Bosch Packaging Technology releases a new patented energy recovery concept for hot water shower sterilizers, which enables users to save one energy pertaining to heating and cooling during the sterilization process.
The concept was developed by Schoeller-Bleckmann Medizintechnik (SBM), a Bosch Packaging Technology company.
“By re-using heating and cooling energy, the system lowers the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) – not only for hot water shower sterilizers from Bosch but also for those from other manufacturers. Moreover, it can be simultaneously used on several sterilizers,” explains Isa Alkan, head of sales at SBM.
The self-contained, independent system consists of a multilayer storage tank, which is divided into several temperature zones and firmly piped to the sterilizer via a heat exchanger.
The water temperature in the permanently filled storage tank increases from bottom to top. Separation planes prevent the temperature zones from mixing too quickly.
The stored energy is used for both heating and cooling of the sterilizer.
The water temperature of the sterilization phase usually is 121 degrees Celsius.
During cooling, the hot process water flows through the heat exchanger, where it is cooled by cold water from the storage tank.
The water in the storage tank thereby absorbs energy from the sterilizer, and heats up again.
By using existing cold water from the multilayer storage, manufacturers can reduce the amount of additional, costly cooling medium.
An intelligent control system enables the energy to be stored in the storage tank’s different temperature zones.
After the sterilizer has been reloaded, the energy in the multilayer storage can be re-used to heat the process water to 121 degrees Celsius.
A continuous repetition of these process steps reduces the required amounts of heating and cooling media.
As a result, up to 40% of the initial heating energy can be saved.
With an additional heating exchanger integrated in the storage tank, the saving potential even amounts to 60% for cooling energy.
“Apart from the saving potential in heating and cooling, a lower amount of overall media consumption also leads to smaller tank sizes,” says Alkan.
“With these savings, companies contribute to environmental protection and can optimize their ‘green’ image.”
Efficient processes, easy retrofits
Fully automated controls enable operators to comprehensively control and efficiently configure the energy recovery concept.
An operator control device ensures that the energy recovery concept can be activated and deactivated at any time, independently from the sterilizer’s controls.
In case a customer requires simultaneous usage with several sterilizers, additional heat exchangers can be piped to the stationary storage tank.
SBM also offers a retrofit package for existing machines, consisting of engineering, delivery, installation, start-up, documentation and qualification according to current pharmaceutical standards.
