Solar water heater use in textile production facilities

Some processes in the textile production value chain, especially pre-treatment stages, have the potential to utilize solar thermal solutions that can provide temperatures up to 100-120 degrees C.

Conventional solar water heaters with some tweaks and innovations will be able to provide hot water at this temperature, leading to the interesting potential for solar water heaters in textile production facilities.

Stakeholders

Energy management professionals

Production professionals

Vital Stats

How does it work? Solar water heater is used to heat water by using sunlight, and with some modifications, can heat the water upto about 120 degrees C	Sustainability benefits Energy/Environmental sustainability - Could have much lower / no carbon footprint for the entire lifecycle Economic sustainability - Has very low/nil operating cost
Highlights/USP Some stages that involve wet processes can benefit from the use of a renewable source of heat	Stage of commercialization Commercialized
Types of professionals who can improve the solution Mechanical engineers,Electrical and electronics engineers	Specifically relevant to any geography? Countries/regions with a tropical climate. (most of major textile manufacturing countries)
Decarbonization Potential Low-moderate	Value Chain Textile fabric production , Fabric dyeing and finishing ,

Carbon Focus

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Web Resources

Solar preheating for textile dyeing in Hangzhou

High Fashion limited’s installation is one of the largest solar process heat systems in China and therefore often presented as a successful case study in speeches at international conferences. The pre-heated water is stored in a tank, and then heated to around 100 °C to produce steam for the dyeing of the garment.

Process heating with solar thermal in textile industry

Frontier Knitters was keen to explore the use of concentrated solar thermal technology to provide process heat required in their garment process. Their objectives were to reduce the fuel — high-speed diesel — consumed, and reduce carbon emissions from their processes in a cost-effective manner. This resource elaborates about their project results.

Solar heating system for textile cluster

This DPR highlighted the energy, environmental, economic, and social benefits by replacing less efficient existing technology i.e. conventional chulhas with 1000 LPD solar water heating systems. The project activities reduce overall wood consumption by 60 tonnes per year and there is no saving in electricity consumption.