Poultry plant hot water from chiller heat
How a poultry plant processing 20,000 birds a day can heat its scalder, wash-down and knife sterilisers with a heat pump fed from its refrigeration condensers, instead of a diesel boiler.
▶Video: Waste-heat recovery heat pumps
V10 · 2–2.5 minLifting warm water from condensers, effluent and process cooling to useful heat
Video coming soon01Problem statement
- Scalder temperature is tight. A swing of 2 K changes feather release and skin quality. Steam injection makes the scalder temperature hunt.
- Constant overflow. Scalders overflow about 1 litre per bird to control contamination, so fresh water is heated all shift.
- Big cooling load next door. The chillers and freezers reject heat to a cooling tower while the scalder burns fuel.
- Losses between fuel and process. Burning diesel in a boiler or heater and distributing the heat loses a quarter or more of the fuel's energy before it reaches the process.
- Compliance, safety and handling. Fired equipment brings boiler inspections, fuel storage and unloading, flue emissions and an attendant on every shift.
02Use case
The reference plant processes about 2,000 birds an hour over a 10-hour shift. Birds are scalded at 58 °C, defeathered, eviscerated and chilled, then packed fresh or frozen. Knife and tool sterilisers at 82 °C are spread along the line, and the hall is washed down at the end of each shift.
| Heat user | Process temp. | Basis | Heat, kWh/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scalder make-up and losses | 25 → 58 °C | 20,000 birds × 1 L/bird overflow, 20% for birds and surface losses | 920 |
| Carcass washers and wash-down | 55 °C | 15,000 L/day, 25 → 55 °C | 522 |
| Knife and tool sterilisers | 82 °C | 20 units × 20 L/h × 10 h, 20% losses | 318 |
| Storage and pipework standing losses | – | about 5% | 88 |
| Total useful heat | 1,848 | ||
Averaged over 14 running hours, the heat pumps need about 132 kW.
03P&ID
Tags: HP heat pump, TK tank, SG steam generator, P pump, PHE plate heat exchanger, TCV temperature control valve, TIC temperature indicating controller (panel), TT temperature transmitter, MT moisture transmitter, PT pressure transmitter, LT level transmitter, FS flow switch, NC normally closed. Process fluids are heated through their own exchanger, coil or jacket.
04Solution
System description
- A Customized water-source cascade machine of about 135 kW, two-stage water-source machine built to duty, lifting 32 °C to 90 °C.
- A 4,500 L insulated storage tank decouples the heat pumps from the process peaks.
- Heat source: refrigeration condenser water at about 32 °C. Cooling the condenser water lowers head pressure and saves compressor power in the chilling plant.
- The diesel-fired hot-water boiler stays connected behind a normally closed valve as standby.
- Condenser water from the chilling and freezing plant at about 32 °C is the heat pump source.
- Scalder water recirculates through a plate exchanger, which holds 58 °C closely without steam injection.
- A small ring main at 85–90 °C feeds the knife sterilisers along the line. Wash-down water is blended down to 55 °C.
Selected equipment
| Machine | Customized water-source cascade |
|---|---|
| Capacity | about 135 kW, built to duty |
| Concept | two-stage water-source machine built to duty, lifting 32 °C to 90 °C |
| COP used | 2.4 (estimate) |
| Supply temperature | 90 °C |
| Storage | 4,500 L insulated tank |
Capacity is sized from the heat demand above. COP is an estimate until Sunniva engineering confirms the design.
Control philosophy
TT-101 at the tank top starts the heat pump below 85 °C and stops it at 90 °C. TIC-201 holds the scalder at 58 °C ±0.5 K. TIC-202 holds wash-down water at 55 °C. The steriliser ring is kept above 82 °C at its far end. If the tank falls below 84 °C, the existing boiler is enabled as standby.
05Energy saving and ROI
Change any input to match a customer's site. Defaults are typical Indian prices for October 2026. The installed cost is a placeholder; replace it with the actual quotation.
| Existing | Heat pump | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily consumption | – | – |
| Annual energy cost | – | – |
| Cost per 1,000 birds | – | – |
| CO₂ per year | – | – |
06Benefits
Steady scald
Close scalder control gives more even feather release and better skin appearance.
Refrigeration helped
Taking heat from the condenser water lowers head pressure on the chilling plant.
Sterilisers stay at 82 °C
A dedicated ring keeps every knife steriliser above the hygiene limit.
Lower energy cost
Each kWh of electricity delivers about 2.4 kWh of heat at the required temperature, against well under one kWh of useful heat per kWh of fuel burnt.
No flame on site
No burner, flue or fuel tank for this duty, and no fuel deliveries to schedule.
Solar-ready
Running hours can be placed in daylight so rooftop solar supplies much of the electricity, which also cuts CO₂ further.
07Engineering pointers
Site data to collect
- Birds per hour and shift hours
- Scalder volume, temperature and overflow rate
- Number of knife sterilisers
- Wash-down volumes and temperature
- Refrigeration capacity and condenser water temperature
- Present fuel or electricity use and monthly bill
- Sanctioned electrical load and spare capacity
- Space for the heat pumps and storage, with service access
Design notes
- Scald water is dirty. Use a wide-gap or open-able plate exchanger and a coarse strainer on the scalder side.
- Steriliser temperature. Log the temperature at the last steriliser on the ring, as inspectors check for 82 °C.
- Water use. Lower overflow rates save heat and water, but must follow hygiene requirements.
- Source stream. The source must give up roughly two-thirds of the heat delivered. Confirm its flow and temperature over a full production day, and filter it before the evaporator.
- Water quality. Scale forms quickly above 60 °C. Use softened make-up and keep the heat pump loop closed, with process fluids on the far side of an exchanger or coil.
- Performance figure. The COP on this page is an engineering estimate, not a data sheet value. Sunniva engineering will confirm it for the actual source and supply temperatures.
Service and warranty
Sunniva has supplied 5,000+ heat pumps since 2012, with nine service technicians across India, including remote sites such as Leh. All components carry a one-year warranty.
Talk to us
Poultry plant hot water from chiller heat
How a poultry plant processing 20,000 birds a day can heat its scalder, wash-down and knife sterilisers with a heat pump fed from its refrigeration condensers, instead of a diesel boiler.
▶Video: Waste-heat recovery heat pumps
V10 · 2–2.5 minLifting warm water from condensers, effluent and process cooling to useful heat
Video coming soon01Problem statement
- Scalder temperature is tight. A swing of 2 K changes feather release and skin quality. Steam injection makes the scalder temperature hunt.
- Constant overflow. Scalders overflow about 1 litre per bird to control contamination, so fresh water is heated all shift.
- Big cooling load next door. The chillers and freezers reject heat to a cooling tower while the scalder burns fuel.
- Losses between fuel and process. Burning diesel in a boiler or heater and distributing the heat loses a quarter or more of the fuel's energy before it reaches the process.
- Compliance, safety and handling. Fired equipment brings boiler inspections, fuel storage and unloading, flue emissions and an attendant on every shift.
02Use case
The reference plant processes about 2,000 birds an hour over a 10-hour shift. Birds are scalded at 58 °C, defeathered, eviscerated and chilled, then packed fresh or frozen. Knife and tool sterilisers at 82 °C are spread along the line, and the hall is washed down at the end of each shift.
| Heat user | Process temp. | Basis | Heat, kWh/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scalder make-up and losses | 25 → 58 °C | 20,000 birds × 1 L/bird overflow, 20% for birds and surface losses | 920 |
| Carcass washers and wash-down | 55 °C | 15,000 L/day, 25 → 55 °C | 522 |
| Knife and tool sterilisers | 82 °C | 20 units × 20 L/h × 10 h, 20% losses | 318 |
| Storage and pipework standing losses | – | about 5% | 88 |
| Total useful heat | 1,848 | ||
Averaged over 14 running hours, the heat pumps need about 132 kW.
03P&ID
Tags: HP heat pump, TK tank, SG steam generator, P pump, PHE plate heat exchanger, TCV temperature control valve, TIC temperature indicating controller (panel), TT temperature transmitter, MT moisture transmitter, PT pressure transmitter, LT level transmitter, FS flow switch, NC normally closed. Process fluids are heated through their own exchanger, coil or jacket.
04Solution
System description
- A Customized water-source cascade machine of about 135 kW, two-stage water-source machine built to duty, lifting 32 °C to 90 °C.
- A 4,500 L insulated storage tank decouples the heat pumps from the process peaks.
- Heat source: refrigeration condenser water at about 32 °C. Cooling the condenser water lowers head pressure and saves compressor power in the chilling plant.
- The diesel-fired hot-water boiler stays connected behind a normally closed valve as standby.
- Condenser water from the chilling and freezing plant at about 32 °C is the heat pump source.
- Scalder water recirculates through a plate exchanger, which holds 58 °C closely without steam injection.
- A small ring main at 85–90 °C feeds the knife sterilisers along the line. Wash-down water is blended down to 55 °C.
Selected equipment
| Machine | Customized water-source cascade |
|---|---|
| Capacity | about 135 kW, built to duty |
| Concept | two-stage water-source machine built to duty, lifting 32 °C to 90 °C |
| COP used | 2.4 (estimate) |
| Supply temperature | 90 °C |
| Storage | 4,500 L insulated tank |
Capacity is sized from the heat demand above. COP is an estimate until Sunniva engineering confirms the design.
Control philosophy
TT-101 at the tank top starts the heat pump below 85 °C and stops it at 90 °C. TIC-201 holds the scalder at 58 °C ±0.5 K. TIC-202 holds wash-down water at 55 °C. The steriliser ring is kept above 82 °C at its far end. If the tank falls below 84 °C, the existing boiler is enabled as standby.
05Energy saving and ROI
Change any input to match a customer's site. Defaults are typical Indian prices for October 2026. The installed cost is a placeholder; replace it with the actual quotation.
| Existing | Heat pump | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily consumption | – | – |
| Annual energy cost | – | – |
| Cost per 1,000 birds | – | – |
| CO₂ per year | – | – |
06Benefits
Steady scald
Close scalder control gives more even feather release and better skin appearance.
Refrigeration helped
Taking heat from the condenser water lowers head pressure on the chilling plant.
Sterilisers stay at 82 °C
A dedicated ring keeps every knife steriliser above the hygiene limit.
Lower energy cost
Each kWh of electricity delivers about 2.4 kWh of heat at the required temperature, against well under one kWh of useful heat per kWh of fuel burnt.
No flame on site
No burner, flue or fuel tank for this duty, and no fuel deliveries to schedule.
Solar-ready
Running hours can be placed in daylight so rooftop solar supplies much of the electricity, which also cuts CO₂ further.
07Engineering pointers
Site data to collect
- Birds per hour and shift hours
- Scalder volume, temperature and overflow rate
- Number of knife sterilisers
- Wash-down volumes and temperature
- Refrigeration capacity and condenser water temperature
- Present fuel or electricity use and monthly bill
- Sanctioned electrical load and spare capacity
- Space for the heat pumps and storage, with service access
Design notes
- Scald water is dirty. Use a wide-gap or open-able plate exchanger and a coarse strainer on the scalder side.
- Steriliser temperature. Log the temperature at the last steriliser on the ring, as inspectors check for 82 °C.
- Water use. Lower overflow rates save heat and water, but must follow hygiene requirements.
- Source stream. The source must give up roughly two-thirds of the heat delivered. Confirm its flow and temperature over a full production day, and filter it before the evaporator.
- Water quality. Scale forms quickly above 60 °C. Use softened make-up and keep the heat pump loop closed, with process fluids on the far side of an exchanger or coil.
- Performance figure. The COP on this page is an engineering estimate, not a data sheet value. Sunniva engineering will confirm it for the actual source and supply temperatures.
Service and warranty
Sunniva has supplied 5,000+ heat pumps since 2012, with nine service technicians across India, including remote sites such as Leh. All components carry a one-year warranty.