Tips for planning your very first water treatment plant

El consumo energético de una depuradora se decide en la aireación

The treatment of wastewater inside the aeration unit is not only the most important stage in current wastewater treatment procedures, but it’s also the most energy-intensive. If you are an operator of water treatment pilot plants and want to improve the energy balance of the water treatment plant, increasing the aeration in the aeration tanks provides you with a significant amount of operational margin.

The correct dimensioning of aerators, the selection of the best technologies, and the logical data-guided management of the operation inside the aeration tank are, therefore, the focal points of plant design. Furthermore, energy consumption and emissions may be considerably reduced by including integrated provisions into new project planning and renovation.

Factors Contributing to Efficient Wastewater Treatment

For the comprehensive job of wastewater treatment to be effective, all-important goal aspects must be adequately considered:

  • Cleaning performance
  • Operational stability
  • Costs

Cleaning performance is the most important metric for measuring the effectiveness of wastewater treatment in a wastewater treatment plant. After all, it’s important to adhere to applicable regulatory limitations, which, based on the usage of the treated wastewater, might even surpass the German Wastewater Ordinance’s minimal standards.

The plant’s sustainability should be evaluated in the same light. Even when under shock loads, a wastewater treatment facility must maintain the required performance statistics. However, technology that has outlived its useful life, as well as operational modes with significant material wear, might endanger this.

In the day-to-day functioning of such a wastewater treatment plant, energy prices are practically the only cost component that can be considerably changed. Other expenditures, like operating personnel and maintenance, must be considered fixed to the greatest extent feasible. When constructing a new facility, critical decisions regarding future energy consumption are taken in the early stages.

With over 10,000 community wastewater treatment plants across the country, new development is an exception. As a result, changing plant components is considerably more common. In reality, however, this is typically only done when it is essential to replace failing technology; in very few situations, this is done “simply” to optimize cost structures.

The design of water treatment pilot plants layout, as well as the selection of operating parameters, has an influence on other significant aspects like the nature & amount of wastewater sludge, as well as the possibility of nutrient recovery.

Wastewater Treatment: Energetic Aspects

Water treatment pilot plants consume about 20% of energy consumed by municipal facilities. This demonstrates the positive influence that energy savings may have on a municipality’s finances. However, the concept that treatment of wastewater is energy-intensive & hence provides a significant savings opportunity also applies to commercial operations.

There is also an ecological perspective, in contrast to the financial one: According to research performed by Federal Environment Agency, operators may save an average of 31% without spending on new machinery, reducing emissions of almost 900,010 tonnes of CO2 each year.

The oxygenation of wastewater inside the aeration tank, in which the biological treatment is performed, accounts for approximately 50% of the energy consumed by a wastewater treatment facility. Furthermore, plants that treat wastewater sludge contain agitators that are continually operating.

Furthermore, wastewater treatment plants do not simply use energy; in many situations, they generate it as well. The wastewater treatment facilities of size classes 5 and 6, which serve the bulk of the inhabitants (PE) in Germany, inject wastewater sediment into digestion towers.

Aeration is just a focal point for plant construction

The aeration of an active aeration tank necessary for biological treatment contributes to around 50% of total energy consumption in big wastewater treatment facilities, & the proportion is considerably greater in smaller plants. Efforts to minimize operating expenses should so begin here.

Expert modification of such system configuration to particular requirements of the wastewater processing plant, whether fresh planning or renewal investment, can produce considerable benefits. Blower technology, the size & number of separate blowers & intelligent management of them all provide significant design flexibility. For decades, Keiken Engineering has worked closely alongside operators of water treatment pilot plants, including client needs in the construction of products & solutions.

Keiken Engineering offers highly advanced blower technology in the context of the Performance3 concept, as well as the accompanying control software & knowledge for coordinating the entire system to assist clients with the entire optimization of their aeration. Keiken Engineering assists customers beginning with the planning phase & works with them just to complete the necessary draft. Expertise from a wide variety of projects, as well as particularly created planning aids, helps in the discovery of a quick, sensible, & future-proof solution.

In-plant construction, flexibility is in demand

The energetic optimization of aeration allows for significant reductions in energy expenditures & emissions at water treatment pilot plants. In practice, implementation is frequently challenging, particularly in municipal organizations. Although investments with blower technology soon pay for themselves because of the significant efficiency benefits, obtaining the funding is a barrier to adoption.

Conclusion

The maintenance & operation of wastewater treatment plants is a complicated process that is required for the proper wastewater treatment before it is released into the environment. Industrial wastewater is indeed a byproduct of industrial activities & is distinct from household wastewater sources. Many requirements should be fulfilled to properly operate a water treatment pilot plant in compliance with regulations.

Are you in need of an efficient team for your water treatment plant? At Keiken Engineering, we do have the knowledge & adaptability required to develop, create, & implement the finest technical solutions for every project, in particular, responding to the client’s demands at extremely cheap rates and assuring unequaled timelines. To request our Water Treatment facilities and more information, please email us at info@keiken.es.

Efficient Desalination plants: efficiency and future prospects

Cogeneración, colocalización e híbridos: tres formas de abaratar la desalación

Though the earth is covered with 71% of water, not every form is safe for use since most of the water is saline seawater. To tackle this issue, efficient desalination plants came into existence. Various industries have started employing this technique in order to extract usable drinking water. If you are wondering what it is exactly, let us guide you on that front.

What are desalination and efficient desalination plants?

Desalination is the process of extracting potable water from saline water. Primarily, a desalination plant is an industrial-level setup where various physical and chemical methods are employed to recover or reduce the water’s saline content. The setup is such that it will remove all the impurities such as salts and other minerals from the brackish or seawater. Today, most industries rely on these plants due to the increased demand for safe and clean water. Now, let us shed some light on the various benefits of using efficient desalination plants.

Benefits of efficient desalination plants

The demand for efficient desalination plants has increased in the last few years, especially in industrial areas. Let us find out what contributes towards its demand:

  • Freshwater supply to the industries

Even today, there are many places that face scarcity of fresh and clean water, thus increasing its demand significantly. It is especially important if an industry is being set up on a large scale. With desalination plants in place, purifying the brackish or saltwater and making it industry-ready is quite easy. The plants are equipped with modern technology, thus meeting all the industry’s requirements. Apart from making it industry-ready, the water becomes potable too as the desalination process gets rid of minerals and salt.

  • Improvement in water quality

Today, there is sufficient availability of seawater and brackish water. Since they can’t be directly used for industrial purposes, the water should undergo some of the purification processes, thus making it ideal for manufacturing applications. With efficient desalination plants in place, the purification process becomes hassle-free. The application of advanced technologies in the setup contributes to effective purification, thereby improving the water quality.

  • Elimination of water scarcity nuisance

For efficient running of factories, it is paramount to have access to clean and fresh water all the time for all the manufacturing processes. However, it is not always possible to find a freshwater source near the industry setup. Thus, industries rely on efficient desalination plants. These plants help in combating water scarcity issues. In addition, it helps the factory in the manufacturing process and the community to get access to clean drinking water.

  • Safe application of water

An efficient desalination plant is employed to extract water free from minerals and salt concentration; thus, it makes it ideal water for various industrial applications. The application of cutting-edge technology and innovation in the plant setups helps get rid of the time-taking process. Moreover, the desalination process is not all about meeting all the emergency manufacturing or production requirements. The process also helps businesses grow.

These were some of the amazing advantages of using efficient desalination plants. However, there are different desalination methods; therefore, it is best to consider all the requirements and make an informed decision.

Different methods of desalination plants

One of the key factors of a desalination plant is the kind of desalination process the plant employs. If you are looking for efficient desalination plants, the first thing to consider is the kind of method used and then employ the method that works best for your industry. They are:

  • Direct Osmosis Plants

In this process, an osmotic pressure gradient is used for water diffusion through a semipermeable membrane. This is a natural process as the process of diffusion takes place from a low concentration solution to a high concentration solution. It is extensively used for desalination, water purification, and wastewater treatment.

  • Membrane Distillation plants

In this process, a vapor pressure gradient develops inside the membrane, thereby differentiating the volatile and non-volatile substances from each other. This process results in the production of good-quality water. With a proper desalination plant supplier, it is considered a quite effective method.

  • Reverse Osmosis and Nanofiltration

In this setup, the membrane is used as a selectively permeable barrier. The barrier filters out everything other than water, so when saline water or brackish pass through it, all the salts and minerals are filtered out, resulting in a water-free of other substances. Most industries prefer this process due to the ease of application and convenience it offers.

  • Multi-effect evaporation and multistage flash evaporation

The method is based on evaporating water in different stages by exposing it to multiple pressure conditions and temperatures. Though it is considered as one of the technologically advanced and effective desalination processes, it comes at quite the cost.

These are the various desalination processes commonly used in industries based on their conditions, cost, and resources available. Now, if you are still in a dilemma due to its energy consumption, let us shed some light on it in brief:

Energy used inefficient desalination plants

The energy consumption of different desalination plants is dependent on numerous factors and is not just limited to the desalination method employed. It can be TDS concentration, plant capacity, concentrate discharge, the temperature of source water, and the plant’s location with respect to the water source. However, if we look at it from a water-energy nexus perspective, there are three approaches that offer energy-saving options in desalination plants. They are cogeneration plants, colocated plants, and hybrid plants.

Conclusion

Water scarcity has become a major problem, and it is not specific to just some parts; it is happening globally due to the shortage of freshwater sources. Also, the transportation cost of bringing water to demanding areas can be a big hassle. This situation has led to a renewed focus on using efficient desalination plants to derive suitable water from seawater or brackish water.

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Are you in need of fresh and clean water for large-scale industrial applications? Then, choose Keiken Engineering and take your first step towards it. It is a young, dynamic, and agile company offering an extensive range of products and advanced solutions for water treatment, desalination, energy efficiency, and industrial project management.

Get in touch today at info@keiken.es.

How does reverse osmosis help make your water plant efficient?

Ósmosis inversa frente a tratamiento químico en agua industrial

When planning to set up your water treatment plant, it is important to consider the type of filtration method you need to opt for. While technology has made it possible for plant owners to try out a range of options, to date, the most efficient one is reverse osmosis. Therefore, when you set up the water treatment pilot plants, it is important to have the best and most efficient water treatment methodology in place.

How Does Reverse Osmosis Help With Water Treatment Efficiency?

RO system isn’t just useful in terms of efficiency but also aids the environment. The Reverse Osmosis process helps reduce the hazardous waste generated in the process of cleaning the wastewater. In addition, the process doesn’t require the use of any hazardous chemicals during the filtration process that permeates pure water.

The RO process functions as a green solution meant for in-depth filtration of industrial wastewater. One more way the RO treatment facilities invest in efficiency is by integrated capturing & correct waste disposal that diverts the impurities within its prime water feed tubes. This is done without actually discharging any of the harmful chemicals that are present in the saturated water that goes to the drain or effluent. So, this is why most industry owners opt for RO-based water treatment pilot plants.

The cutting-edge membranes used in the RO system help remove the impurities with no need to make use of any type of resins, chemicals, or even exchange beds for the ions present in the contaminated water. As the chemical-based wastewater filtration systems wear out, the disposal and removal of the exchange beds and resins tend to have a major environmental impact as compared to the RO membrane system.

The concentrated impurities that are obtained from a reverse osmosis system can easily be discharged into the drain without any need for costly and effluent water treatment processes.

What are the cost benefits of the RO process?

Prices for generic filtration systems such as caustic soda or acid are rising at a staggering rate. In contrast, the price for using the RO process & membrane elements seem to have decreased a lot in the past few years while the technology has evolved so much.

The only major cost involved in implementing the use of a RO system for your water treatment pilot plant is the electricity required. But that is about it, and there are no extra expenses that come in the way or increase your overall expenditure. Modern-day water filtration systems such as RO are designed to consume a minimum amount of energy in terms of operating costs and can directly be installed in the factory as and when needed. You can connect the system directly to your production line and use it as and when required. The wastewater streams, when passed through the RO systems, can aid in the reduction of the disposal costs while being reused again in the process.

Additional Health & Safety Benefits

When using RO filtration for your water treatment pilot plant, you can get access to several safety and health benefits that help produce top-notch and high-quality water with no harmful chemicals needed.  The traditional exchange system for ions makes use of resin-based filters that tend to pack in highly dangerous alkalis and acids that could be a major disaster for the environment and even tend to cost a lot.

The RO system helps replace your conventional filtration processes, such as chemical treatment. They also pack in smaller and highly efficient equipment to ensure that it takes up less space. Doing this helps eliminate the risks that come from manual handling & hazardous on-site chemicals that might threaten the nearby area. It also provides access to a safer environment for the factory workers to work in.

Ease of Maintenance

An RO system also ensures that you do not have to invest a lot in terms of maintenance. This is due to the fact that it functions as a self-contained filtration unit. The best thing about it is the fact that it tends to self-clean and even requires minimum time to operate. It simply requires monitoring on a daily basis from the dedicated on-site personnel as opposed to being maintained on an active basis.

This, in turn, helps maintain the productivity level with very limited downtime required. Plus, changing the system’s pre-filters is particularly ergonomically friendly & can be done within minutes. Additionally, the membranes in an RO system can last about 2 to 3 years while keeping in mind a range of factors like quantity or quality of the feed water.

Almost 100 percent of the membranes that are present within the system can easily be replaced in hours when compared to the resin-based waste-water filtration systems that could take up days. The membrane can also provide the user’s access to a comprehensive maintenance and service package alongside an integrated finance solution that suits their needs.

Simply put, RO systems are great when it comes to keeping your overall production cost down low. Moreover, it doesn’t affect the environment when compared to traditional wastewater cleaning methods. The key is to keep upgrading your existing systems with new technologies to ensure the system adheres to its effectiveness with time. So, the next time you plan on reducing the cost of wastewater filtration in your water treatment pilot plant, make sure you consider upgrading to a RO system.

Conclusion

With so many advantages & benefits of using an RO system, you can be assured that the overall cost required would go down to the maximum possible number. In the years to come, the cost for RO is bound to come down a lot more. It brings in minimum risk to the staff, ensures cost-effectiveness, environmental friendliness, and lastly, efficiency.

Are you looking for an efficient team to help set up your water treatment pilot plant in a jiffy? Well, look no more! Keiken Engineering brings you a top-notch team with solutions that help enhance your water treatment efficiency while keeping the cost down low.

To know more about our services, you can give us a quick call at +34-91-057-7254 or write to us at info@keiken.es

How desalination of seawater is solving water problems across the world

Tipos de captación de agua de mar y su efecto en la desaladora

Two-third of the earth’s surface is covered in water. But online 2.5% of the available water is fit for human use. Out of which only 0.3% is available to humans. This has led to water crisis in the world. Various part of the world is facing this crisis including the industries.

Countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar are using the desalination plants to convert seawater into potable water. This method has somehow helped these countries deal with water crisis. In USA’s Florida and California desalination plants are used to convert seawater or brackish water into potable water. And, now this trend is on the rise.

Given the current situation in the world, efficient desalination of seawater might be the solution it needs.

What is Desalination?

Desalination is a process of converting saline water into potable water by separating the salt molecules from water molecules. The same method can be used to convert brackish water into freshwater. This method has helped provide water solution to countries where freshwater is scarce.

Middle East accounts for almost 70% of seawater with Saudi Araba being the largest consumer. Desalination of seawater not only helps community but it also provides industries with good supply of water.

Industries located close to seawater can use this technology to solve the water issues. Companies that rely on water for their production too can use efficient desalination of seawater plants.

How Does Desalination Work?

Desalination is another word for water filtration. Unlike other type of water, desalination includes removal of salt molecules. Saline water is unfit for drinking. By removing the salinity of water, it can be converted into potable water.

There are various types of desalination methods. Out of which, Reverse Osmosis is the widely used method of desalination. It is a method that is used for general filtration needs. They are used in homes and offices. It is a very effective and powerful water filtration method.

Efficient desalination of seawater can convert all type of natural seawater source including:

  • Shallow Surface seawater
  • Beach well seawater
  • Deep seawater
  • Brackish river water

Types of Desalination Processes

There are many types of desalination processes that can be used to make sweater usable. The method can differ from one industry to another. Industries can choose methods that meet their requirements. A water treatment company like Keiken Engineering can provide customized solution.

Here are some of the most popular methods of desalination:

REVERSE OSMOSIS

Reverse Osmosis is one of the most popular methods. It is an advanced desalination process and is used in more that 60% of facilities worldwide. The method is simple: the seawater or saline water is made to pass through a semi-permeable membrane at a high pressure. This results in passing of water molecules through the membrane while salt molecules are left behind. This process leaves behind a large amount of brine or salt particles. The brine is then release back into the seawater. But care is taken to ensure that it doesn’t increase the salinity of seawater more that it needs to be.

DISTILLATION

It involves evaporating the seawater or brackish water by heating and then condensing to obtain potable water. Heating separates the water molecules from the salt particles. The condensed water is then used to obtain freshwater. It involves multiple stages where and, in each stage, the temperature and pressure decreases.

FREEZING

Freezing includes pulverizing seawater or brackish water in a refrigerator chamber. The low pressure maintained during the process helps in freezing the water and formation of ice crystal on top of brine. Ice is separated from brine and the converted into freshwater. It may sound easy but it is a complex process and requires a lot of time and energy.

ELECTRODIALYSIS

Electrodialysis offers efficient desalination of seawater and involve passing of electric current in an ion solution. During the process, the positive ions travel towards the negative electrode while the negative ions migrates towards the positive electrode. A semi-permeable membrane present in between the electrodes only allows Na+ or Cl- to pass though. The remaining water is the desalinated water. It is then treated to make it potable or freshwater.

FLASH EVAPORATION

In this process, seawater or any saline water is dropped into a chamber in drops. This happens in a below saturation pressure. The water drops convert into vapor and it is then condensed to form freshwater.

The Bottom Line

Efficient desalination of seawater offers a reliable solution to industries and community. It can help tackle the problem of global water crisis by converting seawater into freshwater. Many countries are already using it and it has gained popularity over the years.

Keiken Engineering offers water treatment solution to all types of industries. We specialize in providing customized solution with the help of our expertise and experience. Using advanced methods like Reverse Osmosis, we provide low-cost solution to our clients.

For more details, you can check out our water treatment solution page. For more information, you can us at +34936811650 or +34910577254