Analysis of the viability of using thermal energy for Maluti Mountain Brewery

Abstract

It has been established by literature that there is worldly movement towards renewable energy usage because of global warming. Solar energy among many is one form of renewable energy that can be used to reduce conventional energy usage. This study realized an opportunity to reduce the conventional energy (coal) use at Maluti Mountain Brewery (MMB); a brewery in Lesotho by preheating the boiler make up water. The boiler at MMB is serviced by condensate (70°C) and the cold water from the tap. The cold makeup water mixes with the condensate prior to the being carried into the boiler and thus reducing the efficiency of the boiler. This is because the boiler in turn demands a lot of coal to heat up the boiler feed water. A retrofitted solar thermal system into the existing system at MMB was done. This system was aimed at preheating the cold make up water before it mixes with the hot condensate in order to avoid the makeup water from reducing the condensate temperature. An Excel based model was made in order to design a solar thermal system that is cost effective and technically viable. The designed system is an active solar thermal system composed of evacuated tube collector with the EPD of 18 kWh/$), collector area of 80 m2 which was decided upon by the required maximum storage tank temperature of 100 °C. The storage tank size of the system was found to be 2110 Liters. A tank of such size could not be found on the market; therefore, a 2500 Liters storage tank would be ideal for the purpose. The actual collector area decided upon according to the collector aperture area of 2.998 was found to be 81 m2. The system was found to be able to preheat 54% of the makeup water (12 % of the boiler feed water is the makeup water). The amount of coal used by MMB would be reduced by 11% and therefore saving the company as the NPVSS is positive, amounting to $25044 for over 20 years.