Installation of automatic water shut off valves at rotary and flatbed printing machines’ blanket washing water

 

Technical description

 

Rotary and flatbed printing machines are employed for the continuous printing of woven fabric. The printer table blanket is washed with forced water jets (see Figure 1), by means of two or three rows of multiple nozzles, placed underneath the table in cross direction, to remove the stains adhered to the blanket during printing operation. Generally, the blanket washing water at the printing machines is kept on running and wasted during machine stoppage (due to maintenance or change over). This water wastage can be avoided by installing automatic water shut off valve at the printing machines. Whenever printing machine is stopped, the blanket washing water will automatically be stopped, avoiding its unnecessary wastage.

Figure 1: View of blanket washing water from rotary printing machine

Achieved environmental benefits:

  • Water conservation
  • Reduction in hydraulic load of wastewater treatment plant

Operational data

The quantity of blanket washing water will vary from industry to industry, depending upon number of printing machines, frequency and duration of stoppage due to maintenance or change over. Its quantity is in the range of 50 to 90 m3/d (16,150 - 29,070 m3/yr). Its value is about USD 1,600 to 2,930/yr (Rs. 0.24 to 0.44 million/year).

The implementation cost will be USD 1,330 (Rs. 200,000) for two machines and USD 660 for one machine (Rs. 100,000).

Cross media effects:

No relevant cross media effect is known.

Technical considerations relevant to applicability:

This measure is applicable to all the woven fabric textile finishing industries where continuous rotary and flatbed printing machines are employed for printing purpose. This measure does not require any intervention in the process, no major infrastructure development and no technical human resource requirement. The blanket washing water supply will be stopped whenever the machine is stopped. This supply will be synchronized with the operation of the printing machine.

Economics:

Capital cost = USD 660 to 1,330 (Rs. 100,000 to 200,000)

Annual saving = USD 1,600 to 2,930 (Rs. 0.24 to 0.44 million)

Annual O&M cost = USD 330 to 660 (Rs. 50,000 to 100,000)

Simple payback period = 6 to 7 months

Additional benefit will be the reduction in hydraulic load and treatment cost of wastewater treatment plant.

Driving force for implementation: 

  • Financial benefits
  • Resource conservation
  • Sustainability of textile business

Reference industry:

  • MK Sons Pvt. Ltd, Khurrianwala Road, Faisalabad
  • Ittehad Textile Industries Pvt. Ltd, Khurrianwala Road, Faisalabad
  • Sarena Textile Industry Pvt. Ltd, Sheikhupra Road, Lahore


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