One of the most powerful known water treatment chemicals is the oxidant ferrate (Fe⁺⁶), which has a higher oxidation potential than ozone and almost twice that of chlorine. This potent reagent has been widely documented to effectively address a wide range of the most challenging contaminants faced by the global drinking and wastewater treatment industry (Table 1). 

Unlike chlorine, ferrate is environmentally friendly, and when applied for disinfection purposes to water containing organic matter, it does not produce toxic disinfection byproducts. During its reaction with contaminants, ferrate is reduced to ferric hydroxide, which has been widely documented to act as a powerful coagulant, before decomposing into its final form as ferric iron. Because this residual precipitates quickly, it can be removed as a non-toxic sludge that does not require specialist treatment before disposal. 

Table 1- Published Ferrate Applications 

Until now, a ferrate (Na₂FeO₄ ) solution has not been commercially available or widely used in treatment processes because it decomposes rapidly and cannot be manufactured, transported, or stored. Now, following the successful development of a proprietary in-situ electrolytic ferrate reagent generation system (SafeGuard™ H2O) by AMS, the commercial use of ferrate is a reality. The SafeGuard H2O system generates a ferrate solution concentrate by electrolysis at the point of use and on demand, producing a high-yield reagent (> 7,000 ppm as iron (VI)).

SafeGuard H2O addresses the inherent problems of industrial-scale ferrate solution supply, including instability, yield, and concentration, by producing a non-toxic reagent through a simple and cost-effective electrolytic process. This breakthrough technology requires only three widely available consumables: a sacrificial iron anode, caustic soda and electricity. It is a one-step process in which the electrolyte caustic soda solution is continuously fed into the electrolytic generator, and the outflowing ferrate reagent is dosed into the flow or batch of contaminated water requiring treatment. Because caustic soda is a low-value industrial by-product, its use in the production of a ferrate solution represents the beneficial transformation of an otherwise unwanted chemical into a high-value and safe chemical reagent. 

Facilitating the Evaluation of Ferrate: AMS’s Frozen Reagent Solution

To streamline application and research, while eliminating the requirement to produce this reagent at-site for every project, AMS also offers the ferrate solution in frozen form for those wishing to evaluate contaminant-specific applications (Figure 1). By generating the reagent at its facilities in Sunnyvale, California, and immediately freezing it, the high-purity reagent, which maintains its chemical properties while frozen, can be readily shipped anywhere in the world. Chemical engineers, university researchers, water treatment specialists, and other professionals can conveniently use these frozen samples to evaluate the performance of ferrate for their specific application needs. AMS supports such evaluations with advice on protocols and testing.  By providing ferrate in this format, AMS aims to accelerate awareness and adoption of this transformative chemical. 

Figure 1- Onsite Generated Ferrate Solution on Left and Frozen Form on Right

The frozen ferrate solution samples are fully representative of the high-yield reagent produced on-site by the SafeGuard H2O system, and they are easy to handle. The electrogenerated ferrate solution product is packed, frozen, shipped and stored at -28 ºC for use as required. Frozen samples are available in batches of two sizes to accommodate bench-scale or full-scale field testing:

• 2mL (batch of 25) for bench-scale
• 50mL (batch of 16) for field-testing

AMS is also making available the opportunity for stakeholders to participate in the open sourcing of results from other users, albeit anonymously, based on application, contaminant, and treatment efficacy. 

The development of SafeGuard H2O’s proprietary in-situ ferrate generation system represents a significant advancement in water treatment technology. By enabling the safe, sustainable, and on-demand production of a high-purity ferrate solution, AMS has addressed the traditional challenges of ferrate synthesis, stability, and application. The availability of frozen, stable samples for various testing scenarios further expands the reagent’s accessibility and utility. As more stakeholders engage with this innovative system and contribute to shared knowledge, widespread adoption and improved water treatment outcomes are inevitable. 

To learn more about SafeGuard™ H2O and onsite-generated ferrate in liquid or frozen form, contact AMS at ferrate@ams-h2o.com

Breakthrough Technology Delivers Powerful Ferrate Reagent On-site and On-demand
louise davey

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, cooling towers account for over 50% of water consumption at industrial facilities. This makes cooling towers the prime target for sustainability improvements. If a facility manager does not want to reduce efficiency or risk assets, then they should consider tower makeup water quality and how it affects their systems and implement innovative solutions for optimized water management.

Cooling towers are vital for maintaining process temperatures, protecting equipment, and ensuring operational continuity. Yet the performance and longevity of these systems depend heavily on an underestimated factor: the quality of the water entering the system. 

Utilizing Pre-Treatment for Water Quality

Industrial facilities often deal with varied water conditions, seasonal changes, and process contaminants, making consistent water quality management a challenge. To ensure optimal water quality, facilities may need to implement pre-treatment before boilers, cooling towers, and heat exchange processes.

Common pre-treatment methods:

• Filtration removes suspended solids and particulates.
• Best for facilities using surface water, well water, or recycled water and/or with high particulate loads.
• Softening reduces hardness (calcium, magnesium ions) to prevent scale.
• Best for facilities with hard water sources and in heavy industries, such as power plants, chemical manufacturing, and metal processing
• Reverse osmosis (RO) removes dissolved salts and organics.
• Best for facilities aiming for high purity water and increased cycles of concentration, especially in the semiconductor, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage industries

In combination with the previous methods, chemical additions work in all facilities with varied water quality to manage corrosion, scale, and microbiological growth. The choice of pre-treatment depends on the source water and the specific system requirements. 

However, by increasing the quality of the water being used for heat transfer, a facility can maximize cycles of concentration (COC) in cooling towers and boilers without compromising system integrity or environmental compliance. In fact, increasing cooling tower COC from three to six can reduce makeup water consumption by 20% and blowdown volume by 50% (United States Energy Department).

Increasing Cycles of Concentration in Cooling Towers

Cooling towers operate by evaporating water to remove heat, and this process concentrates dissolved minerals and impurities in the remaining water. If the incoming water is of poor quality or high in dissolved minerals, it promotes the formation of scale, corrosion, and biofouling, potentially reducing heat transfer efficiency and increasing energy consumption. This can lead to expensive downtime and increased utility costs.

Poor water quality forces operators to lower COC to discharge water from the system and decrease impurities, raising costs and water consumption. With adequate pre-treatment prior to utility or process water, assets can not only be protected but reduce stress on the environment through water and chemical savings.

Figure 1 is an example of a pre-treatment – an RO system – before the cooling tower.

Just like pre-treatment has methods to maintain water quality, utility water and process water have solutions. As an example, it is possible to have specific chemical dosing with scale and corrosion inhibitors, biocides, and dispersants that can increase COC by extending the scale inhibition characteristics of poor quality water. Any chemical treatment should be monitored to ensure operational efficiency, asset protection, and ecological preservation. 

Partnering with a competent, established water treatment provider is key to developing a water reduction plan with the common goal of asset protection through well managed chemical use.

Working with a Long-Term Partner

As industries face increasing pressure to improve sustainability, facilities need a long-term water treatment partner who understands and delivers a solution that evolves with any challenge. In regard to increasing COC – and perhaps the addition of innovative chemicals and state-of-the-art equipment – attentive service offers an environmentally friendly holistic approach.

Sites dedicated to sustainability should focus on water treatment solutions that reduce water and fuel consumption, ensuring a minimized environmental impact. As an example, Kurita’s bio-based cooling water solution Tower NG can replace traditional phosphorus-based chemicals. Going a step further, facilities can further research their partners’ value chain emissions – also known as Scope 3 – and overall sustainability initiatives. In this context, water quality is not just a technical concern but a cornerstone of responsible water management.

Improving water quality before the cooling tower is a gateway to smarter, more sustainable operations. By investing in pre-treatment strategies, understanding the relationship between water chemistry and cycles of concentration, and utilizing knowledgeable and sustainable companies, a facility can reduce water consumption, lower chemical use, and extend equipment life.

Maximizing Cycles of Concentration: The Role of Water Quality in Cooling Tower Efficiency
louise davey

In the following article, Tim Wilson from Meteor Communications explains how, in addition to providing visibility of water quality, final effluent monitors known as ESNET are also delivering substantial benefits for Scottish Water through enhanced process control. For example, the ESNET units are dramatically reducing the use of dosing chemicals by introducing automatic monitoring and control.

Background

Typically, the mains-powered water quality analysers that are used for process monitoring at wastewater treatment works (WwTW) deliver accurate, high-quality data, but they have a significant footprint and are costly to install and operate. As a consequence, they only tend to be deployed at larger sites. However, in recent years it has become evident that final effluent can also be monitored with the same technologies that are used to monitor rivers. These ESNET systems are particularly advantageous for final effluent monitoring for a number of reasons. A single ESNET system, for example, is able to monitor multiple parameters simultaneously, providing almost real-time data from even the most remote sites. Importantly, in comparison with traditional final effluent monitors, ESNETs are quick, easy and low-cost to install and operate. However, as this article will explain, the connectivity of the ESNET units can be exploited to dramatically enhance process control.

ESNET deployments at Scottish Water

In 2021, Scottish Water started to install ESNET remote water quality monitors at some of its urban WwTWs. “The ESNET systems have dramatically improved our visibility of final effluent water quality data, without having to implement significant capital works,” explains Jamie Hesketh, Process Science Leader at Scottish Water. “Since 2021, we have installed 67 of the kiosk-based ESNET systems as final effluent monitors, and they have been so successful that we now plan to install around 113 more systems over the next few years.”

The kiosk-based systems have been installed at urban WwTW sites with a population equivalent of 2000 or above, but this may be expanded to PE>1000 as the rollout takes place. An automatic sampler was previously deployed at most of these sites, collecting final effluent samples that are stored and collected for subsequent analysis in a laboratory. The advantage of this method is that the samples can be tested for a wide variety of parameters, but the major disadvantage is the delay incurred by this procedure, which prevents automation and severely limits opportunities for process control. Consequently, processes such as dosing tend to operate 24/7 rather than on an ‘as required’ basis.

What is an ESNET?

Developed and manufactured by Meteor Communications, ESNET systems are complete, stand-alone, multi-parameter remote water quality monitors.  Originally designed for installation at sites with limited or no services, there are now hundreds of ESNET stations operating all over the UK, delivering almost real-time data from a wide range of diverse locations.

ESNETs are available in two formats – kiosk and portable. The kiosks are designed for permanent installation and the portable units are used for short-term deployment. Scottish Water, for example, have 7 portable ESNETS that are used primarily for process investigations.

Each of the Scottish Water ESNETs has a multiparameter water quality sonde fitted with sensors for measuring dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, conductivity, turbidity and ammonium. Each sonde is located within an integrated flow chamber, through which sampled water is pumped. Water quality data is automatically transferred to the MeteorCloud® platform, which provides secure data visualisation, analysis and alarms.

One of the most important features of ESNETs is the ease with which they can be installed, usually requiring no capital works or pre-existing communications infrastructure. They are also designed to run with a very low power requirement, and are able to operate from a solar charged battery – even in Scotland.

Meteor Communications initially trained Scottish Water staff on how to install, service and calibrate ESNET systems, and this team of trained individuals now manages the network themselves. Their work involves routine visits to each site every 4-6 weeks to clean the pump and sample line, and to swap in a pre-calibrated sonde. Jamie’s team also log in to MeteorCloud every morning to check for any data anomalies that might mean swapping a sonde before its allotted date.

Enabling process efficiency

The wastewater process team at Scottish Water are able to log in to the MeteorCloud platform to view both historical and live water quality data, and to set up text alarms and email alerts to inform wastewater operations.

One of the most remarkable benefits to be gained from the ESNET systems is their ability to control dosing units. “We have started to hardwire some of the ESNETs to our dosing units, so that set points for, say, turbidity, can trigger coagulant dosing with PAC,” Jamie Hesketh explains. “In this example, the ESNET measures final effluent turbidity and transmits the data to MeteorCloud, and if the value is too high, MeteorCloud sends an instruction to the dosing unit via the ESNET. Similarly, when turbidity is low, dosing is unnecessary and therefore halted.”

The same mechanism is applied for other dosing mechanisms. For example, pH measurements are used to control the dosing of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide). It has been suggested that final effluent monitoring might be too late for dosing control, but in Jamie’s experience the key is the judicious selection of the set-point.

By automating dosing control, Scottish Water is negating the need for the installation and maintenance of additional process management hardware, all of which improves the sustainability of operations.

Looking forward

In addition to the water quality sonde, it is also possible to connect other sensors to ESNETs. For example, some users also connect water level or meteorological sensors. In addition, a multitude of different data feeds can be connected to ESNET systems, including analogue, digital and serial protocols. This lowers data infrastructure costs and reduces the need for manual checks.

Scottish Water has exploited the ESNET’s connectivity by attaching traditional final effluent ammonia monitors at some locations. “This has enabled us to compare the data from ESNET sondes with that from their (much more expensive) predecessors,” Jamie says. “The results have been very pleasantly surprising, because we have found that the data from the two different instruments trend in similar ways. However, there is still a justification for deploying a dedicated ammonia analyser where levels are particularly low.”

The program of ESNET installations is progressing well, delivering real-time multiparameter final effluent water quality data to enable prompt process management. Initial work to connect dosing units to the ESNETS has shown enormous potential to reduce the volume and cost of dosing chemicals, so Scottish Water plans to expand this capability across the whole country, with concurrent environmental and cost benefits.

The ESNET-based automatic dosing control mechanisms have only recently commenced operation, so it is probably too soon to draw any firm conclusions. Nevertheless, early indications are showing savings in chemical costs of around 20%. The Scottish Water wastewater process team is therefore optimistic about potential future improvements.

Final effluent monitors enable substantial efficiencies at Scottish Water
H2O Team

Saint Brieuc Agglomeration is a private water utility in the region of Brittany, France, supplying 41,000 customers with water through 1,000 km of pipes. The vast majority of pipes are ductile iron, and the size ranges in diameter from DN40 to DN600. The pipe age varies from 40 to 125 years, which is not abnormal in France. Over time, wear and tear on the pipes, ground movements, variations in ground temperature, and road works can weaken them, resulting in pipe breakages.

A recent pipe break became apparent when water started to pool on the roadway surface. When there is a leak on a road, it is important to repair it in a short time to allow road traffic to be restored quickly. It is also important to dig as little as possible to limit the damage to the road and reduce the cost of restoration.

It was determined to be a circular breakage which is the most common failure for cast iron pipe, and in this case, the pipe size was DN100. Saint Brieuc Agglomeration has GIS for the entire drinking water network, which gives them all the information they need to do an accurate dig and understand the constraints of intervention and possible obstacles.

The Agglomeration chose the HYMAX Versa® permanent repair coupling from Mueller, in part because it is easy to use, but it is also reliable and durable enough to stand the test of time. This ensures that the city does not have to intervene again a few years later. Repair couplings are often thought of as a temporary fix, but the stainless steel Versa is permanent.

Notice was given to the customers that would be affected by the disruption in the water service, 48 hours before work. Once the leak was located, the water was shut off at the main valve near the leak to stop the loss of water and allow a safe repair. Excavators were brought in to dig around the leak and secure the area to meet safety standards to enable the workers to enter for the repair.

A tire shovel was used, as well as a heavy-duty dump truck, and operators had to exercise caution to avoid causing further damage to nearby pipelines or underground infrastructure. Crews secured the work area by using signage to warn road users of work in progress.

It was determined that the breakage was significant enough that the damaged pipe needed to be replaced. The coupling can be used to repair pipes in the classic way and connect two pipes. This is the advantage of this product, making it suitable for any leak. Two HYMAX Versa DN100 of width 280mm with a tolerance range (108mm – 131mm) were used to connect with the new replacement pipe. The lightweight clamping system on the repair coupling meant repair crews could handle it without real support. Also, the radial closing design and sealing systems helped eliminate installation errors.

Before closing the trench, pressure tests were carried out to ensure that the repair was successful and that there were no other leaks. The repair coupling has a hydraulic pressure-assisted gasket that inflates as water pressure increases. This allows for three degrees of dynamic deflection on each end to reduce the risk of damage and cracking due to ground shifts and temperature changes. Once the pressure tests were conclusive, the trench was backfilled with materials and compacted. The road system was restored to its original state by replacing the surface asphalt.

“The HYMAX Versa coupling is an efficient product to use as it has both repair and connection capabilities. This makes it suitable for all types of pipe breakage, even the most important involving the replacement of a piece of pipe, which only became apparent once the extent of the damage was revealed through excavation.”

Dual Functioning Repair Coupling Makes for Easy On-the-spot Change in Pipe Replacement
H2O Team

Location: Mexico

Estimated Energy Savings: 112.3 MWh annually

Customer: Leading brewery in Mexico

Estimated Cost Savings: $11,000 USD/year

Capacity: 2,592 m³/day

The Challenge

North central Mexico is home to one of the largest breweries in the world – which produces millions of liters of beer annually. As Mexico’s beverage industry developed, it became critical to produce energy-efficient water for brewing that didn’t interfere with the local water supply.

With rising water scarcity, recycling wastewater poses a viable solution for water conservation. In line with sustainability goals, the brewery implemented a coupled membrane wastewater treatment system with hollow fiber ultrafiltration as pretreatment and brackish water low-pressure reverse osmosis (RO). In wastewater reuse systems with multiple stages, membrane fouling resulting from imbalanced flux can be a barrier to optimal system operation. For this reason, the plant needed a solution to address fouling and increase energy efficiency.

The Solution

The plant designers chose to integrate Energy Recovery’s turbocharger to lower the system’s energy consumption and optimize flux across the first and second stages. The brewery collaborated with a leading membrane supplier and Energy Recovery, Inc. to design its reuse system. This innovative wastewater treatment plant was optimized using computational fluid dynamics, utilizing highly selective membranes and Energy Recovery’s efficient turbocharger – a cost-effective solution.

The turbocharger was integrated between the first and second stages to transfer the pressure energy from the second stage’s reject stream to the second stage’s feed stream. It acts as a booster pump between the stages, resulting in the same flux-balancing benefits, such as reduced membrane fouling. The turbocharger’s advantage is that it is energized entirely by the brine flow and does not require external motors, mechanical seals, or controls.

“Energy Recovery’s turbochargers save energy and help balance the flux between stages, extending the life of the membrane system and ultimately resulting in increased uptime. The rate of fouling and replacement also decreases, leading to fewer maintenance issues and increased operational savings.” – Jose Luna, Consultant

The Result

By implementing Energy Recovery’s turbocharger, the wastewater reuse system reduced energy consumption by 18%, lowering operational energy costs by approximately $11,000 USD annually. Using the turbocharger provides the added benefit of eliminating the need for an interstage booster pump running on electricity, allowing the facility to cut down operational costs.

The resulting interstage flux balance also provided benefits such as increased membrane life, reduced chemical consumption, and lowered clean-in-place (CIP) frequency, leading to low RO system downtime. With reduced overall power requirements, the entire wastewater treatment system with energy recovery devices achieved a 10% reduction in water consumption, saving over 6.4 million cubic meters of water annually from underground sources.

Reducing Energy Consumption of Water Reuse for Leading Brewery in Mexico
H2O Team

It is an opportune moment for the UK water industry. There is both business and political pressure to reduce cost and waste while tightening environmental protection. Lanes Group sees digital transformation as a way to reimagine its entire operation. To achieve this, it is overhauling its approach to connectivity.

Transforming the UK’s water management

Visitors to the UK, touring the Lake District National Park and experiencing a summer downpour, may be surprised to learn the country faces a drought problem and it has become common for regional utility companies to impose restrictions to help conserve water. In fact, restrictions affected 10 million people in 2022–2023.

It is not that the UK lacks water, but rather that water is not managed effectively. The UK loses three billion liters of perfectly good drinking water each day, largely due to faulty pipes. There are more than 400,000 miles of water pipes in the UK water network, and many of these pipes are over 100 years old.

The industry faces a relentless battle to upgrade the ageing network while carrying out the daily task of fixing leaks and addressing blockages. It must do so around the clock, in all weather conditions, and minimize disruption to homes and businesses.

There is growing recognition that building the water network of the future will require an entirely new way of working. Lanes Group is at the forefront of this thinking. The Leeds-based business is the leading provider of utilities and infrastructure services in the UK and Ireland. By using thousands of sensors and cameras, and by applying AI to large datasets, Lanes Group wants to transform how water and wastewater are managed.

To achieve this, it is overhauling its entire approach to connectivity.

“Our IT network was once seen as a utility,” says Mo Dawood, group IT director at Lanes Group. “We want to flip that. The network can be a revenue stream. If we can unlock our operational data, we can change the water industry.”

Data and digital workflows to support operational excellence

The network, Mo says, is foundational. It can enable a more dynamic workforce, create flexibility across Lanes’ five business units, support IoT innovation, and accelerate the onboarding of mergers and acquisitions. Lanes is looking to increase annual revenues from £600 million to £1 billion in the next three years; this won’t all be achieved through organic growth.

“In this industry, when growth opportunities come along, you have to take them,” says Mo. “We announced two new contracts in December, which will add an extra £170 million to annual revenues, both of which will need to be on board by April. We’re moving at 100 miles per hour. A scalable network is key to the rapid integration of new business.”

Where previously each business unit had its own network, with a disparate mix of hardware, Lanes has now created a common standard, managed from a single pane of glass. It has retired a legacy VPN in favour of an SD-WAN, with a zero trust approach to network access.

Data security is now critical to the business, says Mo. As a service provider to national infrastructure, Lanes is held to the highest cybersecurity standards. It is now impossible to progress on utility tenders without having the right network security in place.

“When bidding for new contracts, we can now show microsegmentation, packet loss analysis, cloud access, and zero trust network access,” he says. “We believe the strength of our network creates a competitive advantage.”

For operational teams, out on the road, fixing leaks, often with a one-hour service-level agreement, the new network enables reliable mobile working from anywhere in the UK. Video footage from work sites can be uploaded to a central platform and viewed by off-site experts if needed, wherever there is a signal.

This level of connectivity has a direct impact on the bottom line, Mo points out. Lanes has the UK’s largest fleet of equipment, but it means little if it is not working. On average, each vehicle generates revenues of £1000 a day, with some depots having more than 50 vehicles. Being offline is not an option.

This, says Mo, is phase one. By creating a unified data lake, and bringing analytics and AI to bear, Lanes hopes to reimagine the role of an infrastructure provider. Maintenance will be more proactive, there will be alerts well ahead of stress points, smarter scheduling of work crews around weather events, and a new way of engaging with the public.

“We know, for example, that in areas with high birth rates, you tend to find drains blocked with wet wipes. We can play a role in targeted communication with the public in those areas,” he points out. “We can help change the conversation around water use.”

Securing the network to power a smart workforce

Lanes’ network upgrade is built on HPE Aruba Networking, including standardizing on HPE Aruba Networking CX switch series, HPE Aruba Networking Wi-Fi 6 wireless access points, and the HPE Aruba Networking Central cloud-based, AI-powered management platform. All sites are securely interconnected as a unified SD-WAN based on the HPE Aruba Networking EdgeConnect SD-Branch architecture to support scalability, flexibility, and resilience. At its heart is HPE Aruba Networking Secure Service Edge (SSE), designed for zero trust cloud-native network access control, providing Lanes Group with a robust unified secure access service edge (SASE) platform.

HPE Aruba Networking SSE integrates security functions directly with networking capabilities, providing a seamless and unified approach to secure access. Lanes benefits from a broad range of cloud security services, including secure web gateway (SWG), cloud access security broker (CASB), zero trust network access (ZTNA), and firewall as a service (FWaaS). HPE Aruba Networking SSE also provides extensive visibility into user and device activities, enabling highly effective monitoring and threat detection.

“The nature of the business is that we’re working from anywhere. We have temporary sites, teams working alongside customers, and operational teams in the middle of nowhere. We need flexibility.”

“HPE Aruba Networking SSE zero trust framework means we can check every user and every device. It doesn’t matter if you’re working from the roadside, from home, or from a coffee shop. I can see everything from here in Leeds.”

This approach, he adds, is the most sensible in a world where everything is software as a service (SaaS) and everyone works off a mobile device. “VPN is slow, expensive, and never as secure as you’d hoped.”

Part of the AI-powered HPE Aruba Networking architecture is the HPE Aruba Networking User Experience Insight (UXI) sensors. These provide Lanes Group with deep insight into the end-user experience, helping check network and application performance from the device perspective and providing real-time diagnostics and remedies. Reliable network performance is vital in building confidence in digital applications.

“There are two reasons for this,” Mo says. “Firstly, if I won’t accept a low standard of performance, then I can’t expect others to. Secondly, I want to reduce the amount of noise coming into the help desk. Like with water pipes, we want to be more proactive in fixing our connectivity issues.”

The choice of HPE Aruba Networking, Mo continues, was largely driven by ease of management. It was the only vendor capable of providing a single pane of glass from which to view and manage the entire network. “I was clear that we needed one interface. I did not want to jump between different systems. There were other vendors with interesting pieces of individual technology, but only HPE Aruba Networking brought everything together.”

Lanes Group wants to transform UK water management with a robust connectivity network
H2O Team

A large hospital in the United States was using traditional cooling water treatment technologies, supplied by another water treatment provider, to control deposits and corrosion in their systems. The local water contains ions that create both corrosive and scaling conditions. Moreover, discharge limitations for phosphorous were becoming a higher concern due to tightening regulations. The hospital’s water treatment program needed to change to meet the new regulations. If the hospital did not change water chemistry, they could face substantial fines from local and state regulators. However, the hospital did not want to compromise their corrosion and scale control results that could lead to costly repairs, cleanings, and potential replacement of expensive equipment.

After performing a complete system survey, including a water analysis and computer modeling of the cooling water chemistry, Kurita was asked to suggest a comprehensive solution to meet discharge limits while providing scale and corrosion protection. With the phosphorus discharge limits in mind as well as conductivity, seasonal water changes, and other parameters. Then they developed a water cooling program to address the low phosphorous requirements and still protect the system from scale and corrosion.

The new low phosphorous treatment program was based on Kurita’s Tower NG product line. The Tower NG products were developed using a proprietary blend of unique technologies that provide excellent scale control and superior corrosion protection.

When the locally revised discharge regulations came into effect, the hospital was prepared with the updated cooling water treatment program, specifically using Tower NG for cooling water. The hospital met discharge limits while meeting internal sustainability goals and having excellent scale and corrosion results.

Kurita’s Tower NG has continued to prevent scale deposition and improve corrosion rates by 62 percent, which also extended the system asset life. Since the program was acid-free, it maintained a safe work environment and met the hospital’s environmental, health, and safety (EHS) requirements.

Due to Tower NG’s low dosage, 25 percent less inventory was consumed, which meant less chemical handling and a reduction in deliveries. This led to reduced freight costs and CO2 emissions. Most importantly, the site was able to meet discharge limitations and avoid discharge fines. The hospital continues to stay under one part per million of phosphorous in their discharged water with Kurita’s Tower NG and ongoing water treatment service, and quarterly corrosion coupon testing continues to show excellent results Kurita’s Tower NG technologies has helped put the hospital in a better position both environmentally and economically.

Hospital Reduces Corrosion Rates by 62% with Kurita’s Low Phosphorous Tower NG for Cooling Water <h2 class='sub-title'>By Trent Brandon, area manager, Darin Wrazidlo, manager of CSV technology, Kurita America</h2>
H2O Team

Location: Hurghada, Egypt

End User: Hilton Hurghada Plaza

Plant Capacity: 1,000 m³/day

The Challenge

Provide Reliable, Clean Water at a Low Cost

Resorts and hotels by the Red Sea in Egypt depend on seawater desalination to provide a reliable and energy-efficient source of clean,  potable water. In 2019, a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plant was commissioned for the Hilton Hurghada Plaza in Hurghada, Egypt, designed to provide 1,000 m3/day of clean water to hotel guests. The desalination facility helps supplement the region’s freshwater supply and eliminates the need to tap into local water sources.

Desalination plants rely on energy recovery devices (ERDs) to lower energy consumption and make the process cost-effective. The plant originally chose to test and install an alternative ERD, but subsequently reported operational issues related to stalling and high vibrational sound levels. After a few months in operation, the customer decided to replace their existing rotary isobaric ERD to avoid downtime and ensure the hotel was able to provide the essential potable water guests needed.

The Solution

Retrofit with the PX Q300

Resolving the issues meant replacing the initial energy recovery device with one that was well-known and tested for success. The EPC contractor decided to utilize a proven solution they already had on hand, Energy Recovery’s PX Q300, to ensure seamless integration and plant uptime. The PX Q300 is a highly efficient PX® Pressure Exchanger® from the PX Q series line, an optimal choice due to its 45.4 – 68.1 m³/h f low rate suited for the desalination facility’s design. The EPC contractor ultimately pivoted to the PX because of Energy Recovery’s proven track record for reliability and dedication to energy efficiency technology with over 30,000 PXs deployed globally and a 30-year design life.

The Hilton Plaza chose Energy Recovery’s product solutions for three critical factors:   

• Premier Quality: Having rigorous quality control and a proprietary in-house manufacturing process, Energy Recovery tests devices to the highest standard.
• Superior Customer Support: The PX Q300 was successfully commissioned with a short lead time and prompt customer support. With the previous ERD, the end user reported trouble getting service support and obtaining replacement and spare parts.
• Trusted Reliability: Energy Recovery’s PX® Pressure Exchanger® is trusted and proven. With over 30,000 devices deployed worldwide, many of which are installed in mega desalination plants (>100K CMD), the PX delivers quality performance, a 25-year design life, and no scheduled maintenance.

“As the proud sponsors of the Hilton Hurghada Plaza Desalination Plant in Hurghada, Egypt, supplying 1,000 m³/d of fresh water, we are delighted with our choice of Energy Recovery’s PX Q300 as our energy recovery solution.  …the PX Q300 maintains the plant availability and eliminated the downtime. We enthusiastically recommend Energy Recovery’s PX Q300 as the most reliable and affordable solution for energy recovery on the market today.” -Hilton Hurghada Plaza

The Result

A Trusted Solution for Continued Uptime

After replacing the previous ERD with Energy Recovery’s PX Q300 in 2019, the plant has successfully produced 1,000 m³/day of freshwater for resort guests. The PX Q300 has continued to perform above expectations, ensuring plant availability, and reducing the system’s energy consumption. The Hilton Hurghada Plaza efficiently provides clean water with the help of the PX, chosen due to its proven quality, associated service and support, and reliability.

Learn more abour Energy Recovery.

Retrofitting Desalination Plant with PX Q300 Drives Uptime
H2O Team

A large food and beverage facility in the United States was facing increased costs from hauling away a full dumpster of sludge every week. The facility’s wastewater came from their production process, and the organic materials needed to be separated before being discharged back to the city. The costs for these types of services can vary between $600 and $1,500 per trip to dispose of the sludge, but costs can vary depending on sludge dewatering capabilities and region. Facility costs were estimated between $31,200 to $78,000 annually to dispose of sludge.

To aid in the liquid-solids separation (LSS), the incumbent water treatment provider was feeding an inorganic coagulant with a dosage of about 500 parts per million (ppm). This resulted in over 100,000 additional pounds of sludge being produced per year.

The facility sought alternative solutions to their challenges, and after a thorough review of the facilities operation and rigorous jar testing, Kurita developed a program that included Kurita’s Kurifloc technology. Kurifloc 204 is an organic coagulant that is fed at a much lower rate than traditional inorganic coagulants and is not toxic if overfed. Kurifloc 204 worked for this customer for a couple reasons.

Because the facility was producing different products, their production wastewater was highly variable. Water going into the treatment process varied in pH and temperature. This typically requires a higher feed rate of an inorganic coagulant to treat the production wastewater. Kurifloc 204 operates effectively in a wide pH and temperature range, allowing the operators to set the feed rate at a baseline dosing much lower on average than the feed rate of the inorganic coagulant. The facility was treating their water through several tanks to remove the major contaminants, and the sludge that was produced was sent to the dewatering process. Using Kurifloc the facility used less coagulant, saw better performance through their LSS process, and were able to produce and have to process less sludge.

Kurita worked with the plant to track the performance of the new chemical program. Validating that this was the best solution by measuring the dissolved air flotation (DAF) performance, sludge production, and chemical-use rate.

With Kurita’s Kurifloc program in use, the plant saw immediate results in reduced sludge generation and excellent solids removal:

1. A 60% reduction in sludge handling costs due to reducing the number of haul offs from fifty-two annually to an estimated nine annually.
2. Treatment results have consistently been averaging 100 and less nephelometric turbidity unit (NTUs), which is well under the required discharge treatment target.
3. The facility has implemented a sampling and testing program with Kurita, improving tracking and system adjustments based on biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), and pH.

By implementing Kurifloc 204 technology and working with the Kurita team to find a solution, the site minimized sludge disposals, program chemical costs, and improved results. This was recognized as an estimated annual savings of over $100,000 and more consistent and effective water treatment.

Food Facility Saves $100,000 Annually with Kurita’s Kurifloc <h2 class='sub-title'>By Darin Wrazidlo, manager of CSV technology</h2>
H2O Team

Location: Western China

OEM: Beijing Beijiete (BGT)

Capacity: 12,000 tons Li2CO3/year

Est. Annual Cost Savings: $923,000 USD/year

Est. Annual Energy Savings: 18,461,000 kWh/year

The Challenge

Lithium and related compounds are essential for producing lithium-ion batteries, which are critical to power the energy transition. Lithium extraction and processing can be resource intensive, and a nanofiltration (NF)-based lithium extraction facility along the Zabuye Salt Lake in Western China, needed a solution to lower the energy consumption of nanofiltration for lithium separation.

The facility is located at a high altitude in a remote region, far from the local municipal power source. Because of these constraints, a concentrating solar power (CSP) station was designed and built for the facility. Due to high capital cost and footprint of the renewable CSP, the plant required an energy-efficient project design to save energy in order to reduce the capital expenses of the new power supply.

The Solution

Having previously partnered with Energy Recovery, Inc. on multiple wastewater projects, Beijing Beijiete (BGT), a public and leading company in water treatment technology in China, collaborated with the company once again to integrate PX® Pressure Exchanger® technology for its lithium extraction plant because of its proven capability to lower specific energy consumption (SEC) and maximum instantaneous power demand. The facility uses NF to concentrate lithium from brine and produce lithium bicarbonate, potassium chloride, and other valuable salts.

Using the PX allowed the plant to lower the energy consumption of the first NF stage, which integrated two PX Q260s in each of the seven NF trains. The PX saves energy in the system by transferring pressure energy from the reject brine stream to the incoming feed stream, reducing the size of the high-pressure (HP) pump required to feed the feed brine through the NF membrane and concentrate lithium in the permeate stream. For this project, the PX reduced the HP pump motor size by over half. Incorporating the PX with nanofiltration and process technology reduced the production period from months to hours for large-volume lithium production.

Nanofiltration-Based Lithium Extraction Facility Design: 

• Five total NF stages, with the first stage utilizing two PX Q260s in each of the seven parallel trains
• Capable of producing 12,000 tons of lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) and 156,000 tons of potassium chloride (KCl) annually
• PX integration reduced the specific energy consumption to 3.4 kWh/m³, a reduction of approximately 57% compared to no ERD

The Result

The integration of the PX Q260 decreased the energy consumption of NF to extract lithium from brine to produce lithium bicarbonate, saving an estimated 333 kW per train and 18,461,000 kWh each year. The reduction in operational energy significantly lowered capital costs for the renewable CSP power station and resulted in instantaneous savings.

Using the PX not only helped to save energy costs but also reduced the number of solar panels and the amount of land needed for the CSP. Additionally, the PX reduced the overall power demand of the site, equivalent to ~6% of the size of the concentrated solar power plant, which has a capacity of 40 MW (“The World’s Highest,” 2024). Along with reduced energy consumption, the pressure exchanger provided a flexible and low-cost solution to recirculate brine flow and extend membrane life.

Learn more abour Energy Recovery.

PX Saves Energy for Nanofiltration-Based Lithium Extraction Facility in China
H2O Team