Title: Exergetic analysis of a continuous Bi-axially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) film unit in a plastic processing plant

Authors: M. Tolga Balta, Arif Hepbasli, Ebru Hancioglu, S. Cihangir Ozcanli, Ertan Yilmazer, Ibrahim Yurdakul, Ozgur Disbudak

Addresses: Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ege University, TR-35100 Bornova, Izmir, Turkey. ' Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ege University, TR-35100 Bornova, Izmir, Turkey. ' Geothermal Energy Research and Application Center, Izmir Institute of Technology, TR-35437 Urla, Izmir, Turkey. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Izmir Institute of Technology, TR-35430 Urla, Izmir, Turkey. ' Energy Department, Polinas Plastics Inc., Organized Industrial Region, 45030 Manisa, Turkey. ' Energy Department, Polinas Plastics Inc., Organized Industrial Region, 45030 Manisa, Turkey. ' Energy Department, Polinas Plastics Inc., Organized Industrial Region, 45030 Manisa, Turkey

Abstract: This paper deals with an exergy analysis of the stretching process of bi-axially oriented polypropylene films using a hot oil coiler along with stretching and crystallising unit. Exergy destructions and efficiencies in each of the system components are calculated, while the exergy loss and flow diagram (the so-called Grassmann diagram) is presented for the transverse direction (TD) unit. The so-called functional (on the product or benefit/fuel basis) and universal (on the output/input basis) exergy efficiency values of the TD unit are calculated to be 26.40% and 28.46% at a recommended exhaust air relative humidity of 0.0098 kg water/kg air, respectively.

Keywords: BOPP film; exergy analysis; plastics processing; bi-axially oriented polypropylene; stretching process; hot oil coilers; exergy destructions; exergy efficiency exergy loss; flow diagrams; exhaust air humidity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2009.025349

International Journal of Exergy, 2009 Vol.6 No.3, pp.440 - 456

Published online: 19 May 2009 *

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