Caustic Recovery in

Textile Plants –
Mercerisation Plants
 Mercerization in Textiles
• Mercerization, in textiles, a chemical treatment applied
to cotton fibres or fabrics to permanently impart a
greater affinity for dyes and various chemical finishes.
• Mercerizing also gives cotton cloth increased tensile
strength, greater absorptive properties, and, usually, a
high degree of lustre.
 Mercerization in Textiles
• Mercerisation of denim is usually carried out after
the denim is woven, and so it is different from the
more common method of mercerising cotton yarn.
• Mercerisation of denim may be used for achieving
ring dyeing, thus keeping the dye on the surface of
the yarns or fabrics and to prevent dyes from fully
penetrating the fibres.
 Mercerization Process
• The treatment consists of immersing the yarn or fibre in a
solution of sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) for short
periods of time, usually less than four minutes.
• The material is then treated with water or acid to
neutralize the sodium hydroxide. If the material is held
under tension during this stage, it is kept from shrinking
appreciably; if no tension is applied, the material may
shrink by as much as one-fourth.
 Mercerisation – Effects & Factors
Effect of Mercerization:
• Improve Luster.
• Increase ability to absorb dye.
• Improve reaction with a verity of chemicals.
• Improve stability of form.
• Improve strength/elongation.
• Improve smoothness.
• It has been shown that the increase in the luster
occurs because of an effect.
• The cotton fiber do convoluted.
• The cross-sectional shape changes.
Factors of Mercerizing:
In mercerizing followings are important:
• Twaddle (Concentration of NaOH)
• Temperature
• Tension - For acquiring better luster the material
must be stretch to its original dimension (both in
warp and weft direction during mercerization)
• Time
 Hydranautics’ HYDRACoRe70 pHT helps a leading Denim manufacturer achieve
sustainable goals by recovering Caustic and saving water
BACKGROUND:

• A leading integrated denim and piece dyed fabric manufacturing company in the Western India has the state-
of-the-art facilities equipped with rope dyeing, weaving, finishing, coating, printing and material testing
facilities.
• The company develops, manufactures and supplies high-end sustainable fabrics including, denim, polyester,
linen, viscose, nylon yarn, dispersed dyed and other technical Fabrics. These fabrics are used in various
segments like denim, fashion, work-wear and sports.
• The organization takes pride that their fabrics are reputed for its sustainability, fashion, function,
performance and durability that are engineered for a wide variety of markets and its applications

SUSTAINABILITY:

• Sustainability being a Core Policy of the company, the organization adopted and strictly follows 3R Policy of
Reduce – Reuse – Recycle of water, energy and waste
• They also take pride in using clean chemistry and sourcing responsibly of only Blue Sign approved products
Denim Production Process
Caustic Recovery Plant

Collection
Tank

NaOH @ Ozonation
50 gpl &
80oC Primary
Settling
Caustic @ 28% Sludge
Secondary
Water: 4 lit / kg of
Filtration
Fabric
Storage
Tank
Mercerization
Process NF

CRP
NaOH @ 280 gpl
 Present Situation / Challenges
Present Situation:
• The key steps in the denim manufacturing process is the mercerization process where in the fabric is treated
in a hot caustic bath of 28% conc and temperature of 80 Deg C. The spent / drained caustic is sent to caustic
recover plant.

Challenges:
• The drained caustic from the mercerization plant has a concentration of 5% and a temperature of 80 Deg C.
The caustic is contaminated with the dye color. This makes it non – reusable even if the caustic concentration
is increased by the evaporation process.
• For the strongly colored caustic to be reused, it is a must that the entire color be removed. Removal of color
by means chemical means is not only capex and OPEX intensive but also not environmentally friendly as it
calls for higher chemical, water and energy consumption.
• Color removal by membranes is an alternative, that is economical and environmentally acceptable solution.
• However, usage of conventional membranes also poses a limitation as the return caustic is at a very high
temperature of 80 Deg C and must be continuously operated at an extremely high pH of 14.
 Hydranautics Solution
• Hydranautics developed an unique product for extremely high pH and high temperature applications.
• Hydranautics HYDRACoRe -70pHT can be continuously operated at a temperature of 80 o C, without any
preliminary cooling and re-heating.
• This helps in significant saving of energy, thereby meeting the organization’s sustainability & profitability
goals.

HYDRACoRe 70pHT:
• Hydranautics’ HYDRACoRe (Hydranautics Color Removal) membranes are sulfonated polyethersulphone-
based spiral-wound, cross-flow elements that can be used for food or potable water as well as industrial
applications in which color reduction with minimal removal of dissolved salts is desired.
• The key advantage of the HYDRACoRe technology is the membranes’ superior chlorine tolerance. For
example, HYDRACoRe membranes tolerate up to 100 ppm chlorine during short term cleansing.
 Caustic quality from CRP with & without NF

Strong Caustic Lye post CRP

Weak Caustic Lye without Color removal

Weak Caustic Lye Strong Caustic Lye post CRP

with Color removal using NF
 • Chemically tolerant NF
membranes
HYDRACoRe • Works at 80 DegC
• Low and high pH tolerance
Nanofiltration
Solutions for Caustic
Recovery
 SYSTEM DESIGN
NF for Color Removal
HYDRACoRe 70 pHT

CRP
Caustic from the storage tank Caustic flow: 7.6m3/hr
@ 50 gpl Color – 4000 Ptco
Color – 22,000 Ptco
Flow: 15m3/hr

Reject to the
collection tank

System Details:
Two Pass System.
Recovery: 51%
Feed Pressure: 18 to 19bar
 Benefits
• With the installation of the caustic recovery Potential Loss w/o Caustic recovery
system comprising of Hydranautics’ unique Caustic laden water Flow rate 100m3/hr
offering, the customer could recover and reuse Conc 5%
over 90% of the caustic used in the process, Return caustic at 48% 10.42Kg/hr
saving about 68750kgs of caustic per annum
there by saving caustic worth of Rs 31Lakhs per Operating Hours / day 20
annum Operating days / yr 330

• Further with the return of the hot water from Caustic loss had it not been recovered 68750kg
the Multi Effect Evaporator to the system and the
boiler, there is no additional consumption of
Price / kg of caustic - Rs 45
fresh water and energy
Total savings - Rs 3,093,750