How much do you know about the industrial water crisis?

Introduction

In the modern industrial system, water is considered the "blood" of industry, and its importance is self-evident. From the cooling cycle of thermal power generation to the high-temperature quenching of steel forging, from the precise blending of chemical synthesis to the ultra-clean washing of electronic chips, every aspect of industrial production is inseparable from water. But did you know that industrial water use is facing severe challenges?

Current status of industrial water use: huge consumption and numerous hidden dangers

my country's annual industrial water consumption reaches hundreds of billions of cubic meters. In some major industrial centers, the daily flow of industrial water is like a rushing river. However, natural water sources carry impurities such as silt, microorganisms, and minerals that enter industrial processes. Using untreated water can problems. In power plants, hard water easily forms scale on boiler walls, reducing heat transfer efficiency, significantly increasing energy consumption, and even causing pipe bursts. In electronics factories, fine particles in water can cause precision chips to short-circuit and become scrapped. In textile printing and dyeing plants, poor water quality can uneven color and reduced fastness of fabrics. It's no exaggeration to say that without appropriate industrial water treatment, industrial production will be mired in frequent failures and inferior products, and the gears of the entire industrial system will become stuck and rust.

The magic of wastewater treatment: A multi-pronged approach to transformation

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For industrial wastewater with complex composition, we have a range of "magic" treatment technologies.

Physical treatment: Like a precise sorter, we separate impurities from the water based on their physical properties, such as density and particle size. Sedimentation uses gravity to slowly settle heavier suspended matter, such as silt and heavy metal particles, to the bottom. Filtration forces wastewater through filter media, such as gravel and screens, to capture fine impurities and reduce the burden on subsequent treatment.

Chemical treatment: Like a magical wizard, we wield a "magic wand" of chemical reactions to alter the chemical properties of pollutants. Neutralization reactions can precisely adjust the pH of acidic and alkaline wastewater, allowing acidic wastewater to neutralize with alkaline reagents, or vice versa, preventing wastewater from becoming "overly acidic" or "overly alkaline," which could corrode pipes and harm the environment. Chemical precipitation cleverly adds precipitants to bind heavy metal ions in the wastewater, transforming them into insoluble precipitates that settle and separate.

Biological treatment: This method, imbued with vitality, mobilizes a vast army of microorganisms, allowing these invisible "little creatures" to decompose organic pollutants in the wastewater. Anaerobic microorganisms operate in an oxygen-free environment, gradually breaking down large organic molecules into smaller ones. Methanogens can also convert some of these products into methane gas. Aerobic microorganisms, active in the aerobic world, thoroughly oxidize and decompose organic matter into carbon dioxide and water, significantly reducing organic contamination in the wastewater and rendering it harmless.

Industry application: key links, escort

Power Industry: In thermal power plants, water treatment is crucial for ensuring stable unit operation. In boiler feed water, raw water undergoes a series of processes, including sedimentation, filtration, and ion exchange, to remove impurities such as silt, organic matter, and calcium and magnesium ions, transforming it into pure "feed water." This prevents scaling and corrosion on the boiler walls, ensuring efficient heat transfer and allowing steam to stably drive the turbines for power generation. In the circulating cooling water system, bypass filtration, scale prevention, sterilization, and algae removal are integrated to control water quality, prevent condenser pipe blockage and microbial growth, and ensure smooth water vapor circulation, enabling the units to continuously output power and power thousands of homes.

Chemical Industry: The chemical industry's complex and diverse production processes are highly sensitive to water quality. Take the petrochemical industry as an example. In crude oil processing, injection water requires extensive purification to remove oil, suspended solids, and heavy metals to prevent formation clogging and equipment corrosion. Ultrapure water production is essential for chemical synthesis. The combined use of technologies such as reverse osmosis and EDI produces ultrapure water with near-zero impurities, ensuring precise chemical reactions and stable product quality, laying a solid foundation for the production of various materials and reagents in the chemical industry.

Steel Industry: Water is a close partner in steelmaking and ironmaking, yet it also requires meticulous treatment. Blast furnace cooling water must be precipitated, desalted, and softened to prevent scale from clogging the cooling staves and ensure stable high-temperature smelting within the furnace. Continuous casting molds in steelmaking use highly filtered and temperature-controlled water to cool steel billets, ensuring high-quality castings. Oily wastewater from the rolling process undergoes oil separation, flotation, and biochemical treatment to separate oil from water and degrade organic matter before being recycled. This approach conserves water and prevents pollution, contributing to cost reduction, increased efficiency, and green development in steel production.

Papermaking Industry: Water is used throughout the entire papermaking process, from pulping to papermaking. Pulping water must be softened and iron and manganese removed to avoid affecting the color and strength of the pulp. The papermaking whitewater recycling system removes impurities such as fibers, fillers, and microorganisms through flotation, filtration, and disinfection. The purified whitewater is then returned to the production line, significantly improving water utilization and reducing fresh water consumption. This allows paper mills to meet high-quality paper production while reducing wastewater discharge and protecting the water environment.

Conclusion

Industrial water treatment is a key pillar of sustainable industrial development, crucial for production efficiency, product quality, and environmental protection. In the future, with the continued strengthening of environmental protection policies, the in-depth integration of intelligent technologies, and the accelerated advancement of wastewater reuse and resource utilization, the industrial water treatment industry will undoubtedly face more opportunities and challenges.

Hangzhou Roushui Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. is a professional enterprise specializing in environmental protection technologies, focusing on the research and development, engineering design, technical consulting, and manufacturing of industrial water treatment equipment. The company specializes in producing a wide range of equipment, including reverse osmosis water purification, EDI ultrapure water, fully automatic softened water, integrated dosing, constant pressure water replenishment, and industrial process water purification systems, as well as RO reverse osmosis membrane modules and related consumables.