Electric energy consumption in the cotton textile processing stages

Electric energy is one of the primary energy sources consumpted in cotton textile processing. Current energy cost rate is reported about 8–10% in the total production cost of an ordinary textile product manufactured in Turkey. Significantly important share of this energy cost is electric energy. The aim of this paper was to investigate unit electric energy consumption of cotton textile processing stages using real-time measurements method. Actual and estimated Specific Energy Consumption (SEC) values for electric energy was calculated in the cotton textile processing stages of spinning, warping–sizing, weaving, wet processing and clothing manufacturing. Actual electric energy consumption data are gathered from monthly records of the involved plant managements. Estimated electric energy consumption data is gathered through on-site measurement. Actual and estimated electric energy consumption data and monthly production quantities of the corresponding months are used to facilitate 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.