN INDUSTRY AND OTHER BUSINESSES
Other similar success stories using steam
The use of steam is gaining popularity in several industries due to its efficiency and environmental benefits..
In our "Success Stories" section, you can discover more about companies that have adopted this technology and have achieved successful results in terms of efficiency and sustainability. Click on the success stories to learn more details.
Situación original ¿Qué retos nos planteó el cliente? Una reconocida empresa del sector alimentario contaba con un transportador de lona de 30 metros de longitud, pieza clave dentro de su línea de producción. La limpieza de este elemento era crítica para garantizar la seguridad alimentaria, ya que cualquier resto de producto acumulado podía convertirse en […]
Original situation: Challenges posed by the client: The client is a textile company, a direct supplier of the world’s largest fashion group, which presented us with a technical and operational challenge: to design and execute the steam installation of a new garment finishing and industrial ironing center in Ethiopia, where a large part of its […]