Improving Water Treatment and Management in Utility Operations for Industrial Facilities

On the industrial scale, wastewater treatment involves a series of steps to ensure a seamless flow of treated water for use at an industrial facility. Industrial wastewater treatment plays a critical role in protecting against risks and rising operating costs and sustainability for the business.

Poorly managed industrial wastewater treatment can lead to the corrosion of expensive equipment, as well as a lackluster product and countless other issues. Let us understand how we can improve industrial wastewater treatment a bit more. 

What is Industrial Wastewater Treatment?

Industrial wastewater treatment is the process of removing harmful contaminants from industrial sites. With this treatment, the water can be reused in the plant, released into the environment, or discharged to a sewer. This process is known as pretreatment because the industry conducts the treatment before discharging it to a public sewer system, where it will be treated further.

How to manage industrial wastewater treatment? 

Managing wastewater treatment on an industrial level requires a series of processes. While all water chemistries do not require each process, it is important to be aware of the options. The main goal is to minimize the risk at each stage of any water-based industrial process.
Here are the common industrial wastewater treatment methods:

• Filtration: Removes sediment, turbidity, and organic materials.
• Softening: Removes the hardness found in the water.
• Dealkalization: Reduces the alkane content to minimize scale build downstream.
• Reverse osmosis: A water purification process that uses a semi-permeable membrane to remove contaminants from wastewater.
• Nanofiltration: Removal of bacteria and hardness from the water. 
• Ion exchange: Ion exchange is a chemical process that swaps unwanted ions for desirable ones, improving water chemistry.

Industrial wastewater treatments and solutions available today

Modern technology allows for the treatment of wastewater solutions to be managed and operated by an all-in-one system. It all depends on the water issue, the quality of water you want to achieve, multiple units can be combined to create a bespoke water solution for your industrial process.

Special membranes are used to treat industrial wastewater – as water passes through, certain impurities are captured, leaving you with clean water to re-enter the environment or reuse in production. 

More traditional approaches include the use of chemicals which not only can be expensive but hazardous to health and to the environment. However, there has been a significant decline in these methods.

Other available methods are as follows: 

Reverse Osmosis

Due to its many benefits, this method is becoming increasingly popular in wastewater management within the industrial process. Reverse osmosis is capable of rejecting 99.9% of bacteria, making it ideal for use in the pharmaceuticals industry.

Water Recycling and Ceramic Filtration

Water recycling units and ceramic membrane systems provide filtration at high flows minimizing membrane fouling. It can be regenerated via a wide range of chemical cleaning conditions than the more conventional spiral and hollow fiber membranes. 

Ultrafiltration

Ultrafiltration spiral membranes are highly effective for concentration and clarification processes, offering compatibility with a wide range of chemicals, temperatures, and pressures. Compact, energy-efficient, and cost-effective, they are an excellent choice for industrial wastewater management.

UV Light

UV light wastewater treatment effectively controls bacteria by preventing them from replicating, rendering them harmless within minutes. This method preserves the water’s color, taste, and pH, ensuring quality remains unchanged.

Choosing the right type of Industrial Wastewater Treatment for Industries

Various factors need to be considered while selecting the right type of industrial wastewater treatment plant like an industrial RO plant which can be purchased through an Industrial RO manufacturer for the industry and some are mentioned below. 

Water Quality Requirement: The first and foremost thing you need to understand is the quality of water that is required for the industry and the various contaminants that need to be removed. 

Water Source: Identify the water source and its quality so that you can know about the treatment that is required for it. 

Volume of Water: The volume of water that is required and the rate that will ultimately help you in knowing the size of the treatment system. 

Type of Industries: Knowing the type of industry is crucial before you install a wastewater treatment, for example, the food and beverage industry differs from the pharmaceutical industry.

Conclusion: 

Industry wastewater treatment is essential for maintaining contaminant-free water used in industrial manufacturing. All treatments have their pros and cons. The key factor to consider when selecting a good filtration system is the ability to remove specific contaminants present in the water.

Contact UPSFM for more solutions or visit our website www.upsfm.com