Optimising Drying System Efficiency

Drying System Efficiency

A leading malt production company faced challenges with their malt drying system. The drying process, which uses gas to supply warm air for grain drying in batches, struggled with inconsistent grain moisture levels, erratic gas consumption, and uncertainty around air recirculation control and set points. Their quality control process only assessed malting quality post-production, leading to inefficiencies.

Project Features

• The project aimed to optimise the drying process and ensure consistent quality through advanced data collection and analysis.

• The drying system involved two gas burners of 6.2 MW, a glass heat exchanger, and air recirculation for efficient grain drying.

• A key issue was the inconsistent moisture content of the grains before and after drying, coupled with unpredictable gas consumption rates.

• There was uncertainty about optimal air recirculation settings and the right temperature supply for drying efficiency.

• The challenge was also linked to the delay in quality assessment, with malting quality being verified only after production.