Steam jet heat pump as a source of alternative energy in bakery technology
The search for new alternative energy sources and ways of saving fuel and energy resources, efficient use of secondary energy resources, including natural low-temperature sources of heat, remain in the center of attention of specialists in the bakery industry. Heat pumps are becoming increasingly important in reducing energy costs. The reasons that restrain the widespread use of vapor compression heat pumps are analyzed. To implement rational thermal and humidity modes in the technology of bakery products, it is proposed to use a steam jet heat pump, which expands the boundaries of energy-efficient coupling of objects of different temperature potentials on the basis of utilization and recuperation of secondary energy resources. At the same time, a universal approach has been fully implemented in creating a competitive technology that provides heat and cold production for joint processes in the production of bakery products. In the conditions of decentralized heat supply systems, when heat energy is generated directly at the enterprise, a steam-jet heat pump creates real conditions for the utilization of low-pressure steam, in particular, waste heat from gas turbine plants and boiler units and, as a result, makes it possible to effectively solve energy saving problems. Environmentally safe conditions of the technology functioning are due to the use of water as a refrigerant. The use of toxic, explosive and fire hazardous working environments is completely excluded, which allows us to consider the proposed heat pump technology of bakery products as environmentally friendly.