1/10/2013

Strategic Cost Management

in Black Tea Processing

Dr W S Botheju, Head Process Technology Division

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Background
• Quality – consumer demand driven
• Good Quality Tea – better price
• To Produce GQT – required better quality tea
shoots
• To receive better quality shoots – harvest
shoots with good leaf standard & minimize
post harvest losses
• Managing the cost of processing

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Classification of Leaf Standard (Weight basis)

• Best leaf
 Bud & a leaf
 Bud & two leaves
 Bud & three leaves (tender third leaf)
 Tender banji shoots
 Arimbu

• Below best leaf

 Tender damaged shoots or leaves
• Coarse leaf
 Mature single leaves
 Mature banji shoots
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Produce good quality Tea

Post harvest damage

Field Factory
1 3

Leaf Transportation
2

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Plucker No. of shoots in Damaged leaf %

hand
1 115 18.8
2 118 22.2
3 120 18.0
4 121 22.2
5 131 21.9
Average 121 20.6

TRI recommended light weight plucking basket

• Post harvest losses at
the plucking stage

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New basket against Conventional plucking

Replicate Leaf % Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4
CP 26.5 23.5 29.2 24.6
Damaged
PB 14.2 10.9 12.9 6.8
CP 21.7 38.5 35.5 37.0
Coarse
PB 13.3 36.5 38.2 37.9

Tasters score Chemical Quality

Parameter Parameter
CP PB CP PB
Infused leaf 4.0 5.0 TF % 0.99 1.04
Liquor color 5.0 4.0 TR % 14.71 15.38
Strength 4.5 4.5 TC % 4.07 4.26
Quality 4.0 5.0 BR % 26.27 26.28

CP – conventional plucking system

PB – plucking with TRI plucking basket
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Improving leaf standard & reducing damaged leaf % in one factory

2008 2011 Damaged leaf (%)
Month
80 2008 2011
Leaf standard %

70
60 January 18 7
50
40 February 20 9
30
20 March 21 6
10
0 April 25 5
March

May

July
January

June

August
February

November
April

September

October

December
May 28 6
June 23 8
July 25 7
August 30 6
• A factory – improved the September 23 9
average standard of leaf from October 31 5
54 to 64 November 20 6
December 29 8

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• Minimizing the damaged leaves, a significant impact

can be done to NSA Factory rank Annual to date NSA (Rs)
35 325.60
• Their rank was increased 36 324.40
from 84 to 35. 37 321.12
38 319.49

• Implementation of strategies to reduce losses

during plucking and weighing
1. Maintained correct plucking rounds – incentive scheme was
introduced to field staff & plucking Kanganies

2. Picked and removed coarse leaf during cropping season

3. Training programs were organized for workers, field & factory staff

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Refuse tea % has reduced in 2011 compared to 2008

2008 2011
16
14
12
Refuse tea %
10
8
6
4
2
0

November
October

December
September
April

June

August
July
January

March

May
February

Reduction of average RT= 3.5%

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Contaminations

• Poor handling like use of fertilizer bag for packing &

weighing
• Placing the weighed leaf carelessly under unhygienic
conditions
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Tea with sand particles

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Transportation

Quality of tea leaves losses due to

• Poor transportations
• Distance transportations
• Delay in transportations
• Bad roads

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Transportation
• Tested three types of leaf packing materials in low
country region for distance transportation

Crate Coir bag New bag

• Packed 16 & 20kg leaves in each container and

transported about 20 – 25 km

• Leaf damaged % of each container was evaluated.

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Transportation
Damaged % of plucked tea leaves

Quantity Crates Coir Bags New Bags

packed
16 kg 16.5 23.4 20.6

20 kg 27.5 28.7 21.1

• Comparing three types packing materials crates showed better

results for 16kg. However, when the quantity increases to 20 kg
crates are not suitable for distance transportation.

• New bag – no variation for both quantities, due to large bag

size.

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Transportation

Leaf Standard %
Good Damaged Bad
Crate Bag Crate Bag Crate Bag
Before 55.5 53.4 26.2 24.5 18.3 20.2
After 54.2 51.9 27.8 29.2 18.1 20.9

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Factory operations

Possible post harvest losses and saving

opportunities in cost of processing
• Weighing
• Withering
• Rolling
• Drying

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• Weighing at the factory premises

Very poor handling of plucked good shoots/leaves

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Withering process
Fan Green leaf

Air flow
Plenum tunnel
Length
Transformation duct
Mixing chamber Gable door

• Objectives – optimize withering parameters

efficient use of hot air

• Several trials – carried out

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Withering process – what we did

• Load a trough – 2.5 kg/sq.ft
• Airflow was controlled – 24, 20, 16 cfm/kg GL
• Temperature and RH of hot air supply were
controlled & monitored at real time
Wet leaves 8 - 10oF
Dry leaves 4 - 6oF
• Leaf samples – every hour collected for moisture determination
• Withering fan – Power consumption was measured

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Withering process - results

100

90
Temperature (oF) RH (%) & Moisture (%)

80

70

60

50

40
Temp (oF) RH% Moisture% Hygrometric difference (oF)
30

20

10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Time (h)

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Withering process - results

Study hygrometric difference and Specific power consumption
during withering at different airflow rate
Hygrometric
Moisture %
Airflow Difference (oF) Specific power
Withering Observa
Rate Until After Consumption
period (h) tions
(cfm/kg) Initial Final S/M S/M (kWh/kg MT)
removed removed
24 76.3 (D) 56.0 - 4-6 13.0 0.23 Good
24 81.1 (W) 56.9 8 - 10 4-6 14.5 0.25 Good
20 77.4 (D) 58.0 - 4-6 13.5 0.17 Good
20 80.0 (W) 57.0 8 - 10 4-6 15.5 0.19 Good
16 77.0 (D) 56.0 - 6-8 16.0 0.06 Uneven
16 79.4 (W) 59.1 8 - 10 6-8 18.0 0.09 Very
uneven

Spreading rate - 2.5 kg sq.ft About 23% energy can be saved

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Withering process - recommendations

• Monitor efficient use of hot air for withering using

hygrometer
for wet leaves : 8 – 10oF (until surface moisture is
removed)
o
for dry leaves : 4 - 6 F
(maintain dry bulb T ≤ 90oF)

• Recommended flow rate of air: 20 cfm /kg GL

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Leaf discoloration

No discoloration

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Withering process - achievements

Power saving in withering by adjusting pitch angle of

withering fans which deliver large airflow
Details of trough Before Adjustment After Adjustment
Required Airflow
Length Motor (cfm) @ 3kg/ft2 Airflow Power Airflow Power
(ft) HP (cfm) (kW) (cfm) (kW)
75 10 27,000 36,600 5.9 31,800 5.2
75 10 27,000 36,400 6.3 31,900 4.0
75 10 27,000 41,900 5.7 35,400 4.3
75 10 27,000 41,200 7.2 35,500 4.9
80 10 28,800 40,900 6.8 35,000 4.4
80 10 28,800 36,200 3.9 33,000 3.1

Power saving was about 12 – 32%

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Withering process – achievements …

• Potential of reducing the withering cost
Power saving from six troughs = 10 kW
Units saved by running 12 h /day = 120 units
Units saved by running 12 h /yr = 36,000 units
(assumed no of days work – 300)
Annual saving = Rs 0.44 million
• If a trough consisted with VSD, without varying pitch
angle airflow can be further reduced to the required
levels.
• Closing airflow damper will not help to reduce power
consumption.
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When using VSD

Moisture %

Withering time (h)

 Initial stage of withering, Fans run at full speed. Therefore

no energy saving by VSD.
 Just after turning, VSD can operate to reduce the frequency
up to 1/3. That saves energy.
 Expected saving – 40% from total power for withering
 Annual power saving – 63,360 units @ 0.44 kWh/kg MT
 Annual cost saving – 0.8 million
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Rolling Room- Energy Balance

3% 1%
6% Rolling

Roll Breaking

Humidifiers

Lighting
90%

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Rolling Process...
300

250

200
Power (kW)

150

100

50

0
13:01
14:45
16:30
18:15
20:00
21:45
23:30

10:00
11:45
13:30
15:15
17:00
18:45
20:30
22:15
1:15
3:00
4:45
6:30
8:15

0:00
1:45
3:30
5:15
7:00
8:45

Time (hr:min)

Shifting at least 50% total rolling period into off peak period, about 15% from
total cost of rolling can be saved.

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Drying Process
• Correct setting of Drier inlet and outlet temperatures –
very important to produce quality made tea

• Thermometers calibration
• Certain factories in low grown processing use 240oF as Inlet
Temperature
• If the Inlet temperature bring down to 220oF – 10 % saving of
firewood

Saving = 1cu.m / 8hrs

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Firewood Feeding - Furnace

• Start the ID fan ON and ignite the firewood and keep on feeding
firewood to heat up the furnace

• After about 25 minutes switching on main fan, keep the main

fan damper at ¼ open.

• Once the required temperature is achieved, open the damper to

required position.

• Start feeding firewood to the furnace at a constant rate (about

50 kg ) at every 10 - 15 minutes interval.

• Time interval depends on the drier output.

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Specific fuel wood consumption

Three tests were conducted to determine specific fuel wood consumption of a
furnace in a factory.
Test 01 - Normal factory operation
Test 02 - Fed 50 kg of 1 m length firewood in constant
time intervals
Test 03 - Fed 50 kg of 0.5 m length firewood in
constant time intervals

Specific energy
Test consumption
kg of FW / kg of made tea
01 1.10
02 0.82
03 0.79

Above experiment 25% firewood save - Test 02

28% firewood save - Test 03.
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Split raw firewood –

better way of stacking

– Moisture content was

reduced from 48% to
25% within 5 weeks

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Firewood Splitter

• A trial carried out during operation of splitter –

changing power consumption when splitting raw
and dry firewood (several common species used)

Power consumption kWh /cu.m.

Dry logs Raw/wet logs
5.6 3.25
Moisture (%) 25 48

• Power Saving 2.35 kWh/cu.m.

• Annual saving is 3625 units.
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Deenside Splitter

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I D Fan Damper position

• Close damper to a lower position

• Observe the colour of smoke passing through
chimney
• Adjust ID fan damper position until passing white
smoke from chimney

Fuel saving 150 cu. m. / year

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ID Fan - ducting modification

• When two driers are having common ID ducting, both

ID fans are required to operate even if one dryer is
working.
• By modifying to operate one ID fan;

Annual Saving 8275 kWh

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Energy Audit – carried out in a tea factory

Cost of energy in
tea processing
Transport Miscellaneous
Packing 6% 2%
Upkeep Materials Electricity
(Factory/Mach 8% 17%
inery)
5% Firewood
Staff
14%
10%

Labour
38%

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Specific electricity consumption

40000 1.400
35000
Made Tea (kg)

1.200
kWh/Made Tea kg

30000 1.000
25000
0.800
20000
0.600
15000 Made Tea kg kWh/kg
10000 0.400
5000 0.200
0 0.000
Sep-07

Nov-07

Feb-08

Sep-08
Jun-08

Oct-08
Aug-07

Jan-08

Apr-08

Jul-08

Month

Specific Electricity (Power) Consumption Vs Quantity of Made Tea

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Specific Power Consumption (kwh/kg)

1.4

1.2

1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0
Sep-07

Nov-07

Jul-08
Jun-08

Aug-08
Dec-07

Feb-08
Jan-08

Apr-08
Oct-07

Mar-08

May-08
Month

Average Specific Power Consumption = 0.99 kWh/kg MT

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• Average Specific Power Consumption(SPC) – 0.99

kWh/kg MT
Maximum SPC – 1.38 kWh/kg MT
Minimum SPC – 0.76 kWh/kg MT

• If the average power consumption reduced 0.99 to

0.76 kWh / kg MT
• Annual power saving = 0.23 kWh x MT kg x 12
• If made tea quantity = 30,000 kg/month
• Annual Power Saving = 82,800 units(kWh)

• Annual Saving = one million

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120
Daily Demand for 24 hours
100

80
kVA

60

40

20

0
10:45
11:30
12:15
13:00
13:45
14:30
15:15
16:00
16:45
17:30
18:15
19:00
19:45
20:30
21:15
22:00
22:45
23:30
0:15
1:00
1:45
2:30
3:15
4:00
4:45
5:30
6:15
7:00
7:45
8:30
9:15
Time

Peak demands – 1. 12.15 pm – 1.00 pm

2. 8 pm – 9.15 pm
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• Keep the kVA demand to the minimum

– Use of capacitor banks

• Managing the major loads during peak hrs

• Avoid use of motors rewound many times

(excessive no load loss ~ 40%)

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Lighting

 Replace 5 ft bulbs with 4 ft bulbs (hanging height

should be adjusted)

Saving - 0.36 kWh/bulb/day

No of Lamps - 17

Annual Saving 2200 kWh

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Summary
1. Post harvest losses at the plucking stage can be
minimized by using TRI recommended plucking basket.
2. For distance transportation of leaves, crates filled with 16
kg are more suitable to reduce the post harvest losses.
3. Minimizing damaged leaves % has positive impact to
quality and price improvement.
4. Weighing points at the factory premises should be given
special attention to minimize damaging the leaves.
5. To minimize discoloration of withered leaves it is
recommended to use 8 - 10oF for wet leaves and 4 - 6oF
for dry leaves.
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Summary (contd.)
6. Excessive air for withering results wasting electrical
energy. About 23% energy can be saved by reducing
airflow to 20 cfm/kg GL.
7. There is a big saving potential from withering cost by
fixing VSDs’ for withering fans.
8. Advancing the rolling process into off peak periods, there
is a saving potential of electricity cost for rolling.
9. Correct setting of inlet temperature and feeding of
firewood at the rate 50kg for 10 – 15 intervals save
firewood used in withering & drying stages.

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Summary (contd.)

10. Splitting firewood under raw condition saves power and

can reduce moisture within very shorter period.
11. Adjusting ID fan damper in a correct manner to correct
position & setting independent paths for ID fans in case
of two dryers are used, it helps to save power
considerably.
12. Factory is running above 50% of the factory capacity
specific electrical and fuel energy consumptions are
reduced.
13. Improving Lighting system may also reduce power
consumption considerably.
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Thank You For

Attention !

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• Correct airflow adjustment of withering

• Advancing rolling process into off peak periods

• Organizing to split firewood in raw condition

• Modifications of ID fan ducting arrangement

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