Eliminating moisture problems with desiccant dehumidification

Moisture causes production problems

A problem product was red beans and rice. To make the product, its various ingredients are mixed in a large kettle and cooked for several hours. After cooking, the mixture is placed into plastic containers and delivered to a spiral freezer where the product is frozen prior to shipment. Moisture produced as part of the cooking process created several problems. Condensation was forming on the ceilings and walls of the kettle room; this created a potential issue with the USDA as condensation is not allowed to contact the product. Excess moisture also caused large amounts of fog during daily washdowns, creating a potential safety hazard for employees. High moisture levels in the kettle room were also infiltrating the spiral freezer leading to additional frost buildup. And kettle room staff said the hot and humid environment was uncomfortable to work in. “The temperature in the kettle room was approximately 85°F to 90°F, with high humidity. We knew if we could lower the temperature to 70°F and also lower the humidity, then many of these problems would go away,” said John Remesnik, Diversified Foods plant manager. That’s when Diversified Foods decided to contact Munters to come up with a solution to eliminate the moisture problems.

The Munters solution

Munters provided a dehumidification system with cooling to control both temperature and humidity. “All of the moisture-related problems have gone away thanks to Munters,” Remesnik said. “Temperatures and humidity have been lowered to levels that have prevented condensation and fog from forming, and workers are more comfortable due to the changes,” Remesnik concluded.