Environmentally sustainable conveyor cleaning solutions without sacrificing cleaning quality or efficiency
In the wake of COP26, environmental issues are rightly front and centre of attention. The race to net-zero needs to move up a gear in the private sector.
Environmental objectives will become an increasingly important performance metric for companies. This is especially so in the food industry where there is a high level of consumer interest and engagement in the quality and provenance of food. The landscape is changing: a stronger legislative framework; investment contingent on environmental performance; the customer base of large, powerful, and competitive supermarkets driving higher and higher environmental standards…..
We have also started to see an acceleration of environmental pricing; carbon pricing, higher fuel prices, water pricing, tax on waste. Environmental complacency ultimately hits the bottom line.
The Benefits of Using Steam Cleaning For Environmental Sustainability
There are a number of key areas where KHD automated conveyor cleaning solutions can help food companies reduce their environmental footprint.
Reduced use of chemicals. KHD conveyor cleaning systems use steam to clean. No chemicals are required.
Effluent/waste contained. Waste and moisture from flat belt cleaning systems is captured for controlled disposal. Solid waste from mesh belt cleaners is easily gathered.
Reduced use of water. Companies are coming under pressure to control both the amount of water they consume and the amount of wastewater released into the drains.
Depending on the size of the application KHD conveyor cleaning systems use around 13, 26, or 52 litres of water per hour to clean, the water use is determined by the size of the steam generator. Compare this to water-based alternatives. For example, an industrial hot water pressure washer might have a flow rate of 600 to 1200 l/h.
Reduced power consumption. It takes a lot of energy to heat a lot of water. Heating 1,000 litres of water from 15º to 65˚C requires 50,000 kcal (equivalent to 58kWh). Using a fraction of the water, efficient, automated, application of steam can dramatically reduce the power consumption required for cleaning.
Every cleaning task is different and environmental factors need to be considered on a case-by-case basis. KHD automated cleaning systems often take a fraction of the time to complete a task compared to water-based cleaning methods. KHD can easily demonstrate the potential on your own conveyor belts, showing you in a real-time test that we can clean your target belts to a standard equal or better than you currently achieve. We will work with you to provide all the information you need to carry out an accurate environmental impact of introducing KHD technologies.
