Month: March 2022

Water is a major constituent of life on earth. The earliest life forms are believed to have been originated deep in the primordial oceans. Water also forms around 60% of the adult human body and over 90% of the blood in our body. Thus the relation of water to life is indistinguishable.

Access to clean water is a universal right. However, in the post-industrialised world, there has been a constant degradation of naturally occurring water resources. Freshwater resources are succumbing to the expansion of agricultural or residential lands. The underground water table is also not doing so well after over-exploitation for decades without any measures taken for recharging the water table. It would not be an exaggeration to say that we are currently in the midst of a grave water crisis affecting millions of people.

Thus reusing and utilising recycled water has become a necessity in today’s world where water scarcity is a pressing concern. Industrial water recycling, sewage and effluent treatment, as well as Zero Liquid Discharge solutions, enable industrial establishments to save millions of litres of precious water which would otherwise have flown down the drain.

Over the last four decades, Thermax has been continuously developing and innovating products, systems and services for water and wastewater management. Thermax strives to deploy its engineering prowess to help the customers achieve better resource efficiency while simultaneously conserving water for future generations.

Thermax’s Solutions To Recycle And Conserve Water

Thermax has deployed innovative solutions across various industrial, commercial, rural, hospitality and defence establishments to help them reduce freshwater consumption as well as reuse and recycle the wastewater that they generate.

Thermax offers a wide range of options for conserving water ranging from water treatment plants and zero liquid discharge solutions to sewage treatment and desalination plants. Thermax’s experienced team of professionals and their one-stop solutions to help customers reduce, reuse or recycle water gives them a decisive advantage when compared to its peers.

Water Treatment For Industrial Applications

With stringent pollution and specific water quality requirements for industries, it has become a necessity to treat water from various sources for any further use in the industries. Thermax has quite a successful record in developing ingenious water treatment technologies with a number of operational installed water treatment plants for customers across various sectors.

Water treatment for Industrial Applications is a complex and multistep process involving:

1. Chemical dosing: Chemical dosing is the adding of chemicals into water/fluid or sludge to achieve the required conditioning. This would make the treatment effective by various mechanisms such as charge neutralisation, settling of solids etc.
2. Clarifiers: Uses settling tanks to separate solid particulate matter from the liquid.
3. Filters: Removes the finer impurities from water by using a physical barrier.
4. Softeners: Widely used for reducing the hardness of the water. The process of softening is a useful and reversible ion exchange process in which the hardness forming ions are exchanged with sodium ions present in the resin group.
5. Demineralisation (DM): Demineralisation is the most proven and reliable technology used in water treatment to remove minerals, using the principles of ion exchange. De-gasification and polishing are used to produce mineral-free water.
6. Membrane filtration: Reverse Osmosis (RO), Nanofiltration (NF), Ultrafiltration (UF) are new and advanced methods of purifying water and are membrane-based processes used for the separation of dissolved salts from water which makes it unfit for use.

Recycling Wastewater to Reduce Environmental Pollution

After its use in various industrial processes, the used water becomes unfit for any use due to the addition of many harmful substances to water like heavy metals, which turn water into ‘wastewater’. If the water is released as is into the environment, it will cause major ecological damage and pollute precious natural resources. To prevent such pollution, wastewater is passed through a lengthy treatment process which removes these harmful constituents such as organics, solids, heavy metals etc.

Wastewater treatment plants are designed using a combination of physical, chemical and biological processes so that the treated water can be discharged in the environment or reused further.

Thermax offers decentralised sewage treatment solutions as well as customised treatment plants for industries, housing societies and even commercial complexes. These systems can significantly reduce operational costs as well as reduce the plant’s footprint by more than 60%. The different steps of water treatment are:

1. Biological treatment – Wastewater is first stabilised biologically by microorganisms that convert colloidal and dissolved organic matter into simpler molecules that can be removed further by gravity settling.
2. Anaerobic treatment – Anaerobic treatment is an energy-efficient process in which bacteria transforms organic waste in the wastewater into biogas in the absence of oxygen. To achieve this oxygen-free environment, the entry of air into anaerobic tanks is prevented, typically by a gastight cover.
3. Aerobic treatment – Microbes are used to convert organic wastes into carbon dioxide and other biomass in the presence of oxygen. Aerobic treatment requires a continuous oxygen supply, so forced air from air blowers is mixed with the wastewater, where the aerobic bacteria feed on the waste in the water.
4. Activated Sludge Process (ASP) – In this process, the microorganisms are first thoroughly mixed with the organic compounds in the wastewater, and their growth is stimulated. As the microorganisms grow and are mixed by the agitation of the air, the individual organisms flocculate to form an active mass of microbes called activated sludge.

Thermax offers a wide range of reactors and similar solutions to recycle the wastewater generated by its customers from various sectors.

• Up-flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactor – It is a type of anaerobic digester that is used for wastewater treatment. In this process, wastewater flows upward through the blanket of sludge, and microorganisms degrade the organic matter and produce methane gas as a by-product, which further can be used as fuel.
• Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) – SBR is based on the principle of activated sludge treatment process, an application of ASP that is operated on a batch basis. It is used in small communities where the space for wastewater treatment is limited.
• Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) – MBBR is a more economical and efficient solution for wastewater treatment. MBBR system consists of an aeration tank containing special plastic elements called media. The bacteria grow on the surface of the media and break down the organic matter from the wastewater.
• Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) – MBR is used in biological treatment along with membrane separation. A membrane bioreactor consists of a biological reactor containing the suspended biomass and solids separated by Microfiltration (MF) or Ultrafiltration (UF) membranes.

 

Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD)

As the name indicates ‘Zero Liquid Discharge’ is a special wastewater recycling process designed especially to recycle and limit all liquid wastage to a ‘net zero’. Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) plants are seen as the future for developing efficient and sustainable industrial plants. Implementation of the ZLD system requires a hefty investment and increases the cost of production, but the current situation of water scarcity and stricter norms for conserving the environment has forced many industries with a major dependence on water to adopt ZLD systems. Recycling and reuse of treated effluents is worthwhile in the constantly deteriorating environment where water scarcity is a pressing concern. ZLD makes this possible for industries that are keen on resource optimisation.

Thermax provides zero liquid discharge solutions for various industrial wastewaters. The conventional method to achieve ZLD includes thermal technologies such as evaporators like Multi Effect Evaporation (MEE), Mechanical Vapour Compression (MVC) and Agitated Thin Film Dryer (ATFD).

Desalination

With the growing scarcity of water, the treatment of saline seawater is becoming a viable option to get water to run the entire manufacturing process smoothly. Thermax has designed various seawater reverse osmosis systems for an efficient desalination process. These include several successful installations that incorporate energy recovery systems with the desalination process to improve the returns from the system.

Desalination involves removing dissolved minerals from seawater and brackish water (a mixture of fresh water and ocean water) and is an increasingly important source of fresh water. Desalination operates at high pressure as the membrane separation requires a driving force which is provided by a high-pressure pump.

Through desalination, water for human consumption can also be produced. Feedwater may include brackish water, seawater, wells, surface (rivers and streams), wastewater, and process waters. With the rising cost of freshwater and its growing scarcity, the economical treatment of seawater treatment offers the possibility of bridging the demand-supply gap.

Humans have heavily relied on fossil fuels for far too long to meet their energy demands, impacting the environment adversely and ushering in a plethora of issues ranging from climate change to deterioration in air quality.

As of today, human activities have triggered global temperatures to rise by about 1 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels (1950-1900). Record pollution levels are causing a paradigm shift in climatic conditions, and governments around the world are trying to stop the disastrous effects of climate change.

Green Energy – Need of the Hour

The problems caused by the use of fossil fuels can be solved by using renewable energy. Renewable energy resources are clean, inexhaustible, and environmentally conservative forms of energy that are harnessed from sources that are naturally replenished. They are much different from fossil fuels principally in their diversity, abundance, and potential for use anywhere on the planet. These sources are infinite and inexhaustible, but above all, they do not emit greenhouse gases – which cause climate change. There has been a global impetus on clean energy implementation with government incentives, encouraging industries to opt for clean power. They are feasible energy sources due to low lifecycle cost in comparison to fossil fuels that are increasing quite steeply on the back of global demand and volatility in the market.

Renewable energy includes sources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), renewable energy sources represented nearly half of all new electricity generation capacity installed in 2014. Renewables constituted the second biggest source of electricity worldwide, behind coal.

Advantages of Adopting Clean Energy

Clean energy sources also provide a unique advantage to local economies because of their abundance in nature. Unlike the restrictive nature of fossil fuels, renewable energy sources are present everywhere in the world – whether in the form of wind, sun, water, or biomass, for countries to produce clean energy.

Renewables, specifically solar and wind, are more viable than their conventional counterparts. They are the most economically efficient way to generate electricity in a growing number of markets. Renewable energies are fast becoming the most sustainable solution not only environmentally but also economically for a better future.

Leading the Transition to Green Energy

Since 1980, Thermax has been focussed on sustainable energy and environmental solutions. It has developed several innovative technologies and unique offerings in clean energy, which are more pronounced today with an increased focus on climate change and are in line with the COP26 agreement. Thus Thermax has a long history of extensive engagement with diverse sectors and tie-ups with technology majors, which has empowered the group to deliver unmatched solutions to its clientele.

Thermax’s offerings in waste heat recovery, biofuels, solar, bio-CNG, waste to energy etc., show their commitment towards delivering clean energy. Thermax continuously introduces and innovates environment-friendly and carbon-neutral solutions capable of replacing most fossil fuels with commercial benefits, also helping us achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Thermax’s Renewable Energy Solutions

Solar Energy

With solar PV installations spread across industries and geographies, Thermax is helping customers generate green energy and minimise electricity costs. Thermax’s solar PV solutions reinforce the brand’s reputation in offering clean energy solutions trusted by organisations across Asia, South East Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

Solar Rooftop

Solar energy offers an excellent return on investment while utilising the rooftop space of the customer’s facility. Solar rooftop solutions can generate free electricity for more than 25 years, resulting in substantial savings and carbon footprint reduction.

Solar Ground Mounted

Thermax has an excellent track record in the installation of ground-based solar power projects. Ground-mounted solar installations deliver unbeatable ROI during the lifecycle of the project, taking the customer’s manufacturing facility towards self-reliance for its power needs.

Battery Energy Storage System

Thermax provides specially designed battery energy storage systems with Li-ion technology to provide reliable and long backup. It also forms a hybrid system with solar PVs and solar power grid.

Biomass-Powered Boilers

Thermax offers various boilers with the capability of using biomass as the source of fuel instead of fossil fuels like coal/oil & gas without compromising on the quality of the output. These boilers have various benefits, including fuel flexibility, low maintenance, high efficiency, high availability, and reliability.

Travelling Grate Boilers

These are a highly efficient and reliable range of boilers that can run by combustion of a wide variety of biomass. They also allow precise control of grate speed and an over-fire air system. This system provides turbulence and thorough mixing of volatile gases, assuring complete combustion of biomass fuel.

Pinhole Grate Boilers

Pinhole Grate Boilers have a stationary inclined water-cooled grate design with no moving parts for avoiding any mechanical failures thus reducing maintenance costs for the furnace.

Pusher Grate Boilers

A unique boiler designed by Thermax for combustion of low calorific value in high moisture fuels with low maintenance requirements and high operational reliability.

Waste to Energy Boilers

Thermax has rich experience in providing clean and green solutions for converting waste products to generate clean energy.
Thermax offers a wide range of solutions for combustion of various fuels like – agriculture waste, spent wash, paper sludge, non-recyclable solid waste, refuse derived fuel, segregated municipal solid waste and other industrial process wastes.

Waste Heat Recovery Boilers

Thermax provides energy solutions to utilise the excess heat from various processes and applications to improve overall energy balance in ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, cement, refinery, chemical, oil & gas, glass, and other sectors. These offerings include a variety of customised, turnkey solutions to generate steam and power.

Spent Wash Fired Boilers

Thermax offers a unique solution for spent wash incineration to convert distillery waste to produce energy. This helps to adhere to the ‘Zero Liquid Discharge Regulatory Compliance’ and also helps in meeting the entire steam and power demand of the distillery industry.

Additionally, we provide outsourced utilities such as steam, heat, chilled water, treated water, power, and solar through the Build-Own-Operate (BOO/T) business model. We also undertake its comprehensive operation & maintenance along with supply chain management of all consumables, including biomass fuels.

As global emissions are reaching an alarming level, a shift to renewable sources of energy is inevitable. Thermax is also significantly investing in Research and Development (R&D) to tap new energy opportunities and devise unique applications focussed on creating a mark in the evolving sphere of energy transition, anchored towards a zero-carbon future.