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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Application of foams to the processing of fabrics. Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6601087
The overall accomplishments of this work were: commercialization of foam processing in textiles, especially foam finishing, was accelerated by about five years. Since 1979, about 3 billion yards of fabric have been finished by the U.M.M. or subsequently developed foam systems with a savings of about 1.5 to 2 trillion Btu. In 1984 about 15% of all domestic textile finishing was by a foam process. Foam processing of textiles is being practiced throughout the domestic and international textile industry. Foam dyeing is commercial in specialized areas of the textile industry such as carpet dyeing and the pigment dyeing of lightweight filament fabrics. Foam printing will increase with the development of rotary printing machines designed especially for foamed print colors. The use of foamed chemical systems for desizing, scouring and bleaching of fabrics, especially fabrics containing dyed yarns, is increasing. The development of equipment and chemical systems for foam sizing of fabrics was accelerated in 1983, and commercial equipment is expected to be available in 1984. The public disclosure of foam processing technology has led to the development of competitive foam systems as well as alternate low wet pick-up systems. An independent audit of outside (non-U.M. and M.) demonstration sites has unequivocally established the energy savings and economic advantages of foam processing.
Research Organization:
United Merchants Research Center, Langley, SC (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
FC01-80CS40334
OSTI ID:
6601087
Report Number(s):
DOE/CS/40334-T2; ON: DE84013387
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English