Who could mind the smell of chocolate?!
What comes to mind when we want to recall a pleasant smell? Grandma's apple pie? Our favourite barbecued meat? The aroma of steaming chocolate cream? Could there really be anyone who minds that? Surely not, that is almost unimaginable…
Yet one of our clients contacted us because the smell of their chocolate flavouring plant was bothering local residents. When we visited the site, we found a food plant operating properly and successfully, where the air extracted from the dryer unit of the chocolate flavouring section is released through a small stack.
Around the metal outlet flue it felt as if we were constantly walking around a tray of freshly baked, steaming brownies, which did not seem disturbing at all.
Can even pleasant smells cause problems?
The phenomenon is not unique, however: as a general rule, a smell that pleases the average shopper or passer-by occasionally (in short bursts) becomes disturbing and psychologically exhausting when it can be perceived over a longer period, either constantly or in continuously fluctuating concentrations.
Let us look at a few examples of this phenomenon:
Fast-food restaurants: we know the smell of freshly grilled burger patties, chip fat or kebab that tempts us to drop in for lunch or a snack. However, residents of the neighbouring student hall or staff in the office building that houses the restaurant already complain of agonising headaches because of the meaty, burnt and greasy smells.
Cafés with their own grinder or roaster: the aroma of freshly ground and brewed coffee is part of our mornings, and the smell alone starts our ritual. Living in it every day, however, is disturbing.
Open-view bakeries: the owners of these chains have designed the smells precisely so that, walking down the street, we crave that scone, chimney cake or doughnut, and sometimes we give in to the temptation. Living and working next to them is hard, though; often we can even smell it constantly on our laundry hung out to dry, which can be downright infuriating.
It is important not to confuse this with the experience of the people working in these plants! When our income, our trade or our vocation is linked to a particular smell, we will not mind living in it.
Think of those who have worked in livestock farming for decades! For them, the animals, nature and what can be achieved in the profession mean much more. To them, the smells are simply a natural part of the job. So it matters a great deal from what life situation we receive these stimuli!
The distinct aroma from the chocolate flavouring plant is released into the open air at a relatively low volume flow, and the emission contains no pollutants. The outgoing air is warm, but not much warmer than the internal plant temperature, and it stays well below 100 degrees Celsius during production. These are all ideal conditions for installing an osmogenic barrier.
Instant odour control technology
The new technology does its job with just 8 high-pressure nozzles. The controlled high-pressure unit, called HPS Midi Fresh, consumes 1 litre of solution per minute, consisting mainly of water and 0.3% LT Air Cover odour control concentrate.
Procuring the materials can take a few weeks, but after thorough preparation such a small system can be installed in as little as one day, together with a frost protection system. We do all this without stopping or disrupting production!
The change can not only be noticed by the nose but is also demonstrably measurable: even with such a small capacity, low water and electricity consumption and favourable operating costs, a more liveable environment can be ensured for residents living less than 40 metres away.
