Water conservation and reuse using the Water Sources Diagram method for batch process: case studies

  • Reinaldo Coelho Mirre Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
  • Shaula Christine Leal Ferreira Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
  • Aline Rodrigues Dias Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
  • Fernando Luiz Pellegrini Pessoa Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Keywords: wastewater reuse, storage tank, mass exchange networks synthesis

Abstract

The water resources management has been an important factor for the sustainability of industrial processes, since there is a growing need for the development of methodologies aimed at the conservation and rational use of water. The objective of this work was to apply the heuristic-algorithmic method called Water Sources Diagram (WSD), which is used to define the target of minimum water consumption, to batch processes. Scenarios with reuse of streams were generated and evaluated with application of the method from the data of water quantity and concentration of contaminants in the operations. Two case studies aiming to show the reduction of water consumption and wastewater generation, and final treatment costs besides investment in storage tanks, were presented. The scenarios showed great promising, achieving reduction up to 45% in water consumption and wastewater generation, and a reduction of around 37% on cost of storage tanks, without the need to allocate regeneration processes. Thus, the WSD method showed to be a relevant and flexible alternative regarding to systemic tools aimed at minimizing the consumption of water in industrial processes, playing an important role within a program of water resources management.

Author Biographies

Reinaldo Coelho Mirre, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Chemical Engineer, M.Sc. School of Chemistry
Shaula Christine Leal Ferreira, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Chemical Engineer School of Chemistry
Aline Rodrigues Dias, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Chemical Engineer School of Chemistry
Fernando Luiz Pellegrini Pessoa, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Chemical Engineer, D.Sc. Associate Professor School of Chemistry Chemical Engineering Department
Published
27/04/2012
Section
Papers