In Italy, Turboden S.p.A., a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) group company, has announced that it has signed an agreement with Co.Pro.B. – Italia Zuccheri, an Italian fully integrated sugar producer, for the supply of Turboden's first centrifugal Mechanical Vapour Recompressor (MVR) system.
Co.Pro.B., an Italian agricultural cooperative that operates two sugar factories and manages the entire beet-to-sugar value chain, aims to replace fossil-fuel-based steam generation with a more efficient, more sustainable, electrified solution.
Currently, the factory uses a gas-fired boiler to produce steam for the evaporation columns that concentrate sugar juice.
A Turboden Mechanical Vapour Recompressor (MVR) will replace this system by recovering low-pressure vapour generated in the final stage of evaporation—vapour that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere—and upgrading it to the required process conditions.
The system will recompress steam from 0.38 bar(a) and 80°C to 1.8 bar(a) and 117°C, delivering a total output of 22 tonnes per hour.
By reusing internally generated steam, the solution will significantly reduce natural gas consumption while ensuring the same steam quality, reliability, and improving overall process efficiency.
This new project in the electrification of high‑temperature process heat—particularly for industrial steam production—further strengthens Turboden’s position as a key player in this field. Following the recent start‑up of the world’s largest steam‑producing heat pump for delfort’s paper mill in Finland, Co.Pro.B.’s decision to adopt our technology represents a clear confirmation of the trust in our technology. Mechanical vapor recompressors are a fundamental technology to decarbonize industrial processes, and Turboden, with its new family of proprietary compressors, intends to play an important role, commented Paolo Bertuzzi, CEO & Managing Director at Turboden.
Compact solution
A key requirement from Co.Pro.B. was the installation of the MVR within an existing space with strict dimensional constraints.
The Turboden engineering team developed a compact solution that perfectly fits within the available footprint, while maintaining optimal accessibility and service clearances.
To further streamline implementation, the MVR system will be delivered on a preassembled skid, designed within the maximum transportable dimensions.
This approach will significantly reduce on-site erection and commissioning activities, minimizing downtime and ensuring faster integration into the plant
Turboden centrifugal MVR will ensure high compression performance and seamless integration with the existing evaporation stages.
According to the company, key features of its MVR solution include:
- High compression head centrifugal compressor
- Inverter-driven regulation for optimized performance and flexibility
- Materials compliant with Food-Grade requirements
- Integrated steam cleaning system to remove residual sugar from the flow
- Special sealing solutions designed for vacuum inlet conditions, preventing air infiltration
- Seamless integration into the existing evaporation process
