This time last year, we advised that natural gas prices were abnormally high for the summer season, spelling potential trouble for the fall and winter months, when demand is higher. Since then, the Ukraine War and other factors have continued to compound supply issues around the world.
Currently, natural gas prices are at an elevated level globally and there is some temporary relief expected in coming weeks. However, prices for the fall and winter months, when temperatures begin to cool again in the Northern Hemisphere and demand spikes, could cause prices to rise again.
These increased prices have implications for household and industrial use alike.
Many food processors depend on propane as a heat source for equipment like spray dryers. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Most burners can be dual-fuel, allowing for the use of natural gas or propane depending on availability. Propane has a slightly lower heat value, meaning that you need to use a bit more of it to reach the same temperature as you would with natural gas.
In some areas of the country, natural gas supplies can be shut off temporarily by the local utility in order to meet overall demand. In cases like this, food processors usually have propane on-hand so they can switch over when the need arises.
Avoiding propane use during the price increase may not be possible, but processors can use this as an opportunity to review their overall energy sustainability. Caloris engineers can assist with a review of your processing equipment’s energy use and suggest modifications for energy savings.
The nature of the spray dryer also presents opportunities for dryer heat recovery that can be put back into the process to help defray energy costs. Practically, 8-12% of the exhaust heat can be recovered to pre-heat the incoming air, which translates directly to energy savings and carbon footprint reduction.
Contact Caloris if you are interested in learning more about your dryer heat recovery options. We can fine-tune your spray dryer operation to help your facility save money by improving energy efficiency.
Questions?
Contact Caloris today by calling 410-822-6900 or send email to problem.solved@caloris.com to speak with an engineer about energy sustainability.