Yunnan Eastern Airlines Food Company 2 units 1 ton
Cases Details
Driven by the “Dual Carbon” goals and tightening environmental policies, the aviation catering industry, as a high-energy-consumption and high-emission sector, is facing dual pressure of equipment upgrading and green transition. Recently, a large aviation catering enterprise completed its boiler system renovation by introducing two sets of Kaida 1.3-ton ultra-low-nitrogen variable-frequency steam generators to replace the original 3-ton conventional natural gas boiler. This renovation achieved groundbreaking results: NOₓ emission concentration below 30 mg/m³ and overall energy savings exceeding 37.2%, creating a benchmark case for low-nitrogen and energy-saving retrofits in the industry.
Pain Points of Traditional Boilers: Dual Pressure from Environmental Compliance and Costs
Aviation catering enterprises require continuous supply of high-temperature steam for meal disinfection, constant-temperature control and equipment cleaning. Conventional gas boilers have three core drawbacks:
- Excessive emissions: Traditional boilers generally produce NOₓ emissions of 70–100 mg/m³, far exceeding the local ultra-low emission limit of 50 mg/m³ specified in Limits for Ultra-low Emission of Air Pollutants.
- High energy consumption: Thermal efficiency stands at only 80%–85%, resulting in substantial gas waste. Annual fuel costs account for over 90% of total operating expenses.
- Safety hazards: As pressure vessels, they require filing and annual inspections and carry explosion risks.
Kaida Solution: Technological Breakthroughs and System Optimization
Targeting these industry pain points, Kaida delivered a customized steam generator system with core innovations as follows:
- Low-NOₓ Combustion Technology Water-cooled ultra-low-nitrogen combustion technology keeps NOₓ emissions steadily below 30 mg/m³. A 24-hour full-power online monitoring system is supported, enabling real-time data connection to environmental protection platforms.
- Variable-frequency Energy-saving Design Modular intelligent variable-frequency control automatically adjusts power according to steam demand, delivering 20%–60% comprehensive energy savings. Flue gas waste heat recovery technology reduces flue gas temperature to 60℃ for higher thermal efficiency. The total geometric water volume of the unit is less than 30 liters. It is exempt from installation filing and annual inspections and requires no boiler operators, saving approximately RMB 120,000 in annual expenses.
- Adapted to Aviation Catering Scenarios Steam temperature reaches 192℃ to meet high-temperature disinfection requirements. Instant-on operation eliminates preheating time and supports stable 24-hour continuous steam supply. Proximity installation cuts heat loss in steam pipelines and reduces thermal energy waste.
Renovation Outcomes: Green Transition Validated by Data
- Compliant Environmental Indicators After renovation, the average NOₓ emission concentration is 27 mg/m³, a 64% reduction from pre-renovation levels, meeting policy limits.
- Remarkable Economic Benefits Gas consumption decreased by 12%, cutting annual fuel costs by over RMB 240,000. The intelligent control system eliminates the need for 2 full-time boiler operators, saving RMB 100,000 in labor costs. Low equipment failure rate and simple modular maintenance reduce annual maintenance expenses by RMB 20,000.
- Improved Production Efficiency Instant startup shortens steam supply response time and supports synchronous efficient operation of multiple production lines. Temperature control accuracy is improved to ±1℃ to guarantee consistent meal quality.
This case offers three key takeaways for the aviation catering industry:
- Policy compliance: Low-nitrogen retrofit has shifted from “optional” to “mandatory”; early renovation brings earlier benefits.
- Technical adaptability: Select inspection-exempt equipment with water volume <30L and thermal efficiency >95%.
- Full-lifecycle cost: Although upfront investment is higher than traditional boilers, the overall cost is 30% lower over a 5-year cycle.
Driven by the “Dual Carbon” goals, Kaida steam generators feature three core strengths — low NOₓ emissions, energy saving and safety. They help aviation catering enterprises break through environmental barriers and achieve win-win economic and environmental benefits. In the future, as more enterprises embark on green transformation, the aviation catering industry is expected to fully reach carbon neutrality targets.