Energy Management in Welding Intensive Industrial Cluster: Energy Saving opportunity

Abstract

The reported research explains energy saving opportunity in welding process dominated industry carried out for different small and medium scale enterprises that produce components for agricultural applications. The study concentrates the energy audit on the agricultural implements and tractor trailer industries as the agriculture is the main occupation of India. A total number of 15 small and medium scale industries are considered for the energy audit. The investigations revealed welding operation as a major energy consumer in agriculture implement industries contributing to about 84% of the total energy consumption. The welding machine efficiency varies from 35% to 50% in the considered industrial clusters. Based on the results it is suggested that the energy saving can be increased by 40% - 45% by adoption of inverter arc welding technology.