DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF LOW ENERGY ULTRASONIC DYEING MACHINE

摘要

Conventionally dyeing of textile substrate is an energy intensive process. It requires huge amounts of energy as well as time to accomplish the process. The temperature requirement for cotton and other natural fibre fabric is near boil (90 - 95ºC) whereas the synthetic fibre fabrics often require a very high temperature (130ºC) and pressure with longer dyeing times. These drawbacks of the existing dyeing process have been addressed time and again with development in newer technologies, however most of the techniques have not been successful. This invention relates to application of the ultrasound technology in dyeing of fabrics by design and development of a dyeing machine incorporating the ulrasound generating devices. This invention relates to suitable modification in the existing open width dyeing to incorporate the ultrasonic waves generating transducers. These transducers convert energy into mechanical energy. This gives rise to cavitation effect. The cavitation effects are found to be most efficient at low temperatures of 50 - 55ºC. These shock waves releasing high localized energy hits upon the dye particles and also impinges on the fabric surface thereby breaking up the dye particles and opening up the fabric surface, acceleration in dyeing process and opening up of the fibre structure at the same time. Therefore, the exhaustion of dye from the dyebath is also improved as more and more amount of dye gets reacted/fixed on the surface of the fabric. To summarise, the important features of the developed machines includes energy conservation i.e., low temperature dyeing, reduction on dyeing time, improved exhaustion and fixation of dyes, reduction in load on effluent.