1. Raw material utilization: abandon high energy consumption links and save energy from the source
The production of traditional polyester filament starts with the exploitation of oil resources. This process not only has many negative impacts on the environment, but also is accompanied by huge energy consumption. From offshore drilling platforms to onshore oil fields, the operation of various mining equipment and the long transportation process of crude oil from the production area to the refinery all consume a lot of energy resources. According to relevant statistics, for every barrel of crude oil mined, other energy sources equivalent to several liters of crude oil energy, such as coal and natural gas, are consumed on average to drive mining equipment and maintain the normal operation of transportation pipelines. Not only that, there are potential environmental pollution risks such as leakage during crude oil transportation, which further highlights the disadvantages of traditional polyester production in the raw material acquisition link.
In sharp contrast, the production of recycled polyester filament directly uses waste polyester as raw material, cleverly eliminating the lengthy and energy-intensive process from petroleum to polyester monomer synthesis. These waste polyester materials come from a wide range of sources, including discarded polyester fiber textiles, PET plastic bottles, etc. They were originally scattered in various corners, waiting to be processed as waste, which not only took up a lot of space, but also may pollute the environment. Through professional recycling channels, these waste items were collected together, starting the journey of "turning waste into treasure". Compared with oil extraction, the energy consumed in the recycling process of waste polyester materials is negligible. The recycling process mainly relies on manpower and simple transportation tools to transport scattered waste items to the recycling and processing center. Its energy consumption is mainly concentrated in the transportation link, but compared with the energy consumption of oil extraction and transportation, it is almost negligible. This fundamental change in the way of obtaining raw materials has greatly reduced energy consumption from the source, laying a solid foundation for energy conservation and emission reduction in subsequent production links.
2. Pretreatment process: Prepare for efficient regeneration, controllable energy consumption
After the waste polyester materials are recycled, they need to go through a series of pretreatment processes, including classification, cleaning, crushing, etc., before they can enter the key recycling production link. Although these pretreatment processes are indispensable, compared with the complex refining and chemical reaction processes in traditional polyester production, the energy consumption is at a lower level.
The classification process mainly relies on manual or simple mechanical sorting equipment to distinguish different types of waste polyester materials for subsequent targeted treatment. In this process, the energy consumption required for equipment operation is relatively small, and the main manpower input is not a high-energy consumption activity. The cleaning process aims to remove dirt, impurities, etc. on the surface of waste polyester materials, usually by water washing or solvent cleaning. By rationally designing the cleaning process and selecting efficient and energy-saving cleaning equipment, it is possible to effectively control energy consumption while ensuring the cleaning effect. For example, the use of a circulating water cleaning system can greatly reduce the waste of water resources and reduce energy consumption during the cleaning process. The crushing process is to crush the cleaned waste polyester materials into smaller particles for subsequent processing. Modern crushing equipment focuses on energy saving in design. By optimizing the equipment structure and operating parameters, it can reduce energy loss while efficiently crushing.
In general, the pretreatment process of recycled polyester filament production has effectively controlled energy consumption in the process of preparing for subsequent efficient regeneration, and will not cause a large burden on the overall energy consumption, which is in sharp contrast to the complex and high-energy consumption process in the early stage of traditional polyester production.
3. Polymerization reaction: low temperature and low pressure, significant energy saving effect
Polymerization reaction is the core link of polyester filament production, and recycled polyester filament production shows great energy consumption advantages in this link. Taking the common physical method of recycled polyester filament production as an example, since the raw materials are already polyester substances, the temperature and pressure required for its polymerization reaction are usually lower than those of traditional polyester production.
In traditional polyester production, the synthesis from petroleum to polyester monomer needs to be carried out under harsh conditions of high temperature and high pressure. Usually, the reaction temperature is as high as hundreds of degrees, and the pressure is also above tens of atmospheres, which requires a lot of heat and electricity. For example, in the production process of terephthalic acid (PTA), about 3-4 gigajoules of energy are consumed for every ton of PTA produced, which is equivalent to the energy of hundreds of kilograms of standard coal. Such high energy consumption not only increases production costs, but also puts great pressure on the environment.
In the polymerization reaction stage of recycled polyester filament production, due to the particularity of the raw materials, the reaction temperature can be dozens of degrees lower than that of traditional polyester production, and the pressure is also reduced accordingly. Generally speaking, the polymerization reaction temperature of recycled polyester filament production can be controlled within a relatively low range, and the pressure does not need to reach the high pressure state of traditional production. This low temperature and low pressure reaction condition directly reduces energy input. According to professional calculations, in the production process of recycled polyester filament, only the polymerization reaction can save about 1-2 GJ of energy per ton of product produced compared with traditional polyester production, with significant energy saving effect. This data intuitively reflects the energy consumption advantage of recycled polyester filament production process in the polymerization reaction link, and provides strong support for enterprises to reduce production costs and improve economic benefits.
4. Comprehensive benefits brought by energy consumption advantages
1. Economic level: reduce costs and improve competitiveness
The advantages of recycled polyester filament production process in energy consumption are directly converted into significant cost savings for enterprises. With the fluctuation and rise of global energy prices, the proportion of energy costs in enterprise production costs is increasing. For polyester filament production enterprises, reducing energy consumption has become a key way to reduce production costs. Take a medium-sized recycled polyester filament production enterprise as an example. Assuming that its annual output is 10,000 tons, according to the calculation that 1-2 GJ of energy can be saved in the polymerization reaction stage for every ton of product produced, the enterprise can save 10,000-20,000 GJ of energy in the polymerization reaction stage alone every year. If this energy is converted into electricity or fuel costs, millions of yuan of energy costs can be saved each year. This not only reduces the economic burden of the enterprise, but also makes the enterprise more flexible in product pricing, and can be brought to the market at a more competitive price, thus occupying a favorable position in the fierce market competition.
2. Environmental level: Reduce emissions and promote sustainable development
From an environmental perspective, the energy consumption advantage of the recycled polyester filament production process is of far-reaching significance. Reducing energy consumption means reducing dependence on non-renewable energy, which helps to alleviate the global energy crisis. At the same time, due to the reduction in energy consumption, the emission of related pollutants such as waste gas, wastewater and waste residue is also greatly reduced. Taking carbon dioxide emissions as an example, in the traditional polyester production process, due to high energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions are huge. The production of recycled polyester filament can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 30% - 50% compared with traditional polyester production due to the optimization of production processes and the reduction of energy consumption. This is of great significance for responding to global climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In terms of water pollution control, the production of recycled polyester filament reduces the amount of wastewater and pollutant content in the production process by optimizing the production process, reduces the risk of pollution to water resources, and protects the balance of the water ecosystem. In terms of soil pollution, reducing waste gas and wastewater emissions reduces the risk of deposition and pollution of harmful substances in the soil, which is conducive to protecting the quality and ecological function of the soil. The production process of recycled polyester filament has made positive contributions to the sustainable development of the textile industry and promoted the entire industry to move towards green environmental protection.
3. Social level: Promote industry transformation and create employment opportunities
The wide application of recycled polyester filament production technology has a positive impact on society. On the one hand, it promotes the green transformation and sustainable development of the textile industry. As more and more companies recognize the energy consumption advantages of the recycled polyester filament production process, they have increased their investment in the research and development and application of the process, which has promoted the technological upgrading and industrial structure adjustment of the entire textile industry. This will help enhance the competitiveness of my country's textile industry in the international market and establish a good industry image. On the other hand, the development of recycled polyester filament production has driven the development of related industries, such as waste polyester material recycling, environmental protection equipment manufacturing, and sewage treatment services. The development of these industries has created a large number of employment opportunities and provided strong support for social stability and economic development. At the same time, the promotion and application of recycled polyester filament production technology has also increased the public's attention and participation in environmental protection, enhanced the environmental awareness of the whole society, and promoted the construction of ecological civilization.
The advantages of recycled polyester filament production technology in energy consumption are not only reflected in key links such as raw material utilization and polymerization reaction, but also bring significant comprehensive benefits to the economy, environment and society by reducing costs, reducing pollution, and promoting industry transformation. With the continuous advancement and improvement of technology, the production process of recycled polyester filament is expected to play a greater role in the future, become the mainstream direction of green development in the global textile industry, and lead the textile industry towards a more sustainable future.
