Waste to worth: Evaluation of potential waste heat recovery system within commercial kitchens in Northern Ireland

Abstract

This paper presents results from a study that evaluated the potential of waste heat recovery technology within the context of commercial kitchens in Northern Ireland. The study, which involved both numerical simulation and measured data from five restaurant kitchens in Belfast, revealed that heat recovery technology provided substantial economic and environmental savings. Compact devices such as the spiral tube heat exchanger can be utilized as a sustainable solution to retrofit existing hot water systems. We recommend, however, that subsequent research be conducted to broaden the scope of this study by using complementary technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, or modified cookers that would provide a holistic and sustainable solution for the catering industry.