Energy efficiency optimization of air supply system in a water bottle manufacturing system

This paper presents the use of green manufacturing methods for optimization of energy efficiency of air compressors. The method developed during this research is applied to one industry problem in a facility that fills polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles with mineral water. Bottle manufacturing systems in large beverage production companies often have multiple PET bottle production lines. A common issue in these lines is failure of one of the compressors used for a machine in such manufacturing systems. These equipment failures prevent companies from manufacturing their products until the compressor and its line get repaired. In this way, companies are losing significant financial resources. Therefore, in this paper, one possible solution for such a problem is given. The main goal of the proposed optimization solution is focused on the improvement of system reliability and higher energy efficiency. This was achieved by the replacement of previous, multiple compressors of various capacities with one multiple compressor station with a larger, optimized capacity, customized for a specific solution. In addition, another goal was to establish a platform for a design retrofit in a company with a limited budget. As a result of this research, a suggestion was given that high-pressure compressors, linked to four individual lines for blowing PET bottles, were linked to one high-pressure tank. In this way, the reliability of the system was increased. During this research, discrete event simulation methods were used to verify a proposed solution and to assist researchers in determining an optimal design of an air supply system. The solution given was based on a suitable combination of PET bottle blowers work cycles, which would better meet the total demand for compressed air based on methods related to robust design and Design of Experiments (DoE). (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.