Tips For on-site Water and Wastewater Treatment
Here are the top 10 tips for optimizing on-site water management to ensure a fully optimized plant.
1. View water and wastewater treatment as a key part of your site
Water and wastewater treatment processes can sometimes be seen as a distraction and not part of the core business. However, problems can arise when these processes are neglected and these can seriously impact on production. In contrast, the right water treatment solution can be priceless in terms of enhancing plant efficiency and minimizing product waste or downtime. Adapting water quality and quantity to suit your specific site needs can generate considerable savings within your water cycle, with one measurable benefit being an optimization of energy consumption.
2. Look at water and wastewater recycling
Many production facilities are looking at ways to become more sustainable and one method is by recycling or reusing waste water. This involves some level of treatment and there is a range of tried and tested systems available in the market place that can achieve this.
3. Consider a biological solution
A Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) can recover water for reuse in non-production applications such as cleaning or be processed via Reverse Osmosis for direct reuse. An MBR provides better water quality than more traditional waste water treatments, helping to meet the ever more stringent effluent discharge standards or even lay the foundations for water recycling. A biological system offers flexibility in terms of variable influential quality while also helping you minimize operating costs.
4. Consult with a water and wastewater specialist
Each plant presents its own unique challenges and opportunities so a consultation with a water and wastewater specialist will reveal how on-site treatment can be optimized in your specific application. However, one constant across all applications is that the overall water cycle must be considered when implementing any improvements, since changes in one area can have a substantial impact on another.
5. Plan an integrated solution
Typically, an integrated solution will enable you to combine a series of technologies to achieve the desired goals, such as optimizing efficiency, reliability and sustainability. By working with an experienced water management company to create a credible water and energy balance, opportunities for saving money and optimizing performance can be identified and a process improvement plan can be developed.
6. Keep abreast of legislation in your application
A water and wastewater specialist will have the infrastructure to guarantee service levels that meet your targets for plant availability and cost savings, and also possess the knowledge to keep you abreast of changing environmental and legislative requirements.
7. Be clear on your drivers
Only by establishing and agreeing what are the drivers for the plant can an appropriate solution be found for the particular site. It could be, for example, that the customer is sending out a number of tankers every day, each costing thousands of dollars, and that cutting costs is a powerful financial motivator. It could be that a change in legislation is to be made regarding landfill discharge to sewer and so the level of ammonia must be reduced. The drivers are different and the solutions change depending on those driving forces – that’s why it is essential to work with an experienced water and wastewater solution provider to define the best approach.
8. Choose a partner with site services expertise
With any water or wastewater infrastructure project, risk management is a major challenge for the contractor. The older the site, the more likely it is that unknown services lie beneath ground, and sites that have undergone many changes over time offer further complications. To ensure the most efficient, risk-free, cost-effective installation you need to enlist the services of a partner that can offer knowledge and experience related to your specific site and evaluate the best course of action before any work is undertaken. This can involve using not only the drawings and information supplied to them but the application of CAT scan at intervals as little as 300mm apart to expose unknown water and electricity services.
9. Carry out feasibility studies and audits
Your ability to ask the right questions during specification depends on whether you have conducted proper research. Carry out upfront feasibility studies or audits before implementing modifications or building a new water or effluent treatment plant, particularly when a substantial monetary investment is required.
10. Create a checklist
This will leave no stone unturned, preventing unnecessary expense and resulting in a fully optimized plant. Key questions for the checklist include:
- What size must the water system be to meet your process requirements?
- What is the correct specification for materials and fittings to maximize lifespan and minimize maintenance?
- Are the materials suitable for the site?
- Does the water and wastewater provider have a dedicated site services team?
- Can the contractor carry out installation not only to site standards but to water quality standards?
This information was provided by: Ondeo Industrial Solution
Source: http://www.processindustryinformer.com/
