Reducing environmental impact in air jet weaving technology

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to deal with the energy efficiency of textile weaving machines. Increasing energy costs and environmental impact are a challenge for textile manufacturers as well as for the developers of textile production machines. As example, air jet weaving is the most productive but also most energy consuming weaving method. Design/methodology/approach – A method based on energy efficiency considered as the main requirements in the design phase has been developed at the Institut für Textiltechnik der RWTH Aachen University (ITA), Aachen, Germany, in order to improve energy efficiency of air-jet weaving machines. Technological developments are always concerned about low energy costs, low environmental impact, high productivity and constant product quality. The high degree of energy consumption of the method can be ascribed to the high need of compressed air required by the relay nozzles during the weft insertion process. Findings – The relay nozzles of the air-jet weaving technology consume up to 80 percent of the air required by the weft insertion process. At ITA a new nozzle concept was developed. The developed geometry is a so called high-volume-low-pressure nozzle, based on convergent nozzle aerodynamic theory. Originality/value – By employing such new concept of relay nozzles within the weft insertion process, energy savings are possible up to 30 percent.