Success stories
Waterless industrial cleaning: how to reduce water consumption in industrial cleaning in the food sector by up to 90%.
Project description
A company in the food industry contacted us with a very specific challenge related to the structural cleaning of machinery and surfaces in their production plant.
Original situation:
Challenges posed by the client:
In this company in the food sector, cleaning was carried out using pressurized water, but the system had significant limitations:
- The dirt to be removed was a mixture of food product residues and oils, difficult to remove with water alone.
- In many cases it was necessary to resort to chemical detergents to achieve the required level of cleanliness.
- The process involved very high water consumption, especially critical in deep and structural cleaning.
- Contaminated wastewater was generated, increasing the complexity of subsequent treatment.
At the same time, the company was immersed in a process to improve its environmental performance, with the objective of complying with and reinforcing standards such as:
- ISO 14001 (environmental management).
- ISO 50001 (energy efficiency).
In this context, the reduction of water consumption became an essential requirement.
The challenge posed by the client was clear: to maintain the hygiene standards required in the food industry, drastically reducing water consumption and minimizing the use of chemical products.
Proposed solution:
Customized steam solution developed by Giconmes.
Proposed solution:
The solution implemented consisted of integrating steam cleaning into the plant’s nighttime cleaning procedure, progressively replacing traditional pressurized water cleaning.
For this purpose, an industrial steam generator RGV20 industrial steam generator RGV20industrial steam generator, configured with multiple accessories –application nozzles, copper brushes and specific applicators –that made it possible to adapt the steam to the different types of surfaces and levels of dirt present in the factory.
The use of high-temperature steam made it possible to directly attack the most critical dirt in the process, formed by mixtures of food residues and oils, without the need for large water flows or the intensive use of chemical detergents.
Thanks to the versatility of the accessories, the system was integrated unchanged into the existing operation, maintaining cleaning times and facilitating access to structural and hard-to-reach areas, even without dismantling machinery.
From the point of view of water consumption, the impact was immediate and quantifiable. Based on a daily cleaning during the night shift, the previous pressurized water system involved an estimated consumption of 3,000 liters per cleaning, which amounted to approximately 1,095 m³ of water per year. With the implementation of the steam system, water consumption was reduced by 85% to 90%, since water is used only for steam generation and not as a dragging element.
This resulted in an annual residual consumption of between 110 and 165 m³, which represents an annual saving of between 930 and 985 m³ of water, in addition to an equivalent reduction in wastewater generation.
This reduction in consumption allowed the customer to clearly advance its environmental objectives, aligning itself with the requirements of ISO 14001, EMAS and responsible water management criteria, without compromising the hygiene standards required in the food industry.
Overall, steam cleaning established itself as a technically and environmentally efficient solution, capable of replacing pressurized water cleaning, drastically reducing resource consumption and improving the overall sustainability of the industrial cleaning process.
Technology used:
- RGV20 industrial steam generator, integrated in the plant’s night cleaning process and designed to generate steam for cleaning equipment, surfaces and structural areas.
- Steam application accessories, consisting of application lances, copper brushes and specific applicators, selected to adapt to the different types of surfaces and dirt levels present in the installation.
- High temperature steam application system, configured to act directly on product residues and oils adhered to the equipment, without the need to disassemble the machinery.
- Set of tools for access to complex areas, allowing the cleaning of structural and difficult-to-reach areas while maintaining the plant’s normal operations.
CHALLENGES
We meet customer requirements
Steam solution for cleaning in a food industry company. We achieved the following results:
Drastic reduction in water consumption. The replacement of pressurized water cleaning with steam allowed us to reduce water consumption by 85% to 90%, going from approximately 1,095 m³ per year to a residual consumption of between 110 and 165 m³, with the consequent saving of water and reduction of wastewater.
Effective cleaning without disassembly or chemicals. The use of high temperature steam made it possible to remove food residues and adhering oils without the need for large water flows or the intensive use of detergents, acting directly on the critical areas even without disassembling the machinery.
Full integration into existing operations. The system was incorporated into the night cleaning procedure without changing times or processes, thanks to the versatility of the accessories, facilitating access to structural and hard-to-reach areas in a simple, safe and repeatable way.
Environmental improvement and regulatory compliance. The reduction of resource consumption allowed the client to advance in its environmental objectives, aligning itself with ISO 14001, EMAS and responsible water management criteria, while maintaining the hygiene standards required in the food industry.
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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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USES OF STEAM IN INDUSTRY AND OTHER BUSINESSES
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