The application of exergy analysis as a tool for cleaner production at the national Bicycles Company Limited.

Industries today must strive to produce sufficient goods and services required to sustain the world's population, remain profitable in an increasingly competitive world, minimizing environmental impacts of their activities. This challenge requires solution that enable firms to maximize their economic gains, while taking necessary steps to minimize the environmental degradation caused by their production processes. Cleaner production meets this dual objective. Exergy analysis as a tool for cleaner production has been applied in a bicycle production plant to assess exergy losses and thus indicate locations of ex-degradation. The results obtained have revealed that heating units had the most exergy losses (8 as compared to non-heating units (15%) hence making them the most inefficient in plant thus requiring proper and immediate attention. It is recommended implementing short-term cleaner production options would save about 18% and 80°, exergy in the painting and baking units respectively, 35% in dip brazing unit, and improve efficiency by at least 29% in steam generation and distribution unit. Other long-term options such as technological changes, re-using of waste streams and pro changes will require an in-depth thermo-economic analysis to decide the expedient possible improvements.