A textile spinning plant in the southern city of Tamil Nadu, with an installed capacity of 100,000 spindles, was using nearly 1300 CFM from two rotary screw compressors with capacities of 850 CFM and 450 CFM, respectively. These compressors had installed motor capacities of 132 kW and 75 kW. On paper, they showed a specific energy consumption of 0.16 kW/CFM, which seemed acceptable. The factory aimed to reduce their consumption to 600 CFM but was unsure where to begin. After consulting with Systel Energy Solutions (India) Pvt Ltd, Coimbatore, the factory upgraded to Industry 5.0 standards to optimize compressed air supply, transmission, and demand. The systel Monitoring System revealed that the compressors together were producing only 1120 CFM compared to their rated capacity of 1300 CFM, yet consuming about 220 kW in total. Thus, the actual specific energy consumption was 0.196 kW/CFM, over 18% higher than the manufacturer's claims. The compressors' inlet pressure, ambient conditions, and operating pressure settings were adjusted, and maintenance was performed. Consequently, the specific energy consumption decreased to 0.17 kW/CFM, allowing the factory to achieve power savings of over 537 kWh per day or Rs.12.56 lakhs annually.
On the Demand Side
The measurements indicated that the Spinning and Autoconer Departments were using nearly 800 CFM, while their actual requirement was around 300 CFM. Similarly, the Preparatory Department was consuming about 320 CFM, despite needing only 50 CFM. With this information, the factory adjusted the machines' operating pressures, eliminating artificial demand and saving nearly 150 CFM, and further reduced 350 CFM by fixing leakages. This project led to savings of up to 500 CFM, resulting in annual savings of Rs. 47.73 lakhs at a power cost of Rs. 6.5/kWh.
Consistency of Savings
In the past, the factory conducted periodic leak surveys using both internal maintenance teams and external agencies. Although there were reductions after previous leak repair projects, savings were inconsistent due to the frequent occurrence of new leaks, making it difficult to locate and fix them. However, with the adoption of Industry 5.0 and its advanced measurement technologies, the consumption of each department is monitored daily, allowing for immediate action on any increase in consumption. This has led to reduced and simplified maintenance. Industry 5.0 was implemented at the factory in 2019, and even after two years, the factory has maintained the savings achieved and further reduced consumption to 560 CFM compared to the post-project consumption of 620 CFM. Additionally, the factory saved nearly 60% on spare parts costs by avoiding the purchase of large spares typically recommended by external leak survey agencies..
Return on Investments
The investment in Industry 5.0, along with the smart monitoring system, was recouped in just under six months.
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