Discussion on energy-saving improvements in steam usage in sponge production!

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I became exposed to sponge production at the end of last year. Understanding its general working process raises some questions: Standard process: Steam is used as the heating medium, which is injected into the mold to heat the product within a specified time; afterward, the steam is quickly released into the atmosphere. Then cold water is poured into the mold to rapidly cool the sponge and set its shape. Under this process, all the steam is released into the atmosphere (this is the only way to do so quickly) ； This in turn leads to a large amount of steam being wasted. Therefore, it is desired to collect this portion of steam for reuse in order to save energy. However, once collected, it creates a pressure equalizing effect within the sealed pipes, failing to meet the requirement for rapid steam release; as a result, the cooling time of the product is prolonged, and the setting effect does not meet the standards. I also considered the steam compressor approach, but theoretical simulations showed it wouldn’t work either. I’ve been pondering over this for 2 or 3 months, yet I still can’t think of a good solution. Here, I would like to ask the experts and seasoned professionals for any good suggestions!