Textile processing, energy consumption

Energy consumption in textile processing is summarized in Table I (20). As a result of conservation measures and more energy-efficient equipment in the U.S. textile industry, average energy consumption per pound of product decreased 12% between 1973 and 1978 (21). 

TABLE I. Energy Consumption Per Pound of Product in Textile Processing (Adapted Prcm 20)... 

Such an amount of consumption is not encountered in the cost of natural hber-based textile products. In the case of cotton hber, energy consumption share is comparatively low and belongs to the agricultural activities, transportation, and ginning process. 

Tarakcioglu published one of the earliest studies in Turkey about energy consumption in textile processes, that electrical energy consumption of 1 kg of yam changes between 2.7 kWh/kg and 4 kWh/kg. Additionally, it was pointed out that thermal energy alternating between 1.1 MJ/kg and 4.7 MJ/kg is necessary for processes such as fixation besides electrical energy needs. 

Energy consumption per unit kg of cotton textile is given at about 180 MJ/kg of cotton textile in total, at 15 MJ for the farming and ginning processes, and 165 MJ for textile processing (Anonymous, 2011). 

Current state of the art in textile production technologies, consumer-based energy consumption contributions, and recycling approaches can fuUy transform the elec-tricity-consuming processes by the year 2050. 

Palamutcu, S., 2010. Electric energy consumption in the cotton textile processing stages. Energy 35, 2945-2952. 

Traditional pretreatment processes are often characterized by high water and energy consumption as well as large consumption of chemical and textile auxiliaries with consequence high environmental negative impacts. In recent years, there have been... 

Ultrasonic energy offers the opportunity to increase the intensity and speed of reaction of many wet textile processes. Past studies have demonstrated improvements to eneigy, water, and chemical consumption, improved color yields, and reduced effluent loads (Oner et al., 1995 Khatri et al., 2011 Ahmed and El-Shishtawy, 2010). Thakore constructed a specially mounted ultrasonic mbe resonator and used it for exhaust and pad-batch dyeings of cellulose-based fabrics with reactive dyes on a production scale (Thakore, 2011). 

Other laboratory developments include ink jet printing and the use of powder colorants and xerographic printing techniques for waterless textile coloration processes. Each of these reduces not only water pollution but also air pollution and energy consumption due to the elimination of drying processes. 

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