For safety, quality, security, use Kaydeli!
For safety, quality, security, use Kaydeli!
Coconut water is a beverage that is extremely sensitive to temperature. Every step of its production demands precise and stable temperature control. Excessive heat or rapid temperature fluctuations can cause browning, affect flavor, and shorten shelf life. Therefore, reliable hot and cold energy supply is not only key to ensuring product quality but also critical for reducing production costs.
Recently, Kaydeli shared a case study from a food and beverage company producing coconut water, where an integrated cooling and heating system was upgraded to solve long-standing energy consumption issues.
To understand the importance of the system upgrade, it is necessary to look at the thermal requirements in the coconut water production process.
The core processes include UHT sterilization, cooling, filling, and post-sterilization cooling.
In the UHT (Ultra-High Temperature) sterilization stage, the coconut water is rapidly heated to sterilization temperature, then quickly cooled to around 25°C for filling. This rapid cooling is essential to preserve the natural freshness and flavor of the coconut water.
After filling and sealing, the product enters a pasteurization cooling tunnel. Here, multi-stage water spraying is used to gradually reduce the product temperature from about 70°C down to near ambient levels. The final cooling stage requires a large amount of chilled water at around 5–7°C to quickly stabilize the product temperature and ensure consistent quality.
At the same time, the plant’s CIP (Clean-in-Place) cleaning system, as well as sterilization of equipment and pipelines, requires hot water above 75°C. The syrup tanks and ingredient mixing systems also need stable heat supply for insulation.
Previously, the factory used a traditional screw chiller for cooling and an electric boiler for hot water. However, this configuration had two major problems. First, the electric boiler consumed large amounts of power, making it one of the biggest energy cost sources in the production line. Second, the chiller discharged a significant amount of waste heat into the atmosphere through the cooling tower. This low-grade heat was completely wasted, even though it could have been reused.
This created an obvious contradiction — while the factory paid high electricity bills for heating, it was simultaneously releasing usable thermal energy into the air. For a product like coconut water that demands both quality and efficiency, this imbalance was a major challenge.
To address these issues, Kaydeli implemented an energy-balanced system that integrates a high-temperature heat pump with the chiller system. The main goal was to recover and reuse the waste heat generated during cooling, creating a “closed-loop” energy cycle.
In this setup, a high-temperature water-source heat pump acts as the system’s energy hub. Instead of drawing heat from the air, the heat pump extracts low-temperature waste heat from the chiller’s cooling water circuit or the spray water return from the cooling tunnel.
Through its thermodynamic process, the heat pump upgrades this low-grade heat and outputs high-temperature hot water — up to 85°C or higher — from its condenser side. This hot water is then used directly in CIP cleaning and other heating processes.
Meanwhile, on the evaporator side, the heat pump provides pre-cooling to the return cooling water. In other words, while producing hot water, the system also generates a certain amount of “free cooling capacity.” This cooling can be used for the first cooling stages of the tunnel, significantly reducing the main chiller’s workload.
As a result, the chiller only needs to handle deep cooling at the final stage, reducing operation time and overall energy consumption.
From an energy efficiency standpoint, the results of this transformation are remarkable.
For example, in a coconut water factory with an annual output of 10,000 tons, the electric boiler’s power cost alone can reach several million RMB per year. After upgrading to the chiller + heat pump system, the cost of producing the same amount of hot water drops significantly.
The system’s comprehensive Coefficient of Performance (COP) exceeds 3.0, meaning every 1 kWh of electricity produces over three times that amount of effective heat energy — plus additional free cooling.
In actual operation, this type of system can help factories achieve 30–40% overall energy savings. Beyond direct cost reduction, it offers multiple added benefits:
Stable hot water supply: The heat pump provides consistent outlet temperature, improving CIP cleaning reliability.
Reduced equipment stress: The chiller operates under lower load conditions, extending service life and reducing maintenance.
Environmental benefits: The integrated system reduces greenhouse gas emissions and heat discharge, supporting green manufacturing goals.
This integrated cooling and heating solution goes beyond the concept of a single energy-saving device. It represents a system-level optimization of the entire production process.
By matching thermal needs precisely and utilizing heat at different temperature levels, the system achieves maximum energy utilization and eliminates waste. For temperature-sensitive beverage production, especially coconut water, such synergy between the water cooled chiller and high-temperature heat pump ensures both quality consistency and production efficiency.
Moreover, as heat pump technology continues to evolve — providing higher temperature outputs and more stable performance — the adoption of this type of combined system is expected to expand further across the beverage industry. It offers a powerful pathway for low-carbon transformation, aligning with the global trend toward energy efficiency and sustainability.
The collaboration between chillers and high-temperature heat pumps demonstrates an innovative and effective approach to energy optimization in coconut water production. It recovers waste heat, reduces energy costs, stabilizes production, and supports sustainable development goals.
For beverage manufacturers seeking smarter and greener energy solutions, this model provides both economic and environmental value — a clear step toward efficient, circular energy use in food and beverage processing.
If you are looking for an experienced chiller manufacturer that provides reliable temperature control and energy-efficient system solutions, Kaydeli is your trusted partner. With advanced technology and proven expertise in industrial refrigeration and heat pump systems, Kaydeli helps global clients optimize production while reducing energy consumption. Visit Kaydeli to learn more about integrated chiller and heat pump solutions designed for sustainable manufacturing.
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