Producers of vodka, whiskey, wine, and other spirits generate large quantities of wet residues such as stillage, distillers’ grains, and grape pomace. These materials contain proteins, fibers, organic acids, and energy-rich components, but their high water-content makes them bulky, perishable, and costly to transport or dispose of.
Swedish Exergy’s ExergyPSSD® (Pressurized Superheated Steam Drying) from Swedish Exergy uses superheated steam in a closed, pressurized loop to remove moisture rapidly, typically in 5–20 seconds. This gentle, oxygen-free process protects nutrients, avoids scorching, and delivers a sterilized, uniform product that can be used for high-value animal feed, energy production, or further processing.
Key benefits of drying wet residues with ExergyPSSD®
- Lower waste costs and flexible logistics
– Dried stillage or pomace becomes compact, stable, and easy to handle, enabling long-distance transport, centralized valorization, or seasonal storage instead of time-critical wet disposal. - More value from each batch
– The dried product can be sold as high-quality animal feed, used as a fuel or bioenergy feedstock, or integrated into other bio-based products, creating new revenue streams from what is today often a cost. - Efficient, low-emission drying
– ExergyPSSD® recirculates steam and typically recovers 80–95% of the energy input, while the closed-loop design eliminates atmospheric emissions from the dryer and reduces the need for odor or VOC treatment. - Safe, consistent, and gentle on quality
– The oxygen-free environment removes the risk of fire and dust explosion, while the short residence time and uniform steam contact deliver a consistent moisture profile and protect sensitive components in the feed.
By replacing traditional hot-air drying or wet disposal with ExergyPSSD®, distilleries and wineries can stabilize their residue streams, reduce operating costs, and demonstrate tangible progress on circularity and ESG targets. Swedish Exergy has decades of experience with superheated steam drying in ethanol, animal feed, and food industries, providing robust, compact systems with low operating cost and long service life.
Swedish Exergy can help you test the concept before you commit. Through pilot drying and feasibility studies, you can see performance on your own material and review key data and product samples.
If you are exploring options for stillage, distillers’ grains, grape pomace, or similar streams, or want to understand how ExergyPSSD® could help your process, contact us and we’ll set up a meeting.
