INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
PROJECT
The automated processing plant was imported from Ireland .
“ Once the air temperatures in the carcass chillers have reached a predetermined setpoint , the cooler fan speed is reduced . This enables a reduction in fan power consumption and to keep weight loss to a minimum . Meat spikes are installed in the carcass chillers which enable operators to monitor carcass deep bone temperatures . The air and meat temperatures are all displayed on the Omni system .
“ To improve temperature control , allow more loading and throughput flexibility , more than one control valve assembly was installed per carcass chiller .”
HEAT RECOVERY MEETS HIGH DEMAND FOR WASHING
Food processing plants and abattoirs have a high demand for hot water and East London Abattoir is no exception – and every industrial ammonia plant offers opportunities for heat recovery . In most instances it involves heating water for wash down , domestic water , preheating water for scalding tanks among other users . Kelb explains : “ However , it involves more than adding a few heat exchangers to the system . The selection of the equipment and design of the system needs careful consideration . Recently we have come across several heat recovery systems that have been abandoned for various reasons , predominantly due to equipment failure .
“ The quality and quantity of the heat is determined by the plant capacity and the peak load conditions of the refrigeration system . Often the peak plant operating conditions and the periods when the waste heat ( warm water ) is required don ’ t align . In most cases buffer tanks are required to store the warm water . These energy storage tanks serve more than one purpose – the most important being to prevent pumps from stopping and starting to keep the flow rate constant , and remove and reduce erratic control ,” says Kelb .
“ For the East London Abattoir , we were fortunate in that it was a ‘ green field ’ installation . This makes the positioning and installation of equipment simpler as opposed to retrofitting heat recovery equipment to an operational plant . The recovery system was designed to
produce water at + 45 ° C for wash down and ablution basins . The installation was co-ordinated with the local plumbing contractor who was responsible for the warm water reticulation .
“ The distribution piping for the warm water ring main must be designed to prevent ‘ dead legs ’ within the piping circuit . The + 45 ° C warm water energy storage tanks were designed to accommodate more than one heat source and prevents ammonia coming into contact with the wash water should a leak occur .”
COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL EXPORT STANDARDS
Page adds : “ The abattoir ’ s latest addition is a high-tech deboning facility that was commissioned in May 2023 . This facility comprises of carcass chilling , a deboning plant with an automated production line from Ireland , a boxing facility , and a carton freezer . The carton freezer , supplied and installed by Albrecht Machinery , has a capacity to deliver 64t chilled to frozen product over 24 hours . Infeed and outfeed conveyors were designed and installed by Qualipak from Stellenbosch , South Africa . Cartons are automatically moved from production to freezing and palletising seamlessly . The new project has allowed the East London Abattoir a 20 % growth in capacity . More importantly , the products going out are to the highest specification and quality . By early 2024 we will have the approval to export our pork to the foreign markets . We already export our beef and mutton products .” CLA
ELA has FSSC 22000 Accreditation , as international hygiene accreditation is required by corporate and international clients and is Halaal approved by SANHA and NIHT .
COLD LINK AFRICA • January / February 2024 23