MODULE 1: OVERVIEW OF PROCESS ANALYSIS AND PLANT DESIGN

Lesson 1: Introduction to Plant Design and Food Process Design

Learning Outcomes: At the end of the lesson the students will be able to:
1. Differentiate Plant Design to Process Design.
2. Discuss the General Considerations in the Design of Food Processing Plants.

Time Frame: 5 hrs

Introduction:

Plant design and food process design are two important areas in the field of food processing and
manufacturing. They refer to the design and planning of food processing facilities and the processes used to
produce food products. These design elements are crucial to the success of a food processing facility, as they
determine the efficiency, safety, and quality of the products produced. A well-designed plant and food process
can help increase productivity, reduce waste, and ensure the safety and quality of the final product.

The design of a food processing plant typically involves several aspects, including the layout of the
facility, the selection of equipment and machinery, the flow of materials and products, and the design of the
production processes. Food process design involves the development of detailed process flows and the
selection of processing and packaging equipment. The food process design also involves the optimization of
production processes to increase efficiency, reduce waste, and improve the quality of the final product. In
both plant design and food process design, it is important to consider the technical, economic, and regulatory
requirements of the food processing industry. The goal is to create a facility and process that are safe, efficient,
and capable of producing high-quality food products that meet the needs and expectations of consumers.

Analysis :
Direction: Answer the following:

1. In your own words and understanding, explain the relationship between plant design and food process
design.
2. What do you think are the factors that you must consider in designing a food processing plant?

Abstraction:

Food Processing
- It is the conversion of agricultural product to consumable substances which have particular textural,
sensory and nutritional properties using commercially feasible methods.

Raw product Process Processed product

Figure 1. Conversion of Agricultural Food Product from Raw to Processed Product

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Difference between Primary Processing and Secondary Processing

Primary Processing
- it is the conversion of raw materials into foods that can immediately consumed or used as ingredients
to make other food products.
- It usually involves processes such as cleaning, sorting, grading, milling, and pressing.

Secondary processing
- conversion of ingredients into edible products
- It usually involves processes such as mixing, blending, shaping, packaging, and labeling.
- this involves turning primary processed food into other food products either on their own or
mixed with other ingredients.

Primary Processing Secondary Processing

1. Making bread, biscuits, cakes etc. from
1. milling wheat, corn and rice for flour with other ingredients
flour (sugar,egg,etc.)
2. pasteurizing milk 2. making dairy products from milk
3. Making vegetable oil from seeds (cheese, yoghurt)
and nuts 3. making margarine from vegetable oil

Figure 2. Primary Processing to Secondary Processing

Reasons for Processing Food

1. To convert to edible products

1. To preserve
2. To extend availability and provide accessibility
3. To provide variety and choice
4. To provide convenience
5. To add value

Plant Design and Food Process Design

The development of food process/plant design is based on the principles of food science and
technology, and chemical engineering, and on the practical experience of food engineers, chemical engineers,
and food technologies. In plant design, the experience and developments in other technical fields, such as
materials science, mechanical engineering, and management, should also be considered. Plant design moves
through several stages before it is completed. The stages involved are identification and selection of the product
to be manufactured, feasibility analysis and appraisal, design, economic evaluation, design report preparation,
procurement of materials including plant and machinery, construction, installation and commissionin

Both process and plant design are basic parts of feasibility and implementation studies of an industrial
project such as a food processing plant. The feasibility study includes most of the technical and economic
information obtained in process and plant design. The implementation phase involves detailed engineering,
construction, supply of equipment, and plant erection and start-up.

Plant Design
- It refers to the overall design of a manufacturing enterprise / facility.
- It involves the design of the whole processing plant, including the processing/control equipment,
the utilities, the plant buildings, and the waste treatment units.
- It refers either to the construction of new processing /manufacturing plants or to the improvement
or expansion of existing/operating plants.

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Plant design specifies the following:
a. The equipment to be used
b. The performance requirements for the equipment
c. The interconnections and raw material flows in terms of flow charts and plant layouts
d. The placement of equipment, storage spaces, shop facilities, office spaces, delivery and
shipping facilities, access ways, site plans and elevation drawings
e. The required instrumentation and controls, and process monitoring and control
interconnections
f. The utility and waste treatment requirements, connections and facilities
g. The rationale for site selection
h. The basis for selecting and sizing critical pieces of equipment
i. ways in which the design was optimized and the engineering basis for such optimization
j. economic analyses of plant profitability in terms of various product demand and price and
material cost scenarios

Steps Involved in the Design of a Food Processing Plant:

1. Conduct a feasibility study: Evaluate the market demand for the products that the plant will
produce, as well as the availability of raw materials and the costs involved in production.
2. Develop a conceptual design: Create a preliminary layout of the facility, identify the types of
equipment and machinery required, and determine the flow of raw materials, ingredients, and
finished products.
3. Evaluate and refine the conceptual design: Consider the factors that must be taken into account
in the design process, such as safety, equipment selection, material flow, production capacity,
energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and regulations.
4. Create a detailed design: Create a comprehensive and accurate design of the facility, including
all necessary details and specifications.
5. Obtain approvals: Obtain approvals from relevant authorities, such as building codes,
environmental regulations, and safety regulations.
6. Implement the design: Construction of the facility and installation of equipment and machinery.
7. Commissioning and testing: Test and commission the facility to ensure that it is operating
correctly and efficiently before full-scale production begins.

Basic Departments of a Food Processing Facility

The general organization of food processing plants is similar to the setup of other manufacturing
companies. The basic departments of a food processing facility are:
(1) delivery
(2) temporary storage of raw materials
(3) storage of other materials used in food processing
(4) processing
(5) product storage including cold rooms
(6) utilities
(7) effluent treatment
(8) laboratory and R&D
(9) offices, and
(10) employee facility rooms.

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Figure 3. Processing operations of manufactured food

Figure 4. Example Plant Layout of a Sugar Refinery (Sugar Manufacturing Plant)

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Process Design
- It refers to the design of food processes and manufacturing methods, including process flowsheets,
design of processing and control equipment, and economic evaluation of the process.
- Food process design involves the assembly of unit operations to transform materials, usually
agricultural products, into safe, nutritious foods and beverages.
- It is the engineering activity of specifying a coherent assembly of equipment with the objective of
conducting a sequence of operations on materials in order to convert them into human or animal
foods (or ingredients of such)
- Process design is an important aspect of the design and operation of a processing plant, as it affects
the efficiency, safety, and quality of the processing operations.

Some of the key benefits of effective process design are:

➢ Improved efficiency: A well-designed process can increase the efficiency of the processing
operations, reducing waste, energy consumption, and downtime. This can lead to lower
operating costs, increased productivity, and improved profitability.

➢ Enhanced safety: The design of the production processes should consider the safety of the
operators, the equipment, and the environment. A well-designed process can minimize the risks
associated with the processing operations, reducing the likelihood of accidents and improving
the safety of the plant.

➢ Improved quality: The design of the production processes should consider the quality control
requirements, including the specification of the process parameters, the selection of the quality
control equipment, and the implementation of the quality control systems. This can help to
ensure that the product meets the desired specifications, reducing the risk of product defects and
improving the quality of the product.

➢ Compliance with regulations: The design of the production processes should be in compliance
with the relevant regulations and standards for food, pharmaceutical, or chemical processing
plants. A well-designed process can help to ensure compliance with the regulations and
standards, reducing the risk of fines and penalties.

➢ Environmental sustainability: The design of the production processes should minimize the
environmental impact of the processing operations, including the reduction of waste, energy
consumption, and water usage. A well-designed process can promote environmental
sustainability, reducing the environmental impact of the processing operations.

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Figure 5. Example of Simplified Process Flow Diagrams for Sugar Processing

Figure 5. Example of Process Flow Diagram (in Material Balance) for Sugar Processing

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 Figure 6. Detailed Process Flow Diagram for Raw Sugar Processing

Some important differences in food-related plant design and other industrial applications:

1) The raw materials and final products of the food industry are sensitive biological materials, limiting the
processing operations. Thus, raw materials in many food industries (e.g., fruits and vegetables), can be stored
only for a limited time.
2) Large quantities of sensitive raw materials must be processed in the shortest possible period, and the
equipment must be able to withstand sudden extreme processing conditions.
3) Hygienic factors are important not only in the plant, but also in the process-food product-operating personnel
interactions.
4) In many cases, such as fruits and vegetables, food processing is seasonal, and a significant part of the
employees are unskilled labor.
5) Since most seasonal raw materials are perishable, relatively short-term cash flow must be provided for their
purchase.

General Considerations in the Design of Food Processing Plants

In food processing, great care must be exercised to achieve high levels of product purity and preserve
product integrity. Food plant designs must provide necessary levels of sanitation, means of preventing or
limiting the products, raw material, and intermediate product from contamination and deterioration due to
naturally occurring processes. The following are some of the design considerations in the design of food
processing.

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1. Food processing unit operations
Food processing involves many conventional unit operations but it also involves many which differ
greatly from those usually encountered in the production of industrial chemicals. These include: freezing and
thawing, freeze drying, freeze concentration, curd and gel formation, development of structured gels, cleaning
and washing, leavening, puffing, and foaming, slaughtering, carcass disassembly, component excision, slicing
and dicing, peeling and trimming, grading, cell disruption and maceration, pasteurization and sterilization,
blanching, baking, cooking, roasting, radiation sterilization, mechanical expression, structure-based component
separation, filling and packaging, canning and bottling, coating and encapsulation, sausage and flexible casing,
stuffing, controlled atmosphere storage, fumigation and smoking, churning, artificially induced ripening,
fermentation, pureeing, emulsification and homogenization, biological waste treatment, and controlled feeding
of confined animals, poultry and fish.

2. Prevention of contamination
Prevention of contamination will involve the provision or use of the following :

A. filtered air, air locks, piping layouts that ensure complete drainage and prevent cross-stream
contamination (particularly contamination of finished products by unsterilizedorunpasteurized raw
material and cleaning solutions)
B. solid material and human traffic flow layouts that also prevent such contamination
C. suitably high curbs when pipes, conveyors or equipment pass through floors and where gangways pass
over processing areas
D. bactericides in cooling water
E. culinary (i.e. contaminant free) steam whenever direct contact between a product and steam is used
F. impermeable covers for insulation
G. dust covers over conveyors and clear plastic
F. covers for electric lights
G. methods for washing bottles and containers
H. suitable barriers against pest entry
I. windowless construction
J. solid instead of hollow walls or completely tight enclosure of hollow spaces in walls
K. air circulation system and external roof and wall insulation that prevent the formation of condensate
which can drip into products or favor mold growth
L. ultra-violet irradiation of tank head spaces
M. electric light traps for flying insects
N. impactors or killing insect eggs, larvae, pupae and adults in grains
O. carbon dioxide and nitrogen fumigation of dry food storage bins
P. screening system to remove insects and insect parts
Q. magnetic traps
R. iron screens for sieving equipment (so that screen fragments can be picked up by magnetic traps),
S. metal detectors for rejecting packaged product that contains unwanted metal
T. and methods for storing and keeping track of segregated batches of raw materials and finished goods
until necessary quality assurance tests have been carried out.

3. Sanitation
Very high levels of sanitation must be provided for foodstuffs that provide good substrates for the
growth of micro- organisms and when processing temperatures and conditions favor such growth. Sanitation,
which helps prevent contamination should be facilitated by providing or using:
A. impermeable coated or tiled floors and walls
B. at least one floor drain per every 40 m2 of wet processing area
C. special traps for such drains,
D. pitched floors that ensure good drainage
E. polished vessels and equipment that do not contain dead spaces and which can be drained and
automatically cleaned in place,
F. sanitary piping,
G. clean-in-place (CIP) systems,
H. plate heat exchangers and other types of equipment which can be readily disassembled for cleaning if

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 necessary
I. clearances for cleaning under and around equipment,
J. grouting to eliminate crevices at the base of equipment support posts and building columns
K. tubular pedestals instead of support posts constructed from beams
L. and methods for removing solid particles which fall off conveyors.

4. Deterioration
The following should be provided to minimize product and raw materila deterioration:
A. refrigerated and controlled environment storage areas
B. space and facilities for product inspection and for carrying out quality assurance tests
C. surge vessels for processed material between different operations (particularly operations which are
subject to breakdown),
D. equipment for pre-cooling the material stored in such vessels
E. means of cooling,
F. turning over or rapidly discharging the contents of bins and silos when excessive temperature
rises/occur
G. and standby refrigeration and utility arrangements which are adequate to prevent product and raw
material deterioration in case of power interruptions or unusual climatic conditions.

5. Seasonal production
Food plants have to be sized to accommodate peak seasonal flows of product without excessive delay,
and in some cases, have to be highly flexible so as to handle different types of fruits and vegetables.

REFERENCES:

1. Helmus, F.T. (2008). Process Plant Design. Project Management from Inquiry to Acceptance. WILEY
VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim ISBN: 978-3-527-31313-6. Retrieved from
https://application.wiley-vch.de/books/sample/3527313133_c01.pdf. on February 10, 2022
2. Dekker, M. (2003). Principles of Food Process Design. Retrieved from;
http://bowenstaff.bowen.edu.ng/lectureslides/1586932855.pdf. on February 10, 2022

3. Saravacos G.D., Kostaropoulos A.E. (2002) Design of Food Processes and Food Processing Plants. In:
Handbook of Food Processing Equipment. Food Engineering Series. Springer, Boston, MA.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0725-3_1
4. Sharma, A.K.. and Kumbar B.K. (n.d). Food Processing Plant Design and Layout. Retrieved from
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10, 2022.
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2, 2022
6. Peter, Clark J. (n,d). Food Process Design.pdf. Food Engineering - Vol. IV. Oak Park, Illinois, USA
7. Casey, E. 9n.d). Food Processing. Retrieved from https://slideplayer.com/slide/6318442/ on February 14,
2022.
8. The Sugar Association, (2018). Sugar’s Journey from Field to Table: Sugarcane. Retrieved from
9. Iryani, D.A., Hirajima, T., Kumagai, S., Nonaka, M. and Sasaki, K. (2012). Overview of Indonesian Sugarcane
Industry And Utilization of its Solid Waste. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327020351_OVERVIEW_OF_INDONESIAN_SUGARCANE_I
NDUSTRY_AND_UTILIZATION_OF_ITS_SOLID_WASTE on February 14, 2022.
10. Sugarmill.co.in. (n.d). Sugar Refinery Layout. Retrieved from
http://sugarmill.co.in/index_files/Sugar_Refinery_Layout.htm on February 14, 2022.

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11. Tektrol Technology Solutions. (n.d). Sugar Industry. Retrievd from https://www.tek-trol.com/industry-
markets/sugar-industry/ on February 14, 2015.

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