Monforts offers energy efficient solutions

With energy representing more than 60% of the total costs of a thermal system over a period of 10 years, it provides a constantly increasing expenditure. Consideration also has to be given to the cost factor for discharging the cleaned / recycled exhaust air into the atmosphere.

To meet these challenging issues, Monforts will be displaying its tried and tested solutions on stand A110, Hall 1 at India ITME, with a team of senior sales and applications engineers offering advice on the energy saving techniques.

With energy costs currently increasing month-on-month, Monforts offer continually updated economy calculations for payback periods of its equipment. Today, for example, the benefits of heat recovery – fitted as standard on most Montex stenters – becomes even more attractive with further reduced payback due to the continually rising fuel costs.

The latest Monforts heat exchanger is integrated into the roof construction of the stenter for no heat loss.  Exhaust air heat is converted in the heat exchanger to heat the fresh combustion air.  Heated fresh air enters at the inlets of the stenter via integrated fresh air ducts.

Up to 60% of the fresh air required by the stenter can be preheated in this way providing an energy saving of between 10% and 30% depending on the production process.

Energy Tower

A stand alone Energy Tower was introduced by Monforts for retrofitting to existing stenters or hotflues with restricted access above the units. Designed to be positioned alongside the stenter or hotflue it features five integrated heat recovery modules.  Capitalising on the high temperature of the exhaust air, savings of up to 30% in energy costs can be achieved.

Rising costs

As the price of heat energy rises, so too will the cost for electricity.  It is therefore natural that the Montex stenter should feature frequency controlled exhaust air fans to avoid unnecessary fan speeds. Most electric energy is consumed by the recirculation fans in the stenter.

To control and optimize these consumers, the engineers of A. Monforts Textilmaschinen developed the Monformatic.  Monformatic is a controlling tool for continuous drying, fixing or condensation processes and has been well established in the market for many years.  The unit ‘knows’ the zone in which the fabric has obtained the process temperature and automatically calculates the fabric transport speed so that a predefined time for fixing or condensation is maintained.  If this so called heat setting time is shorter than defined, quality is poor, if it is longer, too much electricity is consumed and heat energy wasted.

Other key product developments include a new tumble action with the DynAir relaxation dryer, new soft coating solution, doubled lubrication intervals with stentering chains having sealed bearings and a new Sanforisor.

New ‘tumble’ action with DynAir relaxation dryer

The new DynAir relaxation dryer for knitted fabrics offers a new continuous ‘tumbling’ action to provide improved performance, shrinkage and handling. Whilst retaining its ‘sinowave’ fabric flow through the DynAir’s chambers, a tumble action is introduced by vibrating the chambers upper and lower transport belt.

These are both synchronised to ensure the optimum tumbling effect. The tumbling effect loosens the crossing points of the knitted fabric generating further improved shrinkage and handling.

Soft coating solution

A new soft coating solution provides energy savings with reduced drying times and can in some cases eliminate the need for a conventional padder. The new process using trough and roller techniques, applies just the required amount of liquid/coating to the fabric via contact with the roller. It has been designed for three options – to apply a liquid/coating to one side of the fabric; to apply a liquid to both sides of the fabric; and to apply a liquid to one side and a different liquid to the other side.

Applications include nano coating, water repellence, softeners and pigment dyeing.  Used primarily for clothing applications, the soft coating process can, for example, apply soil-or water-repellency to one side of the fabric and softener or water absorption, respectively, to the second side.

Compared with a padder operation, the initial moisture content of 60% is reduced to 40% using the Monforts soft coating process; ensuring a reduction in drying times and reduced energy costs.

‘Golden’ stentering chains 

The new ‘Golden’ Hercules stentering chain offer even further improved long term lubrication extending re-greasing intervals to more than 12,000 hours, depending on the treating processes.

Fully encapsulated bearings ensure that the roller chain runs dry through the stenter and requires minimum lubrication thanks to Monforts patented direct lubrication system; with lubricant injected directly into the bearing.

The interval for re-greasing has been extended from 6,000 hours to more than 12,000 hours under average performance conditions of 160°C and 70 m/min.

The new ‘Golden’ Hercules chain features further improved sealing for the bearings. This ensures a reduction of grease loss due to heat dissipation by more than 60%.

New sanforisor

A completely new redesigned compressive shrinkage sanforisor for both woven (Monfortex) and knitted (Toptex) fabrics has been introduced offering increased residual shrinkage, higher production speeds, automatic grinding of the rubber blanket, reduced water consumption for cooling and substantial time savings for blanket changes.

The new redesign also allows faster rubber belt changes taking just a single shift compared with two days for industry standard. The simplified belt removal is accomplished by an optional integral lifting device to lift the rollers instead of their complete removal.

With the necessity of grinding the belt at least 5-6 times throughout its life, a new fully automatic grinder ensures only a minimum of rubber is ground thereby increasing the efficiency and life of the belt. It also eliminates the need for a skilled craftsman/operator in manual grinding techniques.