Melhoria de processo para o reaproveitamento térmico nas indústrias de matérias-primas para ração e biodiesel

Abstract

This work is a case study in the company BEN-HUR AGROINDUSTRIAL S.A., whose name is fictitious, due to the need for confidentiality in a highly competitive market. The object of business is recycling of wastes and their final products are commodities with low value added. The main focus of this study is to improve the production process in order to reduce process costs through the reuse of the thermal energy of the process, resulting in increased productivity and reduced costs, and thus avoiding large investments in equipment. The suggestion is to use a heat exchanger to generate thermal fluid heated by the gases of the process. This fluid is conducted to the beginning of the process, by means of heat radiation, heat the raw materials before entering the continuous digester. With the raw material pre-heated, the process stabilizes, because the input temperature is closer to the temperature output, greater productivity in the cooking process of the continuous digester. The excess energy of the thermal fluid can be used to heat water for washing, avoiding spending and saving money with steam. The company's technical team, which I belong, with experience of more than 30 years in the business of technology, did not find this process of reuse of modern energy in various plants visited several countries in Europe that also work with this technology.