For the first time in the industry, MVR technology is being integrated with drum dryers to recover and reuse more energy in potato flake production. Callens and Tummers are developing and building a pilot system for Aviko’s facility in Oostrum, the Netherlands.

Previously featured in the Interpom Innovation Tour, Tummers’ SteamClosure captures residual heat from the drum-drying process for reuse. Callens’ MVR system recovers energy from the process vapour, transfers it to a clean steam circuit and uses compressors to restore the pressure and temperature required by the drum dryers.

The installation is scheduled for completion by the end of 2026.

Key benefits

• Builds on SteamClosure’s proven energy recovery principle
• Recovers and upgrades energy from the drum-drying process

• Returns recovered energy to the drying process
• Expected COP of 4
• Significantly reduces natural gas demand

• Potential CO₂ reduction of approximately 8,000 tonnes per year
  (Based on the expected performance of the first pilot installation)
• Lower grid demand than direct electric steam generation
• Moves potato flake production closer to circular energy use

Date of market introduction in Belgium (if still in development: expected date of launch)
Operationeel eind 2026

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For the first time in the industry, MVR technology is being integrated with drum dryers to recover and reuse more energy in potato flake production. Callens and Tummers are developing and building a pilot system for Aviko’s facility in Oostrum, the Netherlands. The engineering process really challenged us. Potato drum dryers and MVR are both well-known technologies, but no one had ever combined them before. The technology promises a short payback period, possibly supported by regional subsidies. That makes it an attractive option to scale up in the future.

Added value for the user (in commercial terms, user-friendliness ...)
• Recovers and upgrades energy from the drum-drying process • Returns recovered energy to the drying process • Expected COP of 4 • Significantly reduces natural gas demand • Potential CO₂ reduction of approximately 8,000 tonnes per year (Based on the expected performance of the first pilot installation) • Lower grid demand than direct electric steam generation • Moves potato flake production closer to circular energy use

Added value for the further sustainability and professionalization of the potato sector.
• Recovers and upgrades energy from the drum-drying process • Returns recovered energy to the drying process • Expected COP of 4 • Significantly reduces natural gas demand • Potential CO₂ reduction of approximately 8,000 tonnes per year (Based on the expected performance of the first pilot installation) • Lower grid demand than direct electric steam generation • Moves potato flake production closer to circular energy use