International. Nestlé's facilities in the Netherlands will, in the medium term, have a milk powder production line with modern process technology and heat pumps provided by GEA.
In this way, the plant is expected to use 75% less energy to generate steam. It will be the first time that the company will use a GEA heat recovery system that is fed by the exhaust air from the spray drying plant and which, in turn, provides hot water for its operation.
As part of the project, GEA will also provide complete wet processing technology, which will supply the prepared milk to Nestlé's spray drying line. The installation of the process technology and heat supply system is scheduled for this year and the plant will be operational in 2025.
According to Nestlé, the aim of the project is not only to increase its production capacity, but also to advance its sustainability agenda by reducing carbon emissions, dust emissions and water demand. The exploitation of renewable thermal energy is one of the objectives of the company's climate strategy.
"We already know how heat pumps work in different production processes. But using them with spray dryers, the most energy-intensive part of the process, is new to us. The GEA system allows us to reduce the plant's steam consumption by 75%", explained Gerben Koopmans, Nestlé's Director of Engineering.
Process Integration
In addition to the ammonia heat pump for the spray dryer, GEA will provide a second heat pump that supplies hot water at 85°C to heat the entire production line and run the various dewatering processes, as well as cold water at 1.5°C to heat the factory.
GEA's process technology for the wet line includes state-of-the-art evaporators, in-line formula mixers, a homogenizer, high-pressure and high-shear pumps, heat exchangers, valves, as well as all other connecting components and piping.
"Our integrated solutions that combine process technology with heating and cooling technology set a new benchmark in milk powder production, because merging the two disciplines in production planning and design implementation significantly reduces energy consumption and the plant's carbon footprint", said Ronald Hofland, GEA's Director of Sales.
