Waste Minimisation
Process losses constitute a major cost in the manufacture of food, beverage and healthcare products. By minimising plant wastage, processors can reduce raw material and effluent treatment charges, thereby establishing a significant competitive advantage.
Waste minimisation is best implemented using a structured, sequential approach which recognises that loss elimination provides the greatest benefits and that disposal is ultimately the least desirable option. This hierarchical analysis allows an understanding of the of the fundamental processes which govern waste generation. In other words, it addresses the cause not the symptom.
Adoption of this 'top down' approach has enabled APV to design and build numerous low waste plants. Typically, wastage may be reduced at source by optimising engineering design and improving control and automation. In addition, product recovery systems allow re-use of waste material thereby cutting both losses and effluent. By integrating waste minimisation know-how into the design process, APVcan help manufacturers achieve large reductions in losses.
To enable waste reduction at existing plants, APVprovides a range of services aimed at analysing and optimising process performance. Reductions in wastage may be achieved by altering process operation, rectifying malfunctions and improving plant design.
The Design Process
Design provides the most effective means for reducing waste. In the food, dairy and beverage sectors, much effort has traditionally been applied to detailed process and mechanical design issues e.g. equipment sizing, piping and instrumentation. Latterly, conceptual design has also been recognised as an important part of the overall process. Three distinct stages may be identified:
To achieve minimum losses, design engineers must maintain a focus on waste reduction throughout each of these phases.
