Case study

Improved seeds drying process and energy saving thanks to continuous moisture measurement
Sunflower seeds processing | M-Sens 3
Customer: Major animal feed actor
Material: Sunflower seeds
Installation point: Before and after the dryer
Function: Moisture online control

APPLICATION

The client is a food industry expert in seed processing and optimization. The company is currently working on an internal project aimed at identifying machines or processes that can optimize energy consumption by combining different technologies. During this project, they have identified the seed dryer as a process with high energy consumption. After conducting research, they determined that measuring the seeds’ moisture content would make it possible to automatically correct or adjust the energy applied into the dryer, thereby reducing energy consumption in the long term.

Objective

The goal was to have an online measurement system that would provide continuous moisture data for better understanding of the product behavior. Ideally, an automated control loop would be created in a further step to get more accurate monitoring of online values.

How was the process handled before?

Before, the customer relied on manual sampling for moisture measurement throughout the day. This method had issues with inconsistency and error probability, and the representativeness of each sample.

SOLUTION

ENVEA proposed to install a sensor that could measure the moisture level of the seeds before and after the drying process, hence providing a comprehensive view of the dryer’s performance. In addition, a third sensor was installed to monitor moisture in the packing area.
In practice, a total of three sensors were installed, helping to provide more information about the overall performance of the drying process. The investment will be paying off in a short period due to the expected significant reduction in energy consumption.

Why did the company choose ENVEA?

ENVEA was recommended by members of the customer’s staff and the ENVEA Sales team visit confirmed the adapted technical solution to be installed.
The collaboration continues due to the high quality of the technology and the excellent service support.

CUSTOMER BENEFITS

Continuous moisture measurement:

  • Guarantees that seeds are dried to the correct final moisture content, which improves product quality and reduces post-harvest loss.
  • Helps optimize the drying process and reduce energy consumption.
  • Provides more information about the overall performance of the drying process, which can help identify areas for improvement and increase its efficiency.

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