Achieving production that is as CO2-neutral as possible was the common thread running through these technical optimizations at this chocolate factory in Lokeren. The path to sustainability is important to us and our customers. We therefore first mapped out our energy balance. Since we need both cooling heating at the same time in production, a CO2 heat pump was the most environmentally friendly option. When we think of CO2, we may think of emissions. But when cooling , it is the refrigerant of a green future.
Energy-efficient cooling and heating at the same time
A CO2 heat pump primarily provides cooling. However, the heat that the pump extracts from the environment is not released into the outside air, but is recovered and then used to provide the right heating at other points in the production process. This keeps the production areas at 19 °C.
A complex installation because you have to ensure that there is sufficient heating even when cooling is not cooling , and vice versa. Primarily for production, and at all times. That is why sufficient backup was built in with electric resistors in the buffer tanks and four additional coolers for production. Energy consumption that can be captured by the solar panels on the roof.
The beauty of this project is that, just as the HVAC system serves both the production and office space
, the automation of the production and the building can also communicate seamlessly with each other.
Techniques implemented in collaboration with ATS Group:
- HVAC/S installation with CO2 heat pump
- Ventilation
- All double-walled pipework
- Process automation
- Building automation with building management system
- Panel building
