Page 58 - TEXtalks. August- September 2023

EvoSteam process paves the
58

way for more sustainable staple

fiber production

German Review World premiere at the international ITMA trade fair in immersion bath is assumed by a carefully
World premiere at the ITMA 2023: the revolutionary new Oerlikon Neumag EvoSteam staple fiber process

coordinated set-up comprising godets and pulsed
Milan: for the first time, Oerlikon presented its
spray nozzles. Consequently, moisture is
innovative new development, the EvoSteam, for
precision-metered and added to the process as
manufacturing PET staple fibers. The EvoSteam
required. Completely dispensing with liquid baths
process convinces both in terms of its energy, water
generates significant savings in terms of water,
and raw material savings and also with regards to
energy and spin finish, while simultaneously
lowering operating expenses and the carbon footprint
increasing occupational safety and cleanliness at the
– simultaneously with excellent fiber qualities.
production line. “In conventional drawing processes,
large volumes of water are used to control the
Visitors to the trade fair spoke about a pioneer for
temperature and provide the requisite moisture in the
more sustainable staple fiber production. “This
fiber tow. At the end of the process, this water must
shows that our customers have understood that the
be removed from the tow again, which is a very
EvoSteam process has tremendous potential and
resource- and energy-intensive process”, states
represents a huge step forward”, comments Martin
Martin Rademacher.
Rademacher, Head of Sales Oerlikon Neumag,
thrilled by the across-the-board positive trade fair Optimized draw point release and improved drive
feedback in Milan. concept
Up to 12% superior efficiency: The new, optimized
Performance in numbers draw point release permits higher production speeds
When developing the EvoSteam process, our and hence increased production volumes. The fiber
engineers focused both on fiber quality and in draw point is released by a precisely-focused vapor
particular on sustainability, energy efficiency and curtain, is now carried out more evenly and
reducing the consumption of resources. Compared dramatically minimizes the friction between the
to conventional staple fiber systems, an increase in filaments in the tow.
efficiency of up to 12%, a reduction in production
waste of up to 50% along with energy savings of up Spotlight on reducing waste
to 8% speak a very clear language. With water The development focused not only on
savings of up to 10 million liters per annum and a resource-efficient fiber production and improving the
lowering of the carbon footprint by up to 20%, this fiber qualities, it has also been designed to
Oerlikon system helps fiber manufacturers achieve dramatically reduce the waste generated when
their sustainability targets. manufacturing with this system concept. Martin
Rademacher comments on this: “With all the
EvoSteam process dispenses with liquid baths optimizations, we promise a 50% reduction in
10 million liters less water: The function of the production waste.”

August/September 2023