For industries that use raw water, some systems of raw water treatment are typically necessary to ensure the quality of products manufactured and efficient process of plant production. The ideal raw water treatment system for the facility will help avoid expensive downtime of the plant, costly fees for maintenance, and other problematic issues.
To select the right raw water treatment system, three main factors reign supreme:
● Quality: What is the quality of the source of raw water, and what are its purity requirements?
● Study results of testing of raw water and treatability: What are the differences in the chemistry of feed water over time, and how does this impact the process? Will the proposed options of treatment help solve issues and meet regulations of local discharge for the generated secondary waste?
● The lifespan of the plant: How long is the system to be run? Ten years? Thirty?
When working with the engineering company, analysis of such key points will aid one in steering the plant in the right direction while selecting the best system.
Here are the three criteria in detail:
● Quality of Source of Raw Water
One of the most significant factors that will help govern the system of treatment of raw water is the equipment which will be part of the real makeup of the system. This is mostly determined by the quality of the source of raw water in relation to the quality of water required after the treatment.
● Quality of raw water source
The first step to understanding when selecting the best treatment system of raw water is what the source of raw water will be. In every case, careful consideration must be used in seeking source water and whether it is best to use municipally fed, local sources or surface or groundwater since they are all impacted by various contaminants.
Occasionally, it is better to purchase raw water from a secondary source like a council or treat one’s own water from surface or ground sources. Either way, it is critical to judge the quality one will get. One must weigh one’s options if a council water source is going to provide water of poor quality and one has to treat it to improve it. The contaminants found in the water source regarding water quality will impact technology applied in one’s makeup system.
● Quality of water required
The second factor while opting for the best raw water treatment system is the quality of water required for the plant. Should it be:
-Pure for drinking?
-Not so pure such as for equipment wash down?
-Ultra-pure for production of micro-electronics?
Note that one’s industry determines water quality needs. For instance, several industrial facilities like chemical, petrochemical, and power need a massive quantum of water for the makeup of the boiler. Hence, technologies of raw water treatment must be selected with care.
One might be required to consider warm and cold lime softening and campaigns of silica reduction like aluminum-based coagulants. Thus, note that while selecting optimal systems of treatment of raw water, one’s specific process needs will much impact one’s selection.
Outcomes of Detailed Treatability Study
A study of the treatability of raw water will determine if raw water can be treated for one’s process and the mode by which it will be treated. In addition, a proper study will clearly identify the problems one is observing in the feed water stream, helping to ensure that proper treatment solutions are considered and implemented in the raw water treatment system.
Such a step is vital in selecting the best raw water treatment for one’s plant. After creating a roadmap of possibly 2 or 3 technology platforms that meet one’s base and operating cost, conducting an effective treatability test will aid in validating assumptions, one has made as regards potential contaminants and the ways to remove them.
Note that though the study might be recorded on paper, nothing is better than running a pilot test in the field to validate technology/treatment assumptions and optimize the design. The reason is that during this phase, problems can emerge before selecting the system’s components. Thus, one can save much downtime for the plant in the future.
How Long Will the System Be Run?
A third factor that determines the technology required in the raw water treatment system is the length of time in which the plant will be run.
Will it be for 2 years or 30?
It is a critical criterion as it will impact the choice of the suitable construction materials. For instance, for a company buying the raw water treatment system for a temporary period, systems built with mobile skids and PVC may be a superior option to anything constructed with sturdy materials and will last long.
Initial project cost will be high for plants made with stronger materials like stainless steel piping or vessels lined with rubber, but the material will endure the wear and tear that a PVC system will manifest.
In sum, selecting the best water treatment system is a complicated process and requires substantial time and effort for proper execution. By noting the above factors, one can select an engineering company that is best for the job.
Marta Jordan is a professional writer & blogger, who writes for a variety of online publications and loves working with words of all shapes and sizes.
