Saving energy starts with in-depth process analysis

Syntegon’s experts work closely with pharmaceutical manufacturers to analyze energy and media consumption, as well as process parameters, system configurations, and product-specific requirements. This allows them to identify the measures that offer the greatest benefit for each production environment.

Based on the analysis, Syntegon’s experts develop various optimization scenarios together with the customer and assess their economic and environmental impact on the sterilization process. Depending on the specific requirements, these may range from minor process adjustments to technical upgrades or retrofits.

The benefits of this deeper process understanding are evident in the hot-water shower technology (HWBV) from SBM Schoeller-Bleckmann Medizintechnik, a Syntegon company. As part of his doctoral thesis at Graz University of Technology, Product Manager Elias Hashemian Nik used numerical simulations to analyze flow and heat transfer processes in hot-water shower sterilizers and identified new opportunities for optimization. The results show that it is not just the amount of process water that is crucial, but above all how evenly it is distributed across products.

This detailed process understanding enables targeted improvements – for example in process parameters, water flow, and the design of water distribution and product trays. Depending on the application, these measures can reduce process water consumption by up to 20 percent, CO₂ emissions and energy costs by up to 10 percent, and heating and cooling times by up to seven percent. Additional measures, such as energy recovery systems, frequency converters, or retrofit solutions, can be added according to individual needs.