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WASTEWATER TREATMENT


REDUCING COSTS TOWARDS NET ZERO


Traditional wastewater treatment methods are energy-intensive, expensive and have a lasting impact on the environment, but in the lead up to Net Zero, a new option is available says Mark Hardiman, CEO, LAT Water


treated within strict regulations before it re- enters the environment or is recycled back into the process. There are several traditional methods for industrial wastewater treatment, but all require energy-intensive processes or the environmentally damaging, physical trucking of wastewater to offsite treatment works. In the drive to Net Zero by 2050, industrial enterprises need to take steps to ensure they reach that goal. And it all begins with waste heat. Current methods for industrial wastewater


W


treatment can be effective at achieving the desired result, ie. only clean water entering the environment, but are often energy-intensive,


ater use across the process industries is unavoidable, and the wastewater it produces must be


environmentally-damaging and costly. Wastewater generated from food


production, for instance, is a major potential contributor to environmental pollution. Whether a producer is discharging treated wastewater into the environment or at a specialised sewage facility, it must meet strict standards as not to disrupt the environment. These same strict regulations apply to pharmaceutical manufacturers too. Even more consideration needs to be made


if manufacturers are planning to recycle the water for re-use in the industrial process. This could be for washdown procedures or re- entering the production cycle as an ingredient. As industry looks to achieve Net Zero by 2050,


steps need to be taken now to reduce environmental impact. Industrial wastewater is


TRADITIONAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT METHODS


The methods available to treat industrial wastewater are almost as broad as the process sectors themselves, each governed by specific regulations. Many situations call for a combination of treatment processes, which increases carbon footprint, energy consumption and costs. Activated Sludge is a common selection for industrial wastewater treatment,


especially in food production or pulp. This process can occur onsite or when deposited at a sewage plant. It consists of air being blown into the sewage to destroy solids to create a biological liquid, the mixture is then moved to a settling tank to allow the sludge blanket to settle which separates from the treated water. An effective treatment, but one that requires a constant high energy power supply. Hydrocyclone Oil Separation works by extreme centrifugal force. This pressure causes


the wastewater to separate from oils and other particles and then pass to the next level of treatment. This method is only effective for removing certain contaminants and several more processes would need to take place before the water could be disposed. Chemical Treatment will remove the bacteria from wastewater, but the chemical then


needs to be removed so further treatment would be required before it can be considered for recycling or re-entering the environment. Traditional Membrane Technology clogs frequently and leads to extra maintenance


costs and downtime as well as delivering poor water recovery. But, as they combine Membrane Bioreactor, Reverse Osmosis, Ultra-Filtration and Nano-Filtration technologies, which often have limitations when used in isolation, they still require multiple treatment processes to achieve high water recovery.


48 DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022 | PROCESS & CONTROL


Industrial leaders can now ensure that unavoidable wastewater from the process sectors can be


treated to the highest standard, while making a saving to the


overall bottom-line and taking a solid step to Net Zero 2050


an unavoidable by-product for multiple processes. Onsite treatment often means high and constant energy use, offsite treatment at a specialised facility still requires an amount of pre-treatment. And that’s not the end of the process. Wastewater is often trucked offsite to water treatment works, thereby creating yet more cost and damage to the environment. Low temperature Ambient pressure


Technology (LAT) solution is a new approach to wastewater treatment, bringing benefits and delivering value to all process sectors. Creating zero emissions to air and water, the solution uses only waste heat or renewable energy as thermal energy input. Reports show that using a LAT approach results in a 70% energy usage reduction compared to traditional wastewater treatment methods. By collecting waste heat, LAT powers two


columns within low temperatures, one for humidification and one for dehumidification. This in turn produces two streams: clean distillate water and a concentrated liquid. Depending on the sector, this concentrated liquid can contain valuable salts, minerals or ingredients, all of which can be extracted and can re-enter the product cycle. The clean water stream meets all relevant discharge limits and can be reused for process or agriculture. Enterprises with a LAT unit installed no longer


have to deal with the costly issue of disposal, taking a further step towards Net Zero by removing trucks from the road. It’s a refreshing change for industrial


business owners to save money while doing their bit to save the planet. The LAT water solution provides a saving by only using waste heat, and the simple design and low maintenance requirement results in up to 60% savings when it comes to operating costs.


LAT Water latwater.co.uk


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