How to cleverly upgrade your tunnel washer performance

Say that your tunnel washer is perhaps around 10 years, still in good working order. But it’s definitely not latest generation in terms of water or energy efficiency. It possibly uses around 10 litres/kg textiles, where the modern benchmark often mentioned is around 3 litres/kg textiles or even less. So is there a way to upgrade the performance of an older but still perfectly good tunnel washer without having to invest in a completely new washer?  

The good news is yes, there is!  

There are in fact quite a number of products on the market which can be added on to existing washing equipment to improve performance. The focus can be on any or all of the following: 

• Reducing fresh water usage in the wash process

• Re-using the energy in heated process water

• Heating process water more efficiently

• Conserving heated water for re-use at a later moment

The advantages are compelling: 

1. You can reduce water and energy usage and costs, by up to 50%

2. You can reduce your process water heating costs while gaining flexibility

3. You can manage production demand peaks better

4. You can make good use of your own solar or wind electricity in the wash process

5. You can recover maximum energy from discharge water

6. You can separate dirt from discharge water for easier disposal, fewer blocked pipes and better compliance

7. You can even improve the wash end-quality of your textiles, so less rewashing.  

How can these advantages be achieved? The trick is to re-consider your laundry’s unique wash process in a slightly different light. Your laundry’s wash process was originally designed for optimal handling of your textile mix, best cleaning results and most efficient washing schedule, all within the (logistical) constraints of your specific location. It was not necessarily designed for today’s ever rising water and energy costs, even water scarcity, or tightening environmental considerations.

By carefully looking at where water and energy from the wash process can be recycled using in-line particle filtration, and where energy (heat) can be recovered from waste streams and potentially buffered for use later, a laundry can reach much greater efficiencies in its water and energy usage. This can be done without compromising the existing laundry wash process, using equipment specifically designed for this purpose.

Wientjens The Dutch Water Company offers a range of tried-and-tested water and energy recycling equipment for laundries. Robust, modular equipment that has been running successfully in textile laundries worldwide for decades already. Check out our case studies to read how other laundries have done this or simply contact us, we’ll be happy to talk to you.