Ultrafiltration of water is an important process in many industries and applications, treating water for reuse by removing particles and contaminants. Depending on the water source and the ultimate requirement for water quality, industrial pumps and process equipment perform a series of processes such as water intake, aeration, flocculation and coagulation, removal of substances and particles, stabilization, disinfection, and distribution. There are a number of challenges that affect water treatment in various facilities, such as:
- Standardization of equipment or lack thereof
- Dual-frequency requirements from different countries
- Membrane wear and degradation
- Future plans for expansion, enhancement, or improved energy efficiency
- Integration with drives, motors, and other process equipment
Standardization of Pumps and Process Equipment
Standardizing pumps and dry solutions significantly reduces the number of various pump designs required to manage different reverse osmosis or ultrafiltration system sizes. Standardizing pumps with more flow flexibility on fewer pump sizes helps system manufacturers to reduce costs and complexity while simultaneously improving design requirements. Standardization helps the end-user with multiple trains or systems by providing savings in maintenance and spare parts expenses.
Dual Frequency
Pumps and membrane systems that come from other countries with different power requirements could still run the same standard type of pump motor. A drive that allows for either 50 or 60 Hz could still provide power to run a standard pump motor. This saves in process equipment design complexity and cost of different power variances for membrane systems in North America or export usage.
Membrane Wear and Degradation
Smart booster pumps help to ease the start-up and the shut-down of water flow. This removes the hazard of having powerful forces of water that can increase the wear of pump membranes in certain circumstances. All pump membranes will eventually foul and require maintenance and cleaning. As they clog, however, the pressure requirement increases to treat the same water at the same flow. Without using a drive, systems with a fixed speed pump will deliver less than the rated permeate flow.
Modern pumps and drives will easily account for these changes in pressure and allow them to operate longer between maintenance without losing production flow, assuming that the filtered water continues to meet quality requirements.
Future Plans and Enhancements
Selecting the right pump and drive system initially helps end-users to plan for future enhancements to their pump and process equipment system. Future plans may include changes to newer equipment, trains, lower pressure membranes, or changes in the process flow. Designing pump and process equipment systems with flexibility makes retrofits less expensive in the future and allows the end-user to take advantage of newer energy-efficient, high-performance, green solutions.
Integration of Pumps and Process Equipment
Optimizing water treatment pumps and process equipment with integrated drives improves performance. Most newer pumps will include integrated drives that are mounted on and optimized to work together with the pump motor. This allows for pumps with smaller motors that ensure the pump is protected and optimize performance. End-users should select drives that are matched to specific pump models for easier installation, set up, and increased efficiency.
IPE Offers Pumping Solutions with Full System Design
Illinois Process Equipment, IPE, is a leading Midwest supplier of pumping solutions and process equipment offering comprehensive value-added services. We are set apart from other pump suppliers with our technical expertise and capabilities. IPE is your single source for fluid handling products, process equipment, and the best pumping solutions to meet your application needs with efficiency and safety.
IPE is your trusted provider for water treatment pumping solutions, including ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis applications. We offer in-depth market expertise for various industrial water treatment processes such as boiler water, cooling towers, and a wide range of applications requiring industrial water treatment. Contact us to improve your water treatment process with standardized pump and process equipment design, with integration in future enhancements in mind.
