Title: Energy and exergy analyses of finishing process in cotton textile production

Authors: Hua Yin; Huafang Guo

Addresses: Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; Key Laboratory of Renewable Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China ' Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; Key Laboratory of Renewable Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China

Abstract: The finishing process is a major energy-consuming procedure in the textile industry because it uses a large amount of thermal energy in the form of steam and heat. This study conducts energetic and exergetic analyses on the finishing process in cotton textile production based on actual operational data. Energy and exergy efficiencies are determined to assess their performance and formulate strategies for improvements. The lowest energy and exergy efficiencies are obtained in singeing. The largest irreversibility is associated with the hot oil boiler, followed by washing in mercerising and washing II in desizing. The greatest energy losses are linked to washing in mercerising and stenter. As such, immediate efforts to improve the process should be focused on these procedures. Most of the thermal energy consumed in the process ends up as waste heat. Technologies of reusing waste heat for water heating should, therefore, be developed.

Keywords: energy analysis; exergy analysis; finishing process; textile production; energy efficiency; exergy efficiency; exergy destruction; exergy loss; waste heat recovery; cotton textiles; water heating; hot oil boiler; washing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2015.072890

International Journal of Exergy, 2015 Vol.18 No.3, pp.251 - 274

Received: 12 May 2014
Accepted: 22 Oct 2014
Published online: 06 Nov 2015 *

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