Environmental impact and economic analysis of an innovative fluidized bed technology for industrial dry washing: A case study of metal degreasing

Industrial washing is essential in manufacturing and many other technological fields. Nowadays, steam washing is definitely the most common technique. However, it involves chemical solvents which are noxious and difficult to be disposed of. Therefore, there is a growing demand for an alternative washing technique that would ensure low operating costs, great productivity, high efficiency, environmental sustainability, good compatibility with different materials and, safe operating conditions. The fluidized bed (FB) represents a promising alternative to satisfy market requirements. In this study, a prototype of an FB machine for the degreasing of pressure vessels was designed, built, and compared to the current solvent washing machine. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was carried out to detect the process parameters that influence the cleaning. Optimal process parameters were identified based on the experimental results. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Cost (LCC) were additionally performed in order to evaluate the economic impact and resource consumption. The results confirmed the validity of FB technology as an alternative to current washing techniques thanks to superior cleanness, minor environmental impact, and comparable productivity