Energy efficiency in the plastic sector
The plastics industry is energy-intensive, especially in its processing operations, where electricity accounts for between 60% and 80% of total energy consumption in most injection molding, extrusion, blow molding, and thermoforming plants. Globally, the sector is estimated to consume around 4% of the energy used by the manufacturing industry, with particular concentration in countries with high production of packaging, automotive components, and consumer goods.
Energy efficiency opportunities in this industry mainly focus on modernizing processing equipment and intelligently managing electrical consumption. In plastic injection processes, for example, adopting electric or hybrid machines can reduce energy consumption by 30% to 60% compared to conventional hydraulic equipment. Additionally, using servomotors instead of fixed-flow pumps in hydraulic machines improves efficiency during low-load cycles or idle times.
In extrusion systems, optimizing temperature profiles and improving the efficiency of extruder motors—by incorporating variable speed drives and advanced control systems—can generate savings between 10% and 20%. Proper selection of heating elements, thermal insulation in hot zones, and waste heat recovery in cooling or pre-drying processes also offer significant opportunities.
Another key electrical energy consumer in the plastics industry is the compressed air system, which can represent between 10% and 20% of a plant’s total electricity consumption. Improvement opportunities focus on systematically detecting and repairing leaks—which on average can account for up to 30% of produced air—and properly managing working pressure to avoid operating at higher-than-necessary levels. Additionally, installing variable frequency drives (VFDs) on compressors allows adjusting energy consumption to actual system demand, generating savings of up to 25% compared to fixed-speed compressors.
Furthermore, optimizing the use of cascade compressors, efficient sequential control, and incorporating heat recovery systems for compressed air enable the reuse of part of the residual thermal energy for auxiliary processes or space heating, improving the overall system efficiency.
Auxiliary areas, such as resin drying systems, represent another significant energy consumption focus. Upgrading to dehumidified air dryers with dew point control and automating loads based on actual process demand can reduce energy consumption by up to 40% compared to traditional systems.
Regarding the air conditioning and cooling of molds, machines, and production areas, the installation of high-efficiency cooling towers, variable frequency drives on recirculation pumps, and optimizing operating temperatures according to process needs can provide additional savings of between 10% and 25% in these systems.
Finally, the digitalization of energy consumption through real-time monitoring systems and data analysis enables the identification of deviations, phantom loads, and inefficient cycles, which together can represent between 5% and 15% of the plant’s total consumption.
In conclusion, energy efficiency in the plastics industry not only impacts the reduction of operating costs and improvement of competitiveness but also advances the sector’s sustainability by lowering its carbon footprint and facilitating compliance with increasingly stringent environmental regulations.
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