Welcome to the July/August edition of Industrial WaterWorld magazine. Our feature article this month explores the increasing interest in renewable energy from anaerobic digestion in the food and beverage sector. As our correspondent Jeff Gunderson explains here, anaerobic digestion technologies can harness the inherent energy in these high-strength process wastewaters, offering payback in the form of biogas for producing electricity and heat. Projects that divert waste streams from landfills are also a win from a corporate responsibility standpoint, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enabling companies to meet higher sustainability objectives.
Continuing our food and beverage theme, the article herediscusses the importance of optimal screening techniques for beer brewing. The incredible growth of the craft beer industry over the past few years has brought some wastewater challenges with it, particularly with regard to the removal of course solids. Left untreated, these solids can damage downstream equipment such as anaerobic digesters. Authors Bob McGowan and Stacy Peshkopia include a case study from Matt Brewing Company in Utica, N.Y.
With electric motors accounting for two-thirds of all electricity usage in the industry, finding ways to reduce energy costs is top of mind. Here, Jukka Tolvanen outlines how using variable speed drives in the water industry is one of the most effective ways to conserve energy, often saving 30 percent or more in water and wastewater applications such as pumps and fans.
As the oil and gas industry continues to look for efficiency gains, the shift toward more water recycling is putting higher demands on treatment providers for greater reliability and quality assurance. Here, Damon Waters discusses how treatment providers must step up their game to consistently deliver high-quality recycled water - and how data can help prove that quality to the customer.
Often, a manufacturer’s filtration needs cannot be satisfied with a single piece of equipment. As Jasmine Brennan suggests here, many industrial water applications require a complex set of filtration steps to achieve the desired result. Using a raisin manufacturer as a case in point, she discusses how the addition of an automatic self-cleaning filter optimized the manufacturer’s treatment train.
Don’t miss the case study here, which presents results from a refinery’s four-month field pilot of a flotation-filtration technology based on new ceramic membranes.
And finally, if you’re heading to WEFTEC next month, be sure to check out our special show preview here.
We hope you enjoy this edition of Industrial WaterWorld!
