Feed mill water treatment increases efficiency and reduces chemical use
Feed mills treat incoming boiler feed water with amine chemicals to combat high levels of alkalinity. While this can be effective in treating alkalinity, it is unfortunately one of the most expensive chemicals used in boiler water treatment. If a facility chooses not to treat well water for alkalinity. It can result in failed steam piping and condensate return lines, costly plant shutdowns, and capital equipment replacement expenses. This makes reverse osmosis plants the preferred solution when treating feed mill water.
On-site moisture testing audits can improve make-up water to reduce chemical consumption and boiler blowdown. By introducing a reverse osmosis (RO) unit upstream of the boiler feed water system, 90% of the alkalinity can be removed. This reduces 90% of the amine chemical required to treat the system. Feed mills must meet certain restrictions on total amine concentration. These are set by the FDA/FDA at less than 25 ppm in steam. Implementing this solution can save costs on chemicals and ensure that the facility does not exceed the total amine concentration limit.
Advantages of Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment in Feed Mills
A new reverse osmosis system can be a significant capital expenditure that may not be within the budget. However, the reverse osmosis unit from CareWater provides an alternative solution to this expense. This technology integrates with equipment, services, and chemicals to enhance the sustainability of the facility by reducing fuel demand, carbon emissions, chemical use, and water discharge. Its small footprint also reduces the need for plant expansions or design changes.
Features of CareWater Reverse Osmosis Technology
The CareWater boiler pretreatment solution is manufactured using a variable frequency motor-controlled pump and low-energy membranes to reduce electricity consumption. It provides a complete reverse osmosis boiler pretreatment system with carbon filtration, and membrane protection prefilters. A reverse osmosis product water storage tank with level controls and a water guide pump.
In addition, most of the solids that would normally end up in the boiler system are removed from the front end and captured by the reverse osmosis membranes. Reverse osmosis allows only pure water to pass into the boiler. As steam is produced, the boiler water becomes more saturated with impurities, and during blowdown, concentrated boiler water is released. By using pure water, the formation of scale on the boiler tubes is reduced, resulting in a more efficient boiler operation. In addition, reducing the boiler blowdown rate ensures that the total BTUs within the system are maintained and not wasted down the drain.
The Importance of Maintenance Service for Reverse Osmosis Systems
The CareWater Reverse Osmosis system provides a complete solution for feed mills that addresses the alkalinity problem. It improves the efficiency of the plant and saves a lot of time and money. Reducing boiler discharge results in significant energy savings as the hot water in the boiler can be reused for a longer period of time before being discharged. In addition to the energy savings the system provides, 90% fewer chemicals were required to treat the water overall. Not only does this save the facility a lot of money on chemical costs in the first year of implementation. It also prevents the facility from exceeding the total amine concentration limit. RO plant service with Carewater also includes regular maintenance. Replacing all pre-filters and membranes, reducing system maintenance and uptime for the facility.
