Helping breweries control their burn to cut natural gas costs and waste gas emissions
By Steve Craig , Senior Engineer Fluid Components International ( FCI )
No matter whether consumers choose a pilsner , an ale , or another popular type of beer , there is a critical focus at nearly all breweries today on their production process ’ s energy ( natural gas ) costs and plant environmental compliance ( waste gas emissions ). Failing to pay attention to the efficiency of these processes at breweries or any other type of food / beverage plant can lead to cost competitiveness issues and hefty regulatory fines .
Today ’ s modern breweries must not only produce a popular refreshing product , but they also must continuously reduce costs and their carbon footprint by tightly controlling natural gas usage , residual CO2 levels and mixed waste gases . From fermentation vessel natural gas heating to waste gas recovery for co-gen electric power or combined heat and power ( CHP ) systems to stack flaring , the emphasis is on process efficiency and protecting the environment ( Fig 1 ).
The Challenges
The plant team at a large craft brewery in Southern California ’ s San Diego County contacted FCI with concerns about its twin goals of ( 1 ) reducing natural gas consumption ( cost ) while also ( 2 ) lowering its waste gas emissions . Electric and natural gas energy costs in California are among , if not , the highest in the nation . The state is also well known for its environmental regulations , which can exceed national standards and those of many states . many best practices for energy efficiency and conservation that can be easily incorporated into daily operations , as well as solutions that can reach beyond greenhouse gas ( GHG ) reduction and lead to operating cost reductions , additional sources of income , and new community initiatives . These solutions help brewers save money and become industry leaders in sustainable practices .”
A guide produced by the American Brewing Association estimates the average energy input cost per barrel of beer from a craft brewer ranges from $ 3.34 to $ 4.26 each barrel . A craft brewer ’ s energy cost is higher than larger industrial type breweries .
How To Control The Burn
There is one thing that all brewers have in common when it comes to controlling natural gas consumption and waste gas management . Whether they are micro , craft or large industry giants , all breweries depend on accurate and consistent air , natural gas and waste gas flow measurement instrumentation that must function under rugged and variable demand conditions . What isn ’ t accurately measured can ’ t be controlled to optimize brew house process efficiency .
Four Key Factors
To reduce natural gas consumption , it is important that brewers and other plant engineers know and control the calorific value of the natural gas input of their gas feed for their boilers to produce steam used for heating brew kettles and to make hot water . To reach this goal , there are four key factors that plant engineers must consider when optimizing all heating processes involving brew kettles , boilers , etc .
# 1 Process Stoichiometric Burn Ratio
The stoichiometric point in well controlled natural gas fired processes is where the mixture of fuel to air is optimal . Too little air , and the burner fire doesn ’ t achieve its full calorimetric heating potential and natural gas is wasted when it takes longer than necessary to achieve and sustain the required heating levels for vessel burners or steam boilers ( Fig 2 ).
When the fuel mixture is too air rich , then there is the potential for excess nitrogen oxide ( NOX ) emissions , which are a highly
According to a report published by the American Brewing Association , “ There are
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Figure 1