POTENTIAL APPLICATION OF SOLAR PROCESS HEAT IN THE MEAT SECTOR CONSIDERING HEAT RECOVERY AND INDUSTRIAL HEAT PUMPS AS COMPETING TECHNOLOGIES

Food industry, specifically the slaughter and meat processing industry, is a promising field for solar process heat. Several processes, such as scalding or hot water generation for washing and cleaning, offer :feasible integration points due to the low temperature level and conventional heating equipment. For the German meat sector, a technical potential of one million square meters of collector area Was estimated. However, heat recovery systems can reduce this potential significantly, especially if they are installed in combination with industrial heat pumps. Thus, the questions arise how heat recovery systems can be operated most economically with respect to the condensation temperature of compression chillers and which influences have to he expected for the integration of solar heat and industrial heat pumps.