Application of exergy analysis to textile printing process

Abstract

This study reveals an exergetic analysis of the reactive and pigment printing processes. Exergy models of the printing processes were formed and each step examined in terms of exergetic parameters. In the printing machine, the reactive printing process led to a higher specific exergy use due to the penetration requirement of the printing paste. The exergy efficiency in the subsequent drying after printing was found to be independent of the printing method, but affected by the fabric structure, which was calculated to be between 3.8% and 4.8%. In the fixation step, pigment printing provided the highest exergy efficiency, calculated to be 2.15%, due to the direct heating of the fixation air. It was observed for the fixation step that the boiler unit of the steaming process and the burner of the hot air fixation process led to the highest exergy destruction rates. The total exergy destruction rate in pigment printing was found to be higher than in the washing and final drying stages of reactive printing alone; thus, it was shown that the exergetic improvement of the post-washing and drying of reactive printing is of great importance.