Steam for the good Hachenburger Pils

Beer has been brewed in the picturesque little town of Hachenburg in the Westerwald region for 150 years. This makes the family-run Westerwald brewery one of Germany’s oldest Pils breweries. The main sales area is the Westerwald and its neighboring regions. But the beer, which is produced from high-quality raw ingredients, is also drunk in faraway Asia. For years, exports have focused on China.

The picture shows the Westerwald brewery in Hachenburg.

Nuremberg/Allendorf (Eder) – The brewery is booming and has further increased its market share in recent years. To remain competitive, major investments have been made to secure the location. The entire energy supply system had to be renewed. A new powerhouse with a state-of-the-art energy system from Viessmann was built on the company premises to ensure a reliable supply of heat and steam. At the heart of this is the new Vitomax HS steam boiler system. In addition, a new refrigeration system, a central water supply, and a state-of-the-art bottle washer were installed on the site. 

New steam system reduces energy consumption

Brewing is a very energy-intensive process and represents a major cost factor in beer production. The steam boiler system, an important part of the brewery, plays a key role in this: whether in mashing, boiling, or bottle cleaning, steam is used everywhere. The brewhouse alone accounts for around 40% of the total energy consumption in Hachenburg, and bottle cleaning around 20%. By investing in a modern boiler system, production will be much more energy-efficient in the future.

Implementation of the new systems by Viessmann Industrial Boiler Solutions

As the general contractor, Viessmann oversaw the project from engineering to start-up. A complete system ready for operation was delivered to the Westerwald brewery. The high-pressure, low-NOx steam generator Vitomax HS delivers a total of 5.0 tons of steam per hour for the various subprocesses. In addition to the very high efficiency of almost 96% thanks to the integrated economizer, the system is also very impressive because of the very low NOx emissions. The company therefore not only saves fossil fuel but also protects the environment. In addition, sound absorbers ensure that employees and local residents are not exposed to noise pollution.

Now, a new Viessmann thermal full degassing system (TWA-V) ensures a consistently high steam quality and thus a long service life of the boiler and components by providing thermally treated feedwater. Harmful components in the water (e.g., oxygen, carbon dioxide, etc.) are therefore eliminated early on and do not even get into the boiler or the system in the first place.

Control unit with remote maintenance access

Another additional benefit is the 24/7 monitoring of the system via remote maintenance. This means that the Viessmann service team can immediately access the management system, optimize operation, and eliminate faults as required.

Viessmann also supplied:

  • Burners and safety equipment
  • Pumps and valves
  • Steam distributors
  • Flue system
  • Control units
  • Thermal appliances
  • Services, such as bringing-in procedure, assembly, piping and cabling, start-up

The energy carrier steam is one of the most important sources of energy for the brewing process. The greatest potential for cost reduction therefore lies in the operation of the boiler system. The new steam boiler will enable the Hachenburg brewery to produce beer economically and sustainably for the long term.

Technical data

  • Type: Vitomax HS
  • Special features: Low-NOx design
  • Steam mass flow: 5.0 t/h saturated steam
  • Permitted operating pressure: 10 bar
  • Energy type/fuel: Gas
  • Efficiency: 95.39%