The Daimler Chrysler AG waste/process water recycler

 

Innovative waste/process water recycler for the metal processing industry

Detergents, cooling and lubrication emulsions, and waste water contaminated with hydrocarbons, heavy metals and solids are posing an increasingly tough problem for many industrial enterprises. Help and great cost savings are to hand in the form of membrane filtration, an effective answer to successful closed loop recycling. While membrane filtration is not a new technology, until now the use of micro, ultra and nano-filtration for waste water contaminated with oil, heavy metals and solids has, as a rule, been exceptionally problematic.

Following several years of research and development work, nfv has now launched a combined system which vastly improves the permeate effectiveness of membrane filtration as well as reducing – in the configuration described below – heavy metals to a level that fully complies with water management discharge standards. The "waste water" is so thoroughly processed that it can be pumped into a downstream industrial reverse osmosis system. Water processed with our new system is ready to be used again anywhere in the plant or facility.

One of these recycling systems has just been installed at the Hamburg Daimler Chrysler AG plant. It comprises the following components:

 

• A frequency-controlled feed pump
• A high-pressure deoiler with combined MPS ? multiphase separator -    solids separation
• An integrated mechanical emulsion and foam breaker MESB
• One or more centrifugal pumps
• One or more membrane filtration modules
• A back-rinsing system
• A cleansing tank
• Various readings recorders and valves
• A control cabinet with an SPS

 

The system is automatic and enables Daimler Chrysler to fulfil the Group´s objectives:

 

• Ecological and economic operation
• No additional separators required
• Low energy consumption
• The necessary flexibility to deal with varying media compositions (up     to 100% oil, high content of solids) and volume streams
• Installation flexibility; robust and compact installation, very    maintenance-friendly
• Very high recycling quota
• No discharge of contaminants in waste water in compliance with the    Federal Water Act
• Concentration of hydrocarbons in waste and supply water to reverse    osmosis < 5 ppm
• High level of availability
• pH value compatibility in the range of 6.5 – 9.5
• Reduction of heavy metals

The system supplied to Daimler Chrysler was designed to process an annual capacity of 8,000 m³. It can be enlarged whenever necessary. It is fully automatic and produces the best quality process water for all in-plant processes.

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