Case Studies for Textile Printing

CASE STUDIES FOR TEXTILE PRINTING
CASE NO. 10
Description: Ellen Knitting Mills, a North Carolina
hosiery company, was discharging spent dye bath water to
a municipal sewer system. The water temperature of 130° F.
caused many problems for the sewer treatment system.
Courses of Action:
The company decided to purchase a heat reclaimation
system. This type system is generally only cost effective
if there is a sufficient flow of water at a high enough
temperature. The net result of this action was reduced
thermal pollution, reduced waste treatment costs and
recovery and reuse of energy.
Savings:
The company invested $100,000 in a heat recovery and
exhange system reducing the effluent temperature from 130°F
to 70°F. This removed heat was used to preheat incoming
feed water for dye tubs from 55°F. to 105°F. This
preheating operation alone saved approximately 52,000
gallons of fuel oil per year. Total payback for the system
was two years.