Heat Recovery in the Food Industry: from Pasta Drying to Milk Pasteurization

Heat is a central resource in many production processes in the food & beverage sector. The food industry uses thermal energy for key operations such as pasta drying, milk pasteurization, food sterilization, CIP washing, cooking, and environmental conditioning processes.

On the one hand, heat is consumed in large quantities, while on the other, it is often dispersed as unused residual energy. In this context, heat recovery in the food industry and its integration into a thermal storage system represent a concrete strategy to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and lower emissions.

Why recover heat in the food industry

Many processes generate "waste heat" that can be recovered. Here are some examples:

• Milk pasteurization: during product cooling, low-enthalpy hot water is generated.
• Food sterilization: during thermal return phases, useful energy can be recovered.
• Pasta drying: hot air and vapors can supply auxiliary processes.
• Container washing: water at 60–80 °C can preheat subsequent cycles.
• Condensation from heat pumps and chillers: heat at 30–50 °C is available and often unused.

This energy, if properly collected and stored, can cover intermediate thermal needs, improve overall plant efficiency, and support technologies such as high-temperature heat pumps.

The role of technical water and high-temperature heat pumps

Technical water is a versatile heat transfer fluid, easily storable and transferable. Unlike steam, it allows:

• greater flexibility in recovery;
• thermal storage in tanks or batteries;
• use in combination with high-temperature heat pumps (up to 140 °C with dedicated technologies).

These heat pumps, supported at the European level, offer a sustainable alternative to traditional boilers. However, their performance strongly depends on the source temperature: the lower it is, the more the COP is affected.

The storage of hot water recovered from processes is therefore strategic: it allows pre-feeding the heat pumps, reducing the thermal gap, and improving efficiency.

Smart storage with i-TES thermal batteries

i-TES thermal batteries are designed to recover, store, and redistribute heat in an optimized way. Equipped with an integrated water-to-water heat exchanger, they perfectly adapt to the use of technical water and enable:

1. Efficient heat recovery: collection of heat from washing, cooling, condensation.
2. Heat pump optimization: reduce the thermal gap, improve performance, and cut consumption.
3. Operational continuity: support thermal loads during peak moments, improving system resilience.

Thanks to modularity and ease of integration, they represent a concrete solution for the energy efficiency of the food industry.

Energy diagnosis and design support

Every i-TES project starts from a technical consulting activity:

• analysis of thermal flows and identification of recovery potential;
• sizing of the thermal battery based on load profiles;
• integration with the existing system in collaboration with designers, ESCo, and internal technicians.

The i-TES design approach enables companies to move from an idea to a fully operational thermal storage system, reliable, and scalable.

Benefits for the food sector

The integration of thermal storage in food processes allows:

• Immediate energy savings thanks to the recovery of already available heat.
• Emission reduction through less reliance on fossil fuels.
• Improved plant efficiency and heat pump performance.
• Easier access to incentives and energy transition tools.
• Adaptability to every process: pasteurization, drying, washing, food sterilization.

In conclusion, heat recovery in the food industry today represents a concrete opportunity to combine efficiency, savings, and sustainability. From pasteurizers to CIP washing, from condensers to pasta drying lines, every thermal process can become a source of energy.

With i-TES thermal batteries, food & beverage companies can develop tailor-made, integrated, and truly high-performing projects. All with the support of a technical partner capable of turning thermal flows into value.

If you want to understand how to apply these solutions to your plant, contact us for a personalized technical evaluation.