Improvement of the Potato Protein Drying Process as an Example of Implementing Sustainable Development in Industry

Tomasz P. Olejnik, Józef Ciuła, Paweł Tomtas, Iwona Wiewiórska and Elżbieta Sobiecka ()
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Tomasz P. Olejnik: Department of Occupational Safety Engineering, Faculty of Process and Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, ul. Wolczanska 213, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Józef Ciuła: Faculty of Engineering Sciences, State University of Applied Sciences in Nowy Sącz, Zamenhofa 1A, 33-300 Nowy Sącz, Poland
Paweł Tomtas: Mysak Group Sp. z o.o. sp. k., ul. Strzeszynska 125, 60-479 Poznań, Poland
Iwona Wiewiórska: Faculty of Engineering Sciences, State University of Applied Sciences in Nowy Sącz, Zamenhofa 1A, 33-300 Nowy Sącz, Poland
Elżbieta Sobiecka: Institute of Natural Products and Cosmetics, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Lodz University of Technology, ul. Stefanowskiego 2/22, 90-357 Lodz, Poland

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-14

Abstract: This article describes the implemented technological solution of utilizing waste heat by upgrading the potato protein drying line and using energy recuperation in the drying plant. In this article, the technological sequence of the potato starch and potato protein production plant was analyzed and the identification of possible solutions that lead to a reduction in energy demand was described. The method of analyzing the processing data is based on existing models describing the flow of mass and energy fluxes. The authors did not seek new mathematical descriptions of the physicochemical phenomena occurring during the drying processes, and only modification of the technological line based on the current state of knowledge in process engineering has been proposed. The full heat recovery of the production line was applied, and the exhaust air after drying and the heat from the decanter leachate after centrifugation of the coagulated potato protein, from two energy-coupled starch dryers, were used as the source of recovered heat energy. Temperature measurements were taken at key process nodes, and the energy effects were estimated after the process line upgrade. The solution proposed in the article fits with circular economy, bringing notable economic and environmental benefits consisting of utilizing waste heat from technological processes in the food industry.

Keywords: potato protein; drying; heat recovery; circular economy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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