The only purpose of the WHE is to save energy by lowering the steam consumption.
The WHE can reduce the steam consumption for drying by up to 50 %, this is important as the boiler fuel is expensive, like diesel oil, heavy fuel oil or natural gas.
The WHE is used for OFP (Oily Fish Fishmeal Plants) and LTR (low temperature) rendering plants using cooker and twin screw press and disc dryer that produces the waste heat vapor.
The WHE come in 1-stage (effect) or 2 or 3 stage. Every higher stage increases the saving effect.
The stick water coming from decanter and separator contains 8 to 12% protein (like sugar dissolved in water)
This protein is valuable and must be recovered to get higher protein % in the meal and better price. If the stick water is thrown away it is very polluting.
When the WHE has run for a while, the stick water will concentrate to a thick syrup that is pumped into the drier and mixed with the finished meal.
The WHE does not use steam from the boiler, but use the wasted vapor from the disc drier that would normally be thrown away.
The disc drier will evaporate water at normal boiling point 100 deg C. The WHE will evaporate water under vacuum where the boiling point is only 70 deg C.
The design of a WHE is basically a stainless heat exchanger with tubes, a circulation pump for the stick water which is pumped around and around, a vacuum pump plus feed pumps, and a condenser.
WHE requires skilled operators and good maintenance and must often be cleaned by flushing with hot water (daily), caustic soda and acid solutions (weekly) using a CIP – automatic cleaning in place system
OFP-90 = Oily Fishmeal Plant 90 tons/day (3.75 tons/hour)
OFP – 90 (WITHOUT WHE)
Capacity: 3.75t/hour
Operation: 250days/year x 24hours/day = 6,000 hours/year [68% operation]
Raw material: 3.75t x 6000hr = 22,500 t/year
Oil consumption: 22,500t x 72 liters oil = 1,620,000 liters oil/year
Total cost: 1,620,000 liters x $0.6 = USD $972,000/year
(72 liters oil or oil equivalent is needed to make 1 ton of steam)
(1 ton of steam is needed to process 1 ton of raw material)
OFP-90 (WITH WHE)
Fishmeal plants with WHE uses about 0.55 – 0.6 ton steam to process 1 ton of raw material.
That means more than 40% total steam saving.
Oil consumption: 1,620,000 liters x 60% steam consumption = 972,000 liters/year
Total cost: 972,000 liters x $0.6 = USD $583,200/year
SAVING PER YEAR
Cost of oil used to produce steam: $972,000/year (Without WHE)
-$583,200/year (With WHE)
USD $388,800/year
Note: This calculation is to give an estimate of the possible cost saving when using WHE – Waste Heat Evaporator. Real figures may vary.
Proven success across 300+ installations worldwide. Discover how ASTW’s turnkey fishmeal and rendering solutions have helped global clients achieve superior efficiency, reduce operational costs, and exceed environmental compliance standards.
ASTW delivered a turnkey fishmeal plant in eastern Thailand, designed for lean fish and marine by-products. The project included full installation, energy-saving systems, and odor control to comply with local environmental regulations. Key Equipment 3-Phase Decanter LTR Disc Dryer Preheater Twin Screw Press WHE
Proven success across 300+ installations worldwide. Discover how ASTW’s turnkey fishmeal and rendering solutions have helped global clients achieve superior efficiency, reduce operational costs, and exceed environmental compliance standards.
Our fishmeal and rendering plants process various raw materials including fish waste and by-products, poultry offal and feathers, beef and pork by-products, mixed animal waste, and seafood processing waste. Each plant is customized for specific material types to ensure optimal processing efficiency and product quality.
Yes, ASTW delivers complete turnkey solutions including engineering design, equipment manufacturing, worldwide shipping, on-site installation, system commissioning, operator training, and ongoing technical support. Our 40+ certified technicians handle projects from concept to full operation across 36+ countries.
We provide comprehensive 24-month equipment warranty, 5-year major component guarantee, lifetime technical support, global spare parts availability, preventive maintenance programs, and 24/7 emergency service. Our service network ensures minimal downtime and maximum plant performance.
Absolutely. Our plants include advanced odor control systems (biofilters, scrubbers, thermal oxidizers), environmental monitoring equipment, waste heat recovery systems, and compliance with international environmental standards including EU, EPA, and local regulations worldwide.
Emergency spare parts are available within 24-48 hours for critical components through our global distribution network. Standard parts ship within 5-7 business days. We maintain strategic inventory locations in Asia, Europe, and Americas to ensure rapid delivery worldwide.
Our plants range from 50 tons/day for smaller operations to 600+ tons/day for large-scale industrial facilities. We design custom solutions based on your raw material volume, product requirements, site conditions, and future expansion plans.
