Debottlenecking PET Warmer Line at a Beverage Plant in Thailand

A MNC beverage plant in Thailand was facing two scenarios in their PET line warmer:

  1. Condensate temperature was 50°C (122°F), indicating stalling in the heat exchanger. This was impacting the process temperature (not achieving the set point) and heating time (which was longer).
  2. Process temperature was exceeding the set point temperature by 10°C (50°F).

An energy audit of their steam system design and installation of a steam-operated pump trap (SOPT) along with a pressure powered pump package unit (PPPPU), helped the plant to resolve issues with process and condensate temperatures enabling 100% condensate recovery.

Objective

PROBLEM

This plant was facing temperature variations against desired and delayed heating times at PET Warmer 9. Condensate was being recovered through trap pressure. Additionally, there was a 15-metre (49 foot) lift in the condensate line after the trap.

Solution

SOLUTION

Forbes Marshall conducted a plant-wide audit. Our recommendations for PET Warmer 9 involved installing a steam-operated pump trap (SOPT), eliminating the lift in the condensate line and using a pressure powered pump package unit (PPPPU) to transfer condensate to the boiler feedwater tank. A condensate recovery meter was also installed for real time accurate monitoring. These measures addressed the temperature issues in the Warmer and increased the condensate temperature from 50°C (122°F) to 86°C (186.8°F).

Benefit

BENEFITS

Condensate Temperature improved from 50 to 86°C (122 to 186.8°F)

209,000 Kilograms (461K Pounds) of steam saved annually

15.47 Kilolitres (4,087 Gallons) of fuel saved annually

2,396 Kilolitres (632K Gallons) of water saved annually

40MT (88K Pounds) of CO₂ reduced

Annual monetary savings of THB 355,306 (~USD10,900)

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