Water & Energy Savings Solutions
Chemstar WATER scours the industry for new technologies to bring water & energy savings to its customers. At Chemstar WATER, we are OEM-agnostic, enabling us to find the best technology to provide the right solution to meet the customers’ requirements.
Because the evaporative cooling systems are designed to evaporate water and eventually concentrate minerals in the water, they directly affect the plant’s water consumption and water savings. One of the ways to optimize evaporative cooling systems is to pretreat the incoming make-up water to remove the minerals, especially the divalent ions. That way, the water can be recycled and reused before reaching a critical mineral concentration that would otherwise produce scale and corrosion. Although it sounds easy, removing minerals from water is anything but. Historically reverse osmosis has been a good tool for just that. However, it has lower recovery rates that hinder water retention. To overcome the challenge of removing minerals while saving water, Chemstar WATER has jointly developed a new electrodialysis reversal technology called cross-flow de-ionization, or in short, XDI™. With XDI™, we can improve the cycles of concentration of a cooling system, significantly reducing the blowdown water amount and achieving significant water savings.
What is Cross-flow De-ionization (XDI™)?
XDI™ is a process that uses electricity to remove ions, such as salt ions, from a solution. It works by passing an electric current through a pair of proprietary electrodes, called ion exchange membranes, which are separated by a thin layer of porous material. The ions in the solution are attracted to the opposite charge on the electrodes and become adsorbed onto the surface of the electrodes. The ions are then removed from the solution as the current is switched off, and the ions are released from the electrodes. XDI™ is often used to desalinate seawater or to purify contaminated water, and it is considered to be a relatively energy-efficient method of water treatment.
Furthermore, Chemstar WATER can help improve overall water & energy savings and carbon footprints by reducing the use of chemicals utilizing on-site, on-demand chemical generation systems, such as on-site mixed oxidant generators, hypochlorite generators, and many others. These on-site generation systems are environmentally friendly and significantly safer than hazardous chemicals.
How do you achieve Water & Energy Savings in an Evaporative Cooling System or Cooling Towers?
Evaporative cooling systems use the process of evaporation to remove heat from a space or process. To achieve water and energy savings in an evaporative cooling system, there are a few key steps you can take:
- Regular maintenance: One of the most effective ways to improve the efficiency of an evaporative cooling system is to ensure that it is properly maintained. This includes cleaning and replacing the fill media, inspecting and repairing any leaks, and regularly testing the water balance.
- Optimize the water-to-air ratio: The efficiency of an evaporative cooling system depends on the proper balance of water and air. Make sure that the system is set to the optimal water-to-air ratio for your specific application.
- Use a high-efficiency pump: Choosing a high-efficiency pump can greatly reduce the energy consumption of an evaporative cooling system. Look for pumps with a high hydraulic efficiency and a variable frequency drive (VFD) to further reduce energy consumption.
- Install a water-saving nozzle: Replacing the nozzles on the evaporative cooler with water-saving nozzles can significantly reduce water consumption. These nozzles use less water while still providing effective cooling.
- Implement a water treatment program: Proper water treatment is essential to the efficiency of an evaporative cooling system. A water treatment program can help to control scale, corrosion, and biological growth, which can all lead to reduced efficiency and increased water and energy consumption. Learn more about boiler water treatment programs and cooling water chilled water loop treatment plans.
- Use a high-efficiency cooler: If your current evaporative cooler is outdated or inefficient, consider upgrading to a newer, more efficient model.
By implementing these best practices, it is possible to significantly improve the water and energy efficiency of an evaporative cooling system. Proper maintenance, optimizing the water-to-air ratio, using a high-efficiency pump, installing water-saving nozzles, implementing a water treatment program, and upgrading to a high-efficiency cooler can all help to reduce water and energy consumption.
How do you achieve Water & Energy Savings in an Industrial Boiler through Water Treatment?
- Control the pH of the boiler water: Maintaining the pH of the boiler water within the recommended range can improve the efficiency of the boiler. Water that is too acidic or too alkaline can cause corrosion and scale formation, which can reduce the efficiency of the boiler.
- Remove dissolved solids: Dissolved solids, such as hardness minerals and silica, can cause scale formation on the inside of the boiler tubes. This can reduce the heat transfer efficiency of the boiler and increase the risk of tube failure. Water treatment techniques, such as softening and dealkalization, can help remove dissolved solids and improve the boiler’s efficiency.
- Use an oxygen scavenger: Oxygen scavengers can help to prevent corrosion by removing dissolved oxygen from the boiler water. This can improve the boiler’s efficiency by reducing the amount of corrosion that occurs and extending the boiler’s life. Using a deaerator is highly recommended.
- Use a corrosion inhibitor: Corrosion inhibitors can form a protective film on the metal surfaces of the boiler, helping to prevent corrosion. This can improve the efficiency of the boiler by reducing the amount of corrosion that occurs and extending the life of the boiler.
- Use a scale inhibitor: Scale inhibitors can help to prevent the formation of scale on the inside of the boiler tubes. This can improve the efficiency of the boiler by reducing the amount of scale formation and improving the heat transfer efficiency of the boiler.
- Use a good quality feedwater: Using a good quality feedwater can help to reduce the amount of treatment chemicals that are needed and improve the efficiency of the boiler. Good quality feedwater should be free of dissolved solids, oxygen, and microorganisms.
