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Electric energy consumption in the cotton textile processing stages

Article in Energy · July 2010

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2010.03.029

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Energy xxx (2010) 1e8

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Energy
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Electric energy consumption in the cotton textile processing stages

S. Palamutcu*
Textile Engineering Department, Pamukkale University, Engineering Faculty, 20070 Kınıklı, Denizli, Turkey

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Electric energy is one of the primary energy sources consumpted in cotton textile processing. Current
Received 24 July 2009 energy cost rate is reported about 8e10% in the total production cost of an ordinary textile product
Received in revised form manufactured in Turkey. Significantly important share of this energy cost is electric energy. The aim of
16 March 2010
this paper was to investigate unit electric energy consumption of cotton textile processing stages using
Accepted 17 March 2010
real-time measurements method. Actual and estimated Specific Energy Consumption (SEC) values for
Available online xxx
electric energy was calculated in the cotton textile processing stages of spinning, warpingesizing,
weaving, wet processing and clothing manufacturing. Actual electric energy consumption data are
Keywords:
Specific energy consumption (SEC)
gathered from monthly records of the involved plant managements. Estimated electric energy
Cotton textile production consumption data is gathered through on-site measurement. Actual and estimated electric energy
Electric energy use consumption data and monthly production quantities of the corresponding months are used to facilitate
Turkish textile sector specific electric energy consumption of the plants. It is found that actual electric energy consumption
amount per unit textile product is higher than the estimated electric energy consumption amount per
unit textile product of each involved textile processing stages.
Ó 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction decades, until elimination of quotas in textile sector for China in

Textile manufacturing stages are known as energy intensive
processes. Between years of 1971 and 2004 final energy use in
textile sector has doubled from 47 Ej/yr to 90 Ej/yr in the world [1].
Electric energy is one of the most commonly used energy types in
the textile and clothing plants, used to supply energy for textile
machinery, heating and cooling control systems, lighting, and office
equipments. It is estimated from the report of UNIDO [2] that
electricity consumption rate in the total consumpted energy for
individual textile production stages are 93% for spinning, 85% for
weaving, 43% for wet processing, and 65% for clothing
manufacturing. Rest of the energy that is used in the textile pro-
cessing plants is supplied by other energy sources of fuel, natural
gas, and coal [3,4].
Textile industry is one of the leading industries of Turkey,
including 35,000 companies and over 2 million employee. Export
incomes of the sector compose 23.5% of total export income of
Turkish economy in 2006 [5,6]. Total annual production volume of
the sector is about $30 billion USD [7]. Stable growth of Turkish
textile and clothing sectors have remained over the last two
* Fax: þ90 258 296 32 62.
E-mail address: spalamut@pau.edu.tr
2005 [8]. Competition in textile and clothing sector had become
more severe eventually with the results of global economic crisis
in 2008. Turkish textile manufacturers had to face the increasing
costs of textile raw materials, labor, energy, finance and other
related expenses.
In Table 1 share of the production cost components for yarn,
woven fabric and clothing manufacturing have been summarized
for an ordinary textile good, produced in Turkey. As it is seen from
the table production cost components of textile products are clas-
sified under four groups of raw material-auxiliaries, labor, energy,
and finance-transportation.
Among all the primary production cost components of textile
goods, share of energy cost in textile sector has been reported as
6e14% in 1996 [9], 8e10% in 2000 [10], and 5e10% in 2007 [10] in
total production cost. Energy consumption rate of textile sector in
the total industrial energy consumption (of first biggest 500
industrial plants) of Turkey is estimated as about 7.2% [11].
The aim of this paper is to investigate unit electric energy
consumption and its efficiency in cotton textile processing stages of
spinning, warpingesizing, weaving, wet processing and clothing
manufacturing. Paper includes general knowledge about Turkish
textile sector, energy management projects conducted in Turkey and
in the world, literature reviews, on-site data collection and analysis
of electric energy consumption, characterizing the efficiency in

0360-5442/$ e see front matter Ó 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.energy.2010.03.029

Please cite this article in press as: Palamutcu S, Electric energy consumption in the cotton textile processing stages, Energy (2010), doi:10.1016/j.
energy.2010.03.029
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Table 1 Energy consumption rate of textile and clothing sector is repor-

Share of production cost components for a textile good, % [10]. ted as 5.9% in total energy use of Turkish industrial sectors [11],
Cost components Yarn Woven fabric Clothing (annual energy consume of textile and clothing sector is 822,305 toe
Raw material and auxiliaries 55e65 65 55e65 in the total annual energy use volume of 13,923,448 toe in Turkey).
Labor 5e8 12e18 20
Energy 5e10 5e8 5e8 3. Textile manufacturing processes and energy profile
Finance, transportation, etc. 17e35 9e18 17e20

Textile manufacturing process is divided into five main sub

electric energy usage associated with cotton textile processing
plants in Industrial Zone of Denizli in Turkey. In particular this paper
will:
(1) Characterize electric energy usage in existing textile produc-
tion plants,
(2) Quantify the magnitudes of actual and estimated specific
electric energy consumption (SEC) in the defined textile pro-
cessing stages,
(3) To discuss the reason of the gaps between actual and estimated
SEC for electric energy consumption in the cotton textile pro-
cessing stages.
2. Energy management in Turkey
Energy management and saving policies has become subject of
interest for textile manufacturers as it is for other industrial sectors,
right after the 1970s. The world has started to revise its energy
budget by utilizing higher efficiencies, and to pay attention the
urgency of environmental protection. Parallel to emerging concerns
about energy and environment in the world, Turkey had also
alerted about energy savings and management regulations.
Depending on social and economic development of Turkey, total
energy demand and also electric energy demand are grown rapidly.
Reported energy demand increase rate is about 11% for every year
since 1970s [12]. Alongside the increasing energy demand, energy
management and energy saving actions had been enhanced
nationwidely since the beginning of 1980s. It is reported as result of
the Turkish energy conservation programs that Turkish industrial
sectors have an annual energy saving potential of approximately
30%. Annual energy saving potential for textile and clothing sector
is reported as 8.36% [13,14] which is substantial potential con-
cerning the increasing energy costs in textile processing.
stages of fiber processing, spinning, weavingeknitting, wet pro-
cessing and garment manufacturing. Fig. 1 shows general produc-
tion path line of a typical woven textile product. The dotted boxes 1
and 2 in Fig. 1 represent primary and secondary energy consuming
applications in an ordinary textile production plant. The boxes
labeled A, B, and C represent the primary energy consuming
production lines of spinning, sizing, weaving; wet processing; and
garment manufacturing. Heatingecooling, sanitation, trans-
portation, exterior and other energy consuming applications are
classified as secondary energy consuming applications [15].
Each manufacturing process has its own energy consumption
characteristics. Some processes are more energy intensive than
others. Different types of energy sources are consumed in each
different processing stage, some processes require more electricity
while others requires more heat energy.
Spinning process in its various stages (mixing, opening, prepara-
tion, the spinning operation itself, winding and doubling) consumes
electric energy. Amount of energy consumption in this process is
variable depending on type of spinning system, type of winding and
doubling machines, desired yarn properties and raw material char-
acteristics. In case of middle count, carded, ring yarn processing, the
spinning and winding processes represent about 80% of energy
consumption per kg of single yarn [16,17]. Sizing process is an
important process between spinning and weaving processes. Sizing of
yarns before warping mostly requires indirect steam that is heated
using electricity, gas or oil. Weaving processes requires electrical
energy. Amount of energy consumption changes depending on fabric
structure and technical parameters of weaving machine.
Controlled climatic room condition (25  C temperature, 65%
relative humidity) in spinning and weaving rooms is another
important electric energy consuming station in textile processing
stages. Seasonal climatic variation is also important parameter for
energy consumption quantity of air conditioning systems.

Fig. 1. General production path line of a woven textile product [15].

Please cite this article in press as: Palamutcu S, Electric energy consumption in the cotton textile processing stages, Energy (2010), doi:10.1016/j.
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Table 2

Actual specific electric

Machine park and consumed energy types of cotton textile processing plants.

energy consumption,
Name of Production Machine name Consumed

(woven fabric)
production capacity (number of unit) energy type
process

kWh (e)/kg
Cotton spinning 50,000 Opening-blending Electricity
spindle line (2)

2.24
1.98
1.68
1.72
1.62
1.62
2.06
2.03
2.13
1.58
1.63
1.6
Carding machine (16)
Drawing lines (2)
Roving machine

(e)/kg (woven fabric)

consumption, kWh
Ring spinning machine

Estimated specific
Winding machine

electric energy
Warping 400,000 Serial warping Electricity
and sizing m/day machine (1) Electricity
Conical warping Electricity þ steam

1.38
1.54
1.61
1.55
1.54
1.62
1.67
1.67
1.76
1.65
1.64
machine (1)

1.5
Sizing machine (1)

Weaving 36 loom Jacquard weaving Electricity

Deviation,
machines (36)
Quality control

62
29
5
11
6
0

4
1
23
22
21

7
machinery (8)

%
Wet processing 30 Pre-finishing line Electricity þ steam

Actual energy
Electricity þ steam

consumption,
tons/day Washing line
Drying line Electricity þ hot oil

kWh (e)

118.060
129.110
154.970
167.070
173.250
181.630
179.350
182.020
165.620
138.470
157.960
111.050
Dyeing machine Electricity
Finishing line Electricity
Volumizing machine Electricity þ hot oil
Opening and Electricity
rewinding machines Electricity

Estimated energy
Quality control

consumption,
machinery

Clothing e Long side cutting Electricity

kWh (e)

72.942
100.190
148.281
150.721
164.069
181.405
145.735
149.295
137.245
144.530
158.982
104.212
manufacturing machine (1)
Long side hemming
machine (2)
Sewing machine (50)
Electric energy consumption of
non-production units, kWh (e)

21.646
28.862
43.293
43.293
46.901
50.508
39.685
39.685
36.077
36.077
39.685
25.254
Overlock machine (23) Total

Wet processing stages of pretreatment, bleaching, dyeing, post

19.142
25.523
38.284
38.284
41.475
44.665
35.094
35.094
31.904
31.904
35.094
22.333
treatments and drying-fixation processes consume considerable
A/C

amounts of heat in the form of hot water, steam and hot air.
Mechanical parts of the wet processing machinery are driven using
Lighting

electric energy. Total electric energy consumption in wet processing

2.504
3.339
5.009
5.009
5.426
5.843
4.591
4.591
4.174
4.174
4.591
2.922
is quite low comparing the other textile processing stages.
Clothing manufacturing stages of laying up, cutting, sewing,
Empirical production and electric energy consumption data of the weaving plant.

cleaning with air suction, ironing, and transporting processes

consumption

mostly consumes electric energy. Only heatingeironing processes

may require steam or hot air.
Electric energy consumption of production

51.296
71.328
104.988
107.428
117.168
130.897
106.050
109.610
101.168
108.453
119.297
78.958
Total

Research about energy management, improvement of energy

efficiency, and energy saving potentials are main concern of many
different industrial sectors including textile sector [18e33]. There
machinery

have been many international [2,18e20,34e38] and national

Weaving

51.152
71.130
104.699
107.135
116.846
130.538
105.760
109.307
100.890
108.155
118.968
78.739

[1,4,7,10e14,21e23,39,40e43] projects concerning energy manage-

ment and improvement of energy efficiency in different industrial
sectors. Energy management methods and practices are described
using the total quality management approach of P (plan), D (do), C
Quality control
units, kWh (e)

(check) and A (action) cycles [2,13,14,21,35e37]. Energy saving areas

machinery

in the industrial manufacturing plants is basically categorized as

boilers, steam systems, heat isolation, leakage prevention of pneu-
144
198
289
293
322
359
290
303
278
298
329
219

matic systems, electric motors and motion transmission systems.

Implementation of accurate maintenance plans and procedures is
Production,

advised promptly for industrial manufacturing plants to prevent

kg (woven
Weaving plant-2007

52.683
65.243
91.970
96.975
106.783
112.014
87.121
89.457
77.814
87.847
96.855
69.582

potential energy losses [2e4,18,36,38,40,42,43].

fabric)

4. Methodology
Months
Table 3

This section explains textile processing stages of the involved

M

N
O

D
A

A
S
F
J

J
J

plants, details of walkthrough electric energy analysis, data

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Table 4
Average production and electric energy consumption information of the textile plants.

Plant Average production quantity Electric energy consumption

Production Lighting HVAC

kWh/month % kWh/month % kWh/month %

Yarn 871.392 kg/month 2,232.249 80 44.928 2 493.480 18
Warpingesizing 447.630 m/month 2.023 88 278 12 e e
Weaving 86.195 kg/month 100.553 73 4.348 3 33.233 24
Wet processing 740.230 kg/month 482.661 97 13.728 3 e e
Clothing 35.217 kg/month 1.493 49 1.556 51 e e

collection method from the plant management, and approaches
used to calculate actual and estimated electric energy SEC values.
Involved manufacturing plants in the present study are cotton
spinning plant, warpingesizing plant, weaving plant, wet pro-
cessing plant and clothing manufacturing plant, which are located
in the industrial zone of Denizli, working connectively each other as
sub contractors. Production capacity, machinery park and
consumed energy types of the plants are given in Table 2. As it is
seen main energy types used in textile processing stages are elec-
tric and heat (provided using natural gas or coal burning) energies.
Before conducting walkthrough energy inspection in the involved
cotton textile processing plants, consultation meetings were held
with production and energy-maintenance departments at manage-
rial level. After approval of project initiation by plant managements,
electric energy consumption analysis project is introduced to all
relevant plant personnel in serial meetings. Purpose of the project
was explained and their suggestions were discussed in detail.
Monthly production and electric energy consumption data of the
involved plants were gathered from the relevant managerial
departments. Checklist tables to be used during on-site measurement
is prepared and given to the electric energy measurement teams.
Electric energy measurement teams were constituted including one
electric engineer, one mechanical engineer, one machine operator
and one member of the project team. On-site walkthrough electric
energy measurement was performed through the real-time
measurement on the machineries using a clamp ampermeter.
Measurements team were conducted daily two measurements
during week days, totally ten measurements were recorded to
calculate average electric energy consumption of each relevant
machine. Average electric energy consumption data was then used to
determine the real-time power consumption of the machine. Number
of electric consuming machinery and equipments, determined power
consumption, and operating hours per working day of corresponding
machine and equipments were noted. Estimated total working day
per month was also noted in consultation with relevant department
in the plant. Gathered electric consumption data was then used for
calculation of estimated SEC value of each plants.
estimated SEC, (kWh/kg) actual SEC, (kWh/kg)
3,6
3,4
kWh/kg
Actual electric energy consumption data of the plants were
gathered from monthly electricity consumption records of plant
management. Production purposed electric energy consumption
data, lighting and Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning (HVAC) purposed
electric energy consumption data were noted separately.
In Table 3 details of measured and collected data for the weaving
plant is listed. The same measurements are completed for the other
textile processing plants of spinning, warpingesizing, wet pro-
cessing and clothing manufacturing.
Average production quantity and electric energy consumption
data of production plants are given in Table 4.
Production quantity, estimated and actual electricity consump-
tion data of corresponding months are used to calculate estimated
and actual SEC value of electric energy for relevant textile pro-
cessing stages. SEC is therefore defined as electric energy
consumption per unit mass of textile product and its unit is kWh
electric energy/kg textile product. Differences between estimated
and actual specific electric energy consumption quantities are
shown graphically for each processing plants.
SEC can be expressed by the following equation:
SEC ¼ ðJ$Et =Pt Þ; (1)
where J is the number of energy consuming unit associated with
electric energy consumption, Et is the average amount of electric
energy used during period t, and Pt is the quantity of production
during period t.
Quantity of monthly textile production in terms of weight (kg)
and monthly electric energy consumption in terms of kW/h are
used to draw graphics exhibiting the relation between electric
energy use and production quantity. Scattered intersection points
of energy use and production quantity data are used to attain the
best fit line and its equation. Bets fit line equation explains the
relationship between electric energy use and production quantity.
Equation is;
y ¼ mx þ c; (2)
where y is electric energy axis, x is production axis, m is slope of the
line, and c is its intercept with y axis. Slope of the line (m) explains
the amount of energy required to process each additional unit of
production, leading to the process efficiency. c indicates the
minimum energy requirement to start up production. Scatter,
distribution of the data points away from the best fit line, indicates
variation in energy per unit production from one period to another.
Equation (2) is also used to calculate the proportion of energy

that does not contribute to production by dividing the energy that

3,2
is unrelated to production [37]. Monthly based electric energy
3
Table 5
Average SEC values of sizing and warping processes.
2,8
J F M A M J J A S O N D kWh/kg (warp yarn)
months Estimated SEC for electric energy 0.0051
Actual SEC for electric energy 0.0073
Fig. 2. Comparison of actual and estimated SEC values of carded yarn spinning plant.

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estimated SEC, (kWh/kg) actual SEC, (kWh/kg) estimated SEC, (kWh/kg) actual SEC, (kWh/kg)

2,5 0,25

2 0,2

1,5 0,15
kWh/kg

kWh/kg
1 0,1

0,5 0,05

0 0
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D
months months

Fig. 3. Comparison of actual and estimated SEC values of weaving plant. Fig. 5. Comparison of actual and estimated SEC values of clothing production plant.

consumption and production quantity data of each individual
production stages are used to illustrate graphics of eq. (2). In the
graphs, yarn processing, woven fabric processing, wet processing
and clothing manufacturing stages are reviewed individually. These
graphs and equations are then used to determine the Process Effi-
ciency and Energy Consumption amount not related to the quantity of
production.
4.1. Boundaries
Specific energy consumption value is a useful energy efficiency
measurement instrument for industrial production plants. In case
of cotton textile production, production capacity, technology level
of the plant, and production parameters are influential parameters
for SEC value and they need to be clearly defined .Gathered results
of this work are only applicable for cotton textile processing stages
of middle count carded cotton yarn spinning plant; weaving
preparation plant of warping and sizing processes with
22e28 warp/cm middle count yarn; weaving plant processing
18e22 weft/cm plain woven fabrics; padding dyeing process of
light shade colors; and clothing manufacturing plant of producing
non-complicated ordinary cotton textile products.
5. Results and discussion
Each processing stage of cotton textile production is analyzed
individually with electric energy consumption and production
quantity data. Monthly based data collection is then used to explain
the relationship between production quantity and electric energy
consumption for each cotton textile processing stages [41]. The
difference between actual and estimated SEC values of each pro-
cessing stage is evaluated on monthly basis.
Analyzed data show that the highest electric energy consuming
production stage among cotton textile processing stages is spinning
process where the machinery is completely electric energy driven.
Specific electric energy consumption of yarn spinning plant is
shown in Fig. 2. It is found that actual SEC values are varying
between 3.24 and 3.47 kWh/kg and estimated SEC values are
varying between 3.08 and 3.30 kWh/kg. Reason of the variation in
monthly based SEC values can be explained with the difference on
the processed raw material properties, differences on the spun yarn
properties, and climatic conditions of spinning room which affects
machine electricity consumption. Determined SEC values in electric
energy consumption of spinning plants are found relevant to
current literature where SEC values are reported changing in the
range of 3.2e3.5 kWh/kg [15] and 0.55e7.3 kWh/kg [22].
Electric energy consumption amount of warping and sizing
machinery are quite low comparing high amount of steam and heat
requirement of the process. Actual and estimated SEC values in
electric energy for warping and sizing processes are relatively
lower then the SEC values of other cotton textile processing stages.
Average actual specific electric energy consumption value of
warping and sizing plant is estimated as 0.0073 kWh/kg warp yarn.
(Table 5) Actual SEC value is found about 30% higher then estimated
SEC value of warpingesizing process. Reason of high actual SEC
value can be explained with high rate of unloaded working time of
machinery (progressed electricity consumption without produc-
tion) and technical parameter differences among processed war-
pingesizing orders (possible differences on the number of warping
yarn per beam and yarn density).
Weaving process is another high electric energy consuming
processing stage. Specific electric energy consumption of weaving
plant is found varying in range of 1.58e2.24 kWh/kg for actual SEC
and 1.38e1.76 kWh/kg for estimated SEC, Fig. 3. Actual SEC values
are found generally higher then estimated SEC values in monthly
basis comparison. Reason of the varying SEC values year round can
be explained with potential differences on technical properties of
produced fabric, climatic conditions of weaving room, and machine
working conditions. Determined SEC values in electric energy
consumption for weaving process are found lower then results of

estimated SEC, (kWh/kg) actual SEC, (kWh/kg)

yarn weaving wet processing clothing
1,2
80,00
1 60,00

0,8 40,00
deviation, %
kWh/kg

0,6 20,00

0,4 0,00
J F M A M J J A S O N D
0,2 -20,00

-40,00
0
J F M A M J J A S O N D -60,00
months months

Fig. 4. Comparison of actual and estimated SEC values of wet processing plant. Fig. 6. Deviation between estimated and actual SEC for electric energy consumption.

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Electric energy, MWh/month
4 000 180
y = 1,2482x + 30,543
y = 2,7454x + 378,29 150 R2 = 0,9219
3 000
R2 = 0,9169 120

2 000 90

60
1 000
30

0 0
0 20 0 4 00 60 0 8 00 1 00 0 0 30 60 90 120
yarn production, tons/month woven fabr ic pr oduction, tons/month

5
Electric energy, MWh/month

70 0
60 0 y = 0,6564x + 13,26 y = 0,4252x + 1,5518
4
50 0 R2 = 0,9857 2
R = 0,7941
40 0 3

30 0 2
20 0
1
10 0
0 0
0 2 00 400 6 00 800 1 00 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
wet processing, tons/month clothing production, tons/month

Fig. 7. Change of electric energy consumption against monthly production quantity.

Visvanathan et al. [22] where it is reported changing between 5.7
and 5.8 kWh/kg. Visvanathan et al. had gathered their result in
a study that concerns whole Thai weaving industry including all
different types of weaving machinery, production conditions, and
different types of fabrics. In this study only cotton textile weaving
processes, as it is defined in Tables 2 and 3 are concerned. Large
difference between results of Visvanathan et al. and this study may
be explained with characteristical difference between collected data
size, technology and energy efficiency levels of each local textile
sector, and years that studies were carried out (1998 and 2007).
Wet processing processes are heat and steam intensive processes
where electric energy is only consumed for mechanical driving
purposes. Specific electric energy consumption of wet processing
plant is found changing between 0.79 and 1.05 kWh/kg for actual
SEC and 0.67e0.68 kWh/kg for estimated SEC, Fig. 4. Actual SEC
values are found higher then estimated SEC values in monthly basis
comparison. Reason of variable actual SEC value year round can be
explained with possible difference on processed fabric properties,
production quantity, used machinery types, machine efficiency, and
amount of reprocessed repair works. In current literature deter-
mined SEC in electric energy consumption is reported changing
between 1.5 and 3.0 kWh/kg [37], 0.28e12.6 kWh/kg [42],
13.9e26.4 kWh/kg [38], 3.11 kWh/kg [43]. High variation and wide
range of SEC values among cited literature can be explained with
differences on the processed fabric properties and type and number
of wet processing machinery that are used during the processes.
Electric energy consumption of clothing production plant is
quite low depending on low electric energy required machinery
utilization and intensive labor use. Specific electric energy
consumption of clothing production plant is found varying
between 0.065 and 0.195 kWh/kg for actual SEC and
0.07e0.09 kWh/kg for estimated SEC, Fig. 5. Reason of varying
actual SEC value year round can be explained with possible differ-
ence on product properties of fabric weight, produced product type
and model, production quantity, and machine efficiency.
There have been clear differences between actual and estimated
SEC values for each textile production stages. Deviation ratio
between actual and estimated SEC values is estimated using eq. (3).
% Deviation ¼ ½ðactual SEC  estimated SECÞ=actual SEC*100:
(3)
In Fig. 6, calculated deviation ratios between actual and esti-
mated SEC values are shown for spinning, weaving, wet processing
and clothing manufacturing stages in monthly basis. As it is seen
from the graphs, the lowest deviation ratio belongs to yarn
production plant where electric energy consumption and SEC value
are the highest. The deviation ratio for weaving plant is also found
low comparing to those of wet processing and clothing production
plants. The deviation ratio of wet processing plant found higher
then yarn and weaving plants. It may be explained with low rate of
electric energy use comparing to those of yarn and weaving
production. Clothing production plant has shown the highest

Table 6
Rate of energy consumption not related to the production.

m (MWh/ton) c (MWh/month) R2 Average monthly Consumed energy ratio not related

production, tons to the production quantity, %
Yarn processing 2.7454 378.29 0.9169 871.39 13.62
Weaving 1.2482 30.543 0.9219 86.19 22.11
Wet processing 0.6564 13.260 0.9857 740.230 2.67
Clothing 0.4252 1.5518 0.7941 35.2 50.90

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deviation ratio. Reason of this high level positive and negative
deviation may be explained with possible differences on product
models and characteristics. Production quantity data used for
calculation of SEC values are based on weight (kg). Time and energy
consumed for manufacturing of different clothing products differs
severely depending on model. Total monthly production quantity of
a heavy terry towel sewing process may increase production
quantity in kg, where a time consuming sewing process of a light
weighted fabric results quite less amount of production in kg.
Weight based production quantity is the most important reason for
high level of deviations on the actual and estimated SEC values.
Other important reason for varying SEC values is repair works that
consume energy and time but not make any contribution to
production quantity.
In general reasons of the variable deviations on actual and
estimated SEC values of production plants can be explained with
the dissimilarity on the machine adjustments and efficiencies,
technical characteristics of products, (structural yarn characteris-
tics, structural fabric properties, different color and treatment
procedures, different patterned cutting plans, different fabric
weighted clothing products), labor efficiency of related shift/day/
week/month, renewal or repair works of product that does not
make contribution to total production quantity, climatic conditions
of plant and seasonal weather condition changes.
Monthly based production quantity and actual electric energy
consumption data of surveyed plants are used to draw graphics
exhibiting the relation between electric energy use and production
quantity, Fig. 7. Best fit line of each charts are drawn and corre-
sponding m, c, and R2 values of eq. (2) are summarized in Table 6.
As it is seen in Fig. 7 and Table 6 determined R2 values are found
close to 1 (except clothing production). This means that the eval-
uated data were in accordance and useful for prediction of electric
energy consumption for those plants in the same monthly
production capacity. The slope (m) values of the best fit lines are
also useful to determine efficiency of process if theoretical energy
requirements of process are known.
Calculated data, presented in the last column of Table 6 show
the rate of consumed energy that is unrelated to the production
quantity. For yarn processing plant 13.62% of total electric energy
consumption is found as unrelated amount of electric energy to
amount of total electric energy used for yarn production. Rate of
electric energy not related to production quantity is found 22.11%
for weaving process; 2.67% for wet processing stages and 50.90% for
clothing production stage. The highest electric energy consumption
rate unrelated to production quantity is found belong to clothing
production plant where SEC value in electric energy is very low
comparing to other textile production stages.
Amount of electric energy consumption rate which is unrelated to
production quantity can also be defined as constant energy
consumption of the plants, which is still consumpted even if
production quantity is zero and it is an area worth for further inves-
tigation about energy saving potentials. Constant energy is mostly
consumpted by lighting and HVAC needs of the plant. Lighting and
HVAC energy needs are independent from the production quantity;
they are relevant to number of working days per month.
All data used in calculations of estimated SEC value are
measured data. Measured electricity currency level of relevant
equipment and machinery may be variable depending on the
general conditions of machinery, electric engines, belts, and other
motion transmitting appliances. Actual energy consumption and
production quantity data are taken from relevant managerial
departments of the plant. Production data used in the calculation of
actual and estimated SEC values is taken into account as weight
based textile production of relevant energy consuming time
interval. Used production data is taken into account ignoring
Please cite this article in press as: Palamutcu S, Electric energy consumption in the cotton textile processing stages, Energy (2010), doi:10.1016/j.
energy.2010.03.029
7
possible differences in product characteristics, processing methods,
types and number of machinery used in production line, presence
of repair works, and maintenance program of the plants.
6. Conclusions and recommendations
This paper has presented actual and estimated specific electric
energy consumption results based upon data collection and on-site
measurement in cotton textile processing plants, located in the
Industrial Zone of Denizli, Turkey. Major conclusions are as follows;
- Actual SEC values of the production plants are found as
3.24e3.47 kWh/kg for yarn spinning plant (compatible with
the current literature); 0.0073 kWh/kg for warpingesizing
plant; 1.58e2.24 kWh/kg for weaving plant (lower then
current literature); 0.79e1.05 kWh/kg for wet processing
(compatible with the current literature); and
0.065e0.195 kWh/kg for clothing production plant.
- Actual and estimated specific electric energy consumption
rates of each processing plant are determined and results are
compared to show any possible differences between them. It is
found that actual electric energy consumption amount per unit
textile product is higher than estimated electric energy
consumption amount per unit textile product of each involved
textile processing stages.
- The difference between actual and estimated specific electric
energy consumption values of yarn spinning, warping and
sizing, weaving, wet processing and clothing manufacturing
plants are found in average as 6.5%, 30.0%, 11, 24.1 %, and 29.3 %
respectively, Fig. 6.
Average deviation of difference for spinning plant is found
the lowest (6.5%) among average deviation of other involved
production processes. It can be explained with processing
parameters of cotton yarn. Average deviation of difference for
warping and sizing and clothing production plants have found
quite high (around 30%). The reasons of high deviations are
mainly result of wide variety range of processed product types
and properties, number of process steps involved during the
production, electric energy use efficiency of equipments and
machinery, and amount of repair work which increases energy
consumption while not increasing production quantity.
- Electricity consumption increases with increasing production
quantity. Amount of electric energy required to process each
additional unit of production are recognized with the slope of
the diagrams in Fig. 7 and m values of Table 6. Electric energy
requirements for additional production is determined about
2.75 MWh/ton for yarn production, 1.25 MWh/ton for woven
fabric production, 0.66 MWh/ton for wet processing, and
0.43 MWh/ton for clothing manufacturing. Best fit lines of each
graph shown in Fig. 7 can also be used for;
- estimating the reduction possibility in energy related
production costs,
- estimating energy saving potentials of the processing stage,
not related to production quantity.
- Share of machinery load is the biggest segment in total electric
consumption of textile production plants. Lighting and HVAC
electric energy consumption shares found lower in cotton
textile processing plants, except clothing production plant.
- Since number of plants involved in the frame of this study is
limited, results that are given in this paper may not reflect the
precisely accurate data. However, gathered results are still
considered valuable since an approach is outlined about actual
and estimated electric energy consumption in the cotton textile
processing plants. For a further benchmarking study, number of
plants should be increased, and selection of plants should be
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
8 S. Palamutcu / Energy xxx (2010) 1e8
done among those plants having similar machinery park, product
types, processing methods, and human resource features.
- It has experienced during the study that awareness and
knowledge about energy management and saving is not yet at
desired level in plant managements, operators and other
workers in the involved plants. Energy management principles
should be introduced and implemented comprehensively in
textile production plants in Denizli urgently and consistently.
- Close tracking of the SEC value for production processes and
efficient use of electric energy is substantial concerning the
circumstance of severe global market competition in textile
business. Beside the competition in the global textile business,
restrictions in the global energy markets and climbing envi-
ronmental awareness in high markets push textile business to
take immediate actions about energy saving and management
in their production processes.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank to the visited textile production
plants and Clean Energy House of Pamukkale University for
providing technical information and equipment for carrying out
this work. Special thanks are extended to anonymous referees and
the Editor-in-Chief of this journal for their valuable and construc-
tive comments on the paper.
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