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U.S. Department of Energy
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Estimates of process energy use in four key food products industries

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6512856

Process energy profiles were developed for a representative plant in each of four selected food processing industries. These were: wet corn milling, hog slaughtering and processing, potato dehydration, and soybean crushing. Estimates of total energy consumption per pound of raw product input to each process were derived from in-plant studies. These energy coefficients were found to be: 4100 Btu/lb corn milled; 3200 Btu/lb live hog processed; 1500 Btu/lb raw potatoes granulated; and 800 Btu/lb soybeans crushed. Process energy requirements were also estimated for each unit operation. It was determined that dehydration operations consumed over 80% of the energy in wet corn milling and soybean crushing and over 60% in potato dehydration for granule production. In contrast, pork processing uses over 60% of the energy consumed for cooking and sterilizing operations, and minimal energy for drying or de-watering operations. In addition, over 23% of energy consumed in pork processing is used for meat cooling and refrigeration functions.

Research Organization:
Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
EY-76-C-06-1830
OSTI ID:
6512856
Report Number(s):
BNWL-SA-6482; CONF-7709156-1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English