Many industrial companies produce wastewater as a part of their production process. For such companies, a wastewater treatment system can be helpful. With the help of a wastewater filtration unit, a company can ensure that it meets discharge regulations. They can also recycle water and prevent any harm to the environment. But what type of wastewater treatment unit should a company get?
There are different types of filtration units available for wastewater. Let's learn more about the differences.
What is a wastewater filtration or treatment system?
An industrial wastewater treatment system, powered by different mechanisms, treats water discharged by factories. This water is contaminated by the activities of the factory or the industry in general. This treatment process is performed before the wastewater is released into the environment. Such a treatment option results in clean water that can be reused.
A vast majority of industries produce wastewater. However, many of the companies are trying to take a step towards change. They are trying to opt for some form of water treatment to minimize pollution and wastage of water. Many of them want to follow protocols to clean water with the help of a wide range of water treatment systems that remove every particle of solid material and organic material from water.
What does a wastewater treatment system typically remove?
Industrial wastewater contains different types of contaminants. These include chemical compounds, organic material particles. Different treatment systems are engineered to handle suspended and dissolved solids of varying particle sizes. Particle pollutants use the following:
- Organic Material: This type of pollutant will decay and is found in sewage water. Higher amounts of organic materials in sewage water indicate more BOD or biochemical oxygen demand. Microorganisms use this oxygen for the decomposition of organic substances.
- Suspended Solids: Suspended solids are found in sewage water. Its volume depends on the total amount of suspended solid particles. Industrial sewage is known to contain suspended solids in high concentrations. Only an efficient treatment of sewage water removes suspended solids.
- Plant Nutrients: Sewage may contain phosphorus and nitrogen compounds. These enable the growth of plants as they act as nutrients. Phosphates and nitrates in excessive amounts in lake water lead to algal blooms. Municipal wastewater treatment plants can remove them.
- Microbes: Sewage also contains microorganisms, with millions of them present in each gallon of domestic sewage. This type of wastewater mainly contains coliform bacteria and other microbes. They indicate water pollution and need to be addressed immediately for safety.
Pollutants may thus include pathogens, plant nutrients, synthetic chemicals, organic wastes, biological solids, inorganic chemicals, radioactive substances, etc. Industrial facilities can be the source of many of these pollutants. These can be removed with the help of wastewater treatment systems that involve primary treatment, secondary treatment, and tertiary treatment methods.
Types of Wastewater Filtration Unit
Water filtration is a water cleaning solution that removes dense particles and debris of different sizes from water. It can prevent bacterial growth. This often allows water to be reused by any industry. There are many different types of filtration units that use enhanced treatment technologies like self-cleaning filters and biological treatment processes for clarified water.
The different types of wastewater filtration units are as follows:
a) Particle Filtration System:
A particle filtration system helps separate solid wastes from water, for which it uses mechanical or physical methods. It is one of the first steps to be followed for treating contaminated water. This type of filtration of particles of 1 micron or above. There are three major types of particle filtration systems -
i) Bag Filtration System
This is a cost-effective method of filtering wastewater. They are used for small applications to minimize waste. These filters resemble a bag that's somewhat elongated. Solid particles get stuck to the walls of the bag when wastewater passes through its porous walls. Multi-bag filtration is used for a higher flow rate.
ii) Cartridge Filtration Unit
These filters are made of some pleated fabric or screen. These are modular units designed to trap particles and chemicals. These filters can further be subdivided into a) depth filters and b) surface filters. Together, they have the capability to handle thick media and surface water. They are widely used in the industry.
iii) Self-Cleaning Water Treatment Unit
Another type of wastewater treatment is the self-cleaning water treatment system. It is pricier than the other systems of this category, but it's also one of the most useful. They are highly demanded because of their self-cleaning feature and can be customized to handle particles of various sizes.
b) Membrane Filtration Systems
Membrane filtration systems are an excellent option when particle filtration is not enough, especially for water recycling. The steps needed for this process may vary depending on what the final filtered water will be used for. Recent improvements in these systems have lowered their prices significantly.
i) Reverse Osmosis Filtration System
This type of filtration system is ideal when the solute and the solvent need to be separated. This means it can help remove tiny particles from water - when the water passes through membranes. It is highly effective in removing tiny organic particles, as well, thus filtering out all contaminants completely.
ii) Ultrafiltration
Ultrafiltration is usually a precursor to RO filtration. Low pressure is used to perform it as the water passes through small pores of the filter. The pores can be 5-100 nanometers. It is excellent at silt and granular sand filtration, organic material, pathogens, etc. It may involve the use of chemical processes.
iii) Microfiltration
Another method that is used right before an RO process is microfiltration. This is similar to ultrafiltration, though the membrane through which it is passed has larger pores. It effectively removes certain large bacteria and suspended solids from water and is a good step to take in the treatment of wastewater.
Final Words
Industrial wastewater can be much more harmful and contaminated than domestic wastewater, which is why it is essential to treat it. Nebula Ozone focuses on ozone purification for wastewater treatment for different industries and companies. To find the ideal water treatment system, Contact Us TODAY!
