Spirax Sarco has designed and supplied a new steam system for animal feed producer Sarval (Hartshill) Ltd to overcome production problems caused by wet steam. Spirax Sarco project managed the system’s design and installation and also supplied the pipework, valves, steam traps and flow meters for the new £18 million facility.
Previously, the Hartshill site had suffered numerous brief interruptions to production, a problem suspected of being linked to wet steam, which caused boiler water levels to fluctuate and the boilers to shut down.
Mr. Terry Smith, Group Energy & Technical Support Saria UK, comments: “The problem was down to the way the plant had grown over time. Sections had been added ad hoc, there were a lot of bends in the pipework, and some of the pipes were too narrow. It is hard to quantify how much these problems cost, but it could have been thousands of pounds a month. However, the new system will put an end to that, because it has been designed around the needs of the process.”
Spirax Sarco also supplied energy-saving equipment such as steam traps and flow meters to help the company achieve its energy-saving goals. Sarval also retained the Spirax Sarco FREME (Flash Recovery Energy Management Equipment) it installed in 2005 to help it recover flash steam and which, says Mr Smith, has cut its annual gas bill by around £100,000.
The new pipework has helped eliminate the problem of wet steam and ensure efficient steam delivery to the new production equipment, contributing to significant energy savings.
