A novel Integrated Waste Energy Recovery System (IWERS) by thermal flows: A supermarket sector case

Abstract The demand for resources and energy is increasing in the development of the economy. The increase in the price of energy that penalizes the benefits obtained, the growing competition in the commercial sector that motivates the adoption of improvements in the design of the establishments and the greater importance given by customers to the environmental sensitivity of commercial firms, encourages the adoption of measures aimed at achieving savings in energy consumption. In the commercial activity of a supermarket, steam originates as a residual fluid in the cooking processes of frozen doughs in bakery ovens. In the following a novel system is shown, designed to benefit from steam heat and improve energy efficiency in the production of hot water from supermarkets. The Integrated Waste Energy Recovery System (IWERS) developed, uses a storage cylinder equipped with a coil that benefits from steam heat generated in the bakery ovens. The system is evaluated according to operational and economic aspects, its implementation, in half of Spanish supermarkets and hypermarkets, would generate approximately 0.3% of the total annual reduction of greenhouse gas emissions that Spain is bound to get for diffuse sectors. The amortization period of the necessary investment is much lower than its cost, making the installation economically viable.