Assessing Combined Water-Energy-Efficiency Measures in the Automotive Industry

Water and energy represent two essential and interrelated resources for manufacturing systems. Thus, measures to increase resource efficiency have to take a joint analysis of both resources into account. Common methods of analysis focus on one of both resources only. A combined approach considering especially the interrelation between water and energy is insufficiently addressed. Against this background, the paper proposes a water-(energy) flow model comprising all relevant water flows as well as manufacturing, supply and disposal areas of a factory. An integrated simulation enables the evaluation of dynamic effects of production subsystems, e.g. cooling towers. The application of the model is demonstrated using a case study from the automotive industry.