Angela Godwin, Chief Editor
Welcome to the November/December edition of Industrial WaterWorld. Throughout the year, innovation has been a recurring theme as we strive to introduce readers to new technologies addressing a range of challenges in the industrial water treatment market.
This edition, we turn our attention to the thermoelectric power generation segment. As author William Steel points out in the feature article on page 12, water — both influent and effluent — is a critical element in this sector. Requiring some 160 billion gallons per day, the thermoelectric power market is acutely focused on efficient consumption of this increasingly limited resource. Its attention is also trained on compliance with regulatory requirements, such as the U.S. EPA’s effluent limitation guidelines.
Steel highlights three technologies, each targeting a different aspect of water treatment in the power market: a novel approach to thermal zero liquid discharge from SUEZ; an automated, chemical-free and self-cleaning filtration system from Finnish company Sofi Filtration; and a water quality sensor technology from Denmark-based NanoNord that uses Nuclear Magnetic Resonance to measure over 100 isotope frequencies.
Biofilm. The bane of the existence of cooling systems everywhere. On page 16, Simona Vasilescu explains the fascinating science behind biofilms — how they form, how they impact energy efficiency, and why they can be so difficult to remove.
Continuing the power market theme, Brad Buecker discusses makeup water supply and the importance of understanding the constituents in any supply of makeup water, particularly as plants turn toward alternative supply sources to reduce consumption of fresh water. Not all water is created equal, he cautions, and plant managers and operators would be well advised to consider pretreatment strategies to protect a plant’s water treatment system from impurities. Turn to page 19 to read more.
Be sure to check out this month’s case study on page 33, which details a cooling water challenge at Colombia’s Guadalupe IV hydroelectric plant that was addressed with a control valve.
We hope you enjoy this edition of Industrial WaterWorld. And as we bid farewell to 2017, we would like to wish all of you a very Happy New Year and all the best in 2018!
