A Simple Way to Save

Q: How can a drycleaner save fuel without investing capital?

A: One way is to make sure your boiler is working only when it needs to. If the plant stops work at 3:30 p.m. at what time should the boiler be cut off? Through a bit of experimentation you may find that a 15-minute coast-down time is adequate. Therefore, you could cut off the boiler at 3:15 and use the remaining steam for processing. This 15-minute period each day equals 90 minutes per week for a six-day work week. This is 90 minutes that the boiler would not be using fuel. In one year, you would save 78 hours of fuel burning, which is equivalent to almost two 40-hour weeks. The same principle can be applied to start-up times. Too often a full head of steam is on line an hour before processing begins, and a full hour of fuel is wasted.
 

Suggested Reading
DLI Silver, Gold, and Premier members may access more information on this topic in the following bulletins available in DLI's Encyclopedia of Drycleaning Online:

• Technical Operating Information (TOI) No. 687: Water Treatments for the Boiler and Laundry Operation
• Technical Operating Information (TOI) No. 684: Determining Boiler Horesepower Requirements
• Technical Operating Information (TOI) No. 709: Eight Simple Energy Savers
• Special Reporter: Maintain Your Boiler
• Special Reporter: Piping for Profit