GEA valve technology reduces energy consumption in beverage plants

Compressed air is one of the largest, but often underestimated, energy consumers in beverage plants. New valve concepts show how demand can be significantly reduced without compromising process reliability or hygiene. One approach focuses directly on pneumatic drives.

Compressed air as an underestimated energy driver in the beverage industry

In the beverage and food industry, energy efficiency is often associated with refrigeration systems, heat recovery or electric drives. However, one key consumption block often goes unnoticed: compressed air. In many plants, it accounts for a significant proportion of the total energy requirement, often in the double-digit percentage range. In complex process lines with numerous valves in particular, the necessary air pressure has grown over time – and is often higher than would be technically necessary. This is precisely where GEA comes in. The internationally active machine and plant manufacturer, headquartered in Düsseldorf, does not view compressed air in isolation, but as a system-relevant lever for reducing energy consumption and CO₂ emissions in production plants in the beverage industry.

Valves as the key to reducing pressure levels

In many existing plants, a compressed air level of six bar is standard. However, not all components require this level. Often, it is individual process valves that dictate the high pressure, while other plant components would manage with significantly less. The consequence: compressors run continuously at a higher power level than is actually necessary. This is exactly where the solution developed by GEA comes in. Pneumatic drives have been designed to operate reliably at as low as four bar. This allows the overall compressed air level of a plant to be reduced without compromising functionality or process reliability. Technical literature assumes that a reduction of one bar of compressed air saves around eight per cent of compressor energy. A reduction from six to four bar therefore results in a calculated savings potential of around sixteen per cent. In energy-intensive production environments, this is not a marginal effect, but a relevant economic factor.

Double-seat valves as a practical example

A modern double-seat valve, as used in hygienic process plants, provides a clear example. Its task is to safely separate two pipelines from each other or to connect them in a targeted manner. Compressed air is only required at the moment of the switching movement. When closed, the valve consumes no energy. The moment of opening is technically decisive: here, the pneumatic air must overcome a spring in order to move the valve into the desired position. While this traditionally occurs at six bar, the newly developed drives reliably perform this movement at just four bar. The savings are therefore not achieved through sacrifice, but through design optimisation.

Hygienic design as an equally important development goal

However, energy efficiency is only part of the equation in the beverage industry. Hygiene requirements, cleanability and process reliability are just as important. Modern valve technology must therefore meet several requirements at the same time. In the solution shown, attention was paid to a consistently hygienic design. This includes sloping surfaces for controlled water drainage, the elimination of unnecessary surfaces, external seals and high-quality surface finish. This is complemented by integrated cleaning functions such as foam cleaning systems that enable automated cleaning. These design details are not an end in themselves. They reduce cleaning times, lower the use of chemicals and thus also contribute indirectly to resource efficiency.

Valves as part of a holistic energy concept

As effective as individual measures may be, in practice they only reach their full potential when used in combination. Valves are always part of an overall system – and that is exactly how they are viewed here. Lowering the compressed air level is one component of a more comprehensive energy concept that takes all relevant consumers into account. This also includes the use of modern heat pump technology. In the Heating & Refrigeration division, GEA develops systems that not only cool, but can also provide process heat at the same time. Heat pumps that supply process water at temperatures up to the high-temperature range open up new possibilities for substituting fossil fuels.

Process integration instead of individual optimisation

A central approach lies in process integration. Instead of optimising individual components in isolation, entire production lines are analysed. Where does waste heat arise? Where is heat needed? What pressure levels are actually required? And where can technical reserves be tapped without compromising operational safety? This systemic approach is crucial for a realistic decarbonisation strategy. Many processes in the beverage industry do not require extremely high temperatures. The intelligent combination of refrigeration, heating and pneumatics therefore offers considerable potential for savings.

Relevant levers for reducing energy and emissions

The levers that are effective in practice can be summarised in several points:

• Lowering the compressed air level through optimised valve drives
• Reducing compressor power and thus operating costs
• Hygienic design to shorten cleaning cycles
• Integration of heat pumps to utilise process waste heat
• Holistic analysis of complete systems instead of individual components

Towards complete decarbonisation

The perspective extends beyond short-term savings. The aim is to design plants in such a way that they can be operated with minimal energy consumption in the long term – to the point of extensive decarbonisation. Both technical innovations and a deep understanding of processes play a role here. The focus is not only on new machines, but also on optimising existing plants. This is where the potential is particularly great, as many systems have evolved over time and could be operated much more efficiently under today's conditions. The development of modern valve technology is a prime example of how detailed work on individual components can make a measurable contribution to energy and resource efficiency – embedded in an overall concept that takes the production process as a whole into account.