Have you ever wondered why Earth is called the blue planet? It’s because water covers about 70% of its surface. Considering this amount of water available, it seems obvious that it is abundant. However, 97% of the Earth’s water is saline consisting of 1,335 million km3, and 2% is frozen freshwater locked up in glaciers, polar ice caps, soil etc. and is unavailable for use. As a result, there is only 2,04,000 km3 of freshwater available for consumption, which is about 0.5 to 1% of the total freshwater available. Water is mainly used for agriculture, industry, and domestic purposes.
IGlobally, freshwater withdrawals in 2017 totalled 3,880 km3, of which India drew 647 km3. It is estimated that industrial activities require between 2 and 20% of the total amount of water. According to one of the references, India uses 14 km3 of water for industrial purposes, 48 km3 for domestic, and 586 km3 for agricultural purposes. The demand for water in agriculture exceeds 80% of total consumption; therefore, it is crucial to increase water efficiency. As agriculture runoff is a non-point source, its treatment and reuse are difficult. Sewage can be reused, and it can become one of the sources of water. However, in our country, only 1/3rd of sewage is treated. The discharge of untreated wastewater pollutes natural water bodies. Due to the growing demand and limited availability of water, India, China, and a few European and African countries are expected to experience water scarcity by 2025.
In case of scarcity, water supply to industries would be restricted. Considering the rising water demand in India, an additional 7 km3 of water could be made available even if 50% of wastewater is recycled by industries. This volume is equivalent to more than five years of water requirement of New Delhi.
Lack of uniform distribution of water resources across the globe, erratic climate changes, and poor water conservation and management strategies are major causes of water scarcity. It is expected that water scarcity can be physical, where there is not enough water available to meet the demand, or economic, where there is enough water available but not the proper means to produce desirable water quality. Hence, industries must achieve and sustain wastewater recycling to the maximum extent possible. Ideally, Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) of all liquid streams should be targeted. There are many factors affecting the effluent treatment process, such as changing effluent quality and quantity, different combinations of constituents from various manufacturing processes, and uncertainty about the effectiveness of conventional treatments.
The ongoing technological advancements and augmentation in manufacturing processes are changing the composition of wastewater. Thus, efficient industrial wastewater treatment plays a critical role in water quality management. It is possible to treat a wide range of effluents by integrating conventional and new technologies. For example, conventional treatment can reduce organic constituents and inorganic solids from coke oven wastewater, whereas novel adsorbents can reduce source-specific constituents. Thus, such hybrid treatment would help to recycle tough-to-treat wastewaters.
ZLD is considered an emerging alternative to reduce the water demand of the industry. As the name indicates, ‘Zero Liquid Discharge’ eliminates all liquid waste from the system. In ZLD, wastewater is treated, reused, and the residues are concentrated and disposed of in solid form. Bioprocesses and membrane filtration-based solutions are adopted for the treatment of industrial wastewater. Thermal technologies like multi effect evaporator (MEE) and mechanical vapour recompression (MVR) are used to concentrate inorganic constituents. This helps the industries to maximise water recovery.
There are a multitude of measures that citizens, industries, and authorities can adopt to bring about a notable change in the water conservation scenario. The first step, however, is to acknowledge that water is a valuable resource and implement water reuse on an organisational as well as individual level. Every drop counts!
– Nandan Prabhune and Sayali Jadhav, Water and Waste Solutions
For enquiries related to clean air, clean energy and clean water solutions, reach out to us at enquiry@thermaxglobal.com or call us at 1800-209-0115.
Author: Thermaxqaz
Clean Air
Cleaner Technologies for a Greener Tomorrow
Air is vital for the survival of most organisms on earth. With the advancement in technology and the industrial revolution, major air pollutants have been released into the air, causing widespread pollution. High levels of pollution can increase the risk of respiratory infections, among other adverse health outcomes. A major example of the ill effects of air pollution is the ozone hole in the atmosphere formed due to the release of harmful chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons which causes ozone degradation on an unprecedented scale. Such events serve as a reminder of the importance of maintaining strict parameters to ensure that air pollution is minimised.
Types of Air Pollutants
Any material which, when released into the air, can cause adverse effects on humans and the ecosystem are termed air pollutants. Pollutants can be suspended solid particles, liquid droplets or gases. Pollutants are classified as primary or secondary. Primary pollutants are usually produced by processes such as ash from a volcanic eruption or carbon monoxide emitted from vehicles. Secondary pollutants, on the other hand, are not directly emitted. When two or more primary pollutants react with each other, they often give rise to more harmful secondary pollutants. Ground-level ozone is a prominent example of a secondary pollutant.
Most air pollutants are anthropogenic i.e. of human origin. The most prominent pollutants include:
- Carbon dioxide (CO2): Described as ‘the leading pollutant’ globally due to its capabilities as a greenhouse gas, air pollution is often measured with respect to net carbon emission. Billions of tonnes of CO2 are emitted annually, leading to an overall rise in global temperature and resulting in drastic weather conditions and a rapid rise in sea levels across the world.
- Sulphur oxides (SOx): Most common pollutant belonging to the sulphur oxide family is sulphur dioxide (SO2). SO2 is naturally produced in volcanoes but is mainly emitted in various industrial processes. Coal and petroleum also contain sulphur compounds in various forms, and their combustion releases sulphur dioxide as a major pollutant. Further oxidation of SO2 can occur but only in the presence of a catalyst such as NO2, giving rise to sulphuric acid (H2SO4), which then forms acid rain. This is one of the causes for concern over the environmental impact of the use of these fuels as power sources.
- Nitrogen oxides (NOx): Nitrogen oxides, most commonly nitrogen dioxide, are produced by high-temperature combustion in industries and modern car engines fitted with internal combustion systems. They are responsible for smog formation, which can be seen as a brown haze above cities reducing visibility to mere metres and increasing the chances of accidents.
- Carbon monoxide (CO): Carbon monoxide is a highly toxic gas formed mainly by the combustion of fossil fuels such as natural gas, coal or wood. Vehicular exhaust thus contributes to the majority of carbon monoxide released into the atmosphere. It is also responsible for smog formation, which is known to cause multiple lung disorders and disruptions in the ecosystem as well.
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC): VOCs are a well-known group of outdoor air pollutants. They are categorised as either methane (CH4) or non-methane (NMVOCs). Methane is an extremely efficient greenhouse gas which contributes to global warming. Other hydrocarbon VOCs are also significant greenhouse gases because of their role in creating ozone and prolonging the life of methane in the atmosphere.
- Particulate matter: Aerosols and Particulate Matter (PM) are mostly produced by human activities such as the combustion of fossil fuels in automobiles, power plants, and numerous industrial processes. An increase in the levels of fine particles in the air leads to health hazards such as heart disease, more commonly occurring along with altered lung function and lung cancer. Particulates are related to respiratory infections and can seriously affect those with conditions like asthma.
Control of Air Pollution
Thermax has a long and distinguished history of providing environment-friendly solutions that help their customers to protect the environment while not compromising on their production efficiency. Since 1980, the Air Pollution Control arm of Thermax has grown to become a globally renowned brand for industries concerned with the control of particulate and gaseous emissions. Thermax delivers the best solutions to its customers while making use of its extensive engagement with diverse sectors and collaborations with major companies in the field. Thermax’s solution offers double benefits to process-driven industries like cement, steel, aluminium, copper, etc., helping them recover products at various stages of plant processes and also comply with stipulated emission norms.
- Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) is a flagship product of Thermax, working successfully across heavy polluting sectors, including power, cement, steel, non-ferrous metallurgical and fertilisers. The Electrostatic Precipitators (ESPs) come in two variants, dry ESP and wet ESP. The former is used on hot process exhaust (50 – 450°C) that operates above the dew point of the gas stream, while wet ESPs are part of a special application system and are used for filtering wet sticky, tarry and oily particulate matter. It is capable of capturing 100+ types of particulate matter from 1 micron to 1000 microns and can filter out harmful particles such as coal as well as 50+ types of biomass fuel from being emitted into the environment.
- Pulse Jet Bag Filters – Bag filters offered by Thermax are typically of two distinct types – pulse jet bag filters being one of them. Thermax has patented highly technical and innovative pulse jet bag filters. Pulse jet bag filters with filter bags of length more than 6 metre are equipped with unique pulsing systems where bags are cleaned sequentially, even when the dust-laden gas is filtered. The cleaning is controlled automatically by a sequence controller. This operates the assembly of solenoid and pulse valves which direct the airflow into manifolds. Pulse jet bag filters are thus designed to achieve maximum cleaning efficiency.
- Reverse Air Bag Houses – Thermax has developed several fabric filtration systems, with one of the most significant milestones being the installation of reverse air bag houses for cement kiln and sponge iron industries. In reverse air bag houses, the bags are fastened onto a cell plate at the bottom of the baghouse and suspended from an adjustable hanger frame at the top. Dirty gas flow normally enters the baghouse and passes through the bag from the inside, and the dust collects on the inside of the bags.
Reverse air bag houses are compartmentalised to allow continuous operation. Thermax’s RABH has four or more independent modules – the modules are set in pairs when the gas flows are on the higher side. Each module can be isolated for inspection or maintenance by closing the inlet, outlet and reverse air damper while other modules are in operation. The flow of the dirty gas helps maintain the shape of the bag. However, to prevent total collapse and during the cleaning cycle, rigid rings are sewn into the bags at intervals. RABH are an innovative solution to help get rid of air pollutants.
- ComboFilter – ComboFilter is the latest innovation in air pollution control technology that has been developed by Thermax after extensive research and development. ComboFilter is designed to help old pollution control equipment meet stringent environmental norms. A ComboFilter is a combination of an Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) and a Bag House Filter (BH), which offers the advantages of both systems. ComboFilter offers the benefit of easy coagulation and precipitation of particulate matter through electrostatic precipitation and further reduction of emission through the usage of filter media. ComboFilter is the ultimate solution to comply with the revised stringent emission norms by retrofitting a few fields of the ESP to BH.
- Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) – FGD is a process that can achieve SO2 removal with more than 97% capture efficiency. A Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) system is majorly available in three variants – Wet Flue Gas Desulphurisation (WFGD), Spray Dryer Absorber (SDA) and Dry Sorbent Injection (DSI), each with distinctive capabilities for emission control. The systems use alkali reagents for sulphur dioxide (SO2) removal. In addition to SO2 removal, these systems also treat HCl, HF, SO3 and fly ash.
- Scrubbers – A scrubber is a versatile system capable of handling a wide range of gas volumes for scrubbing the acidic/alkaline nature of gases, hygroscopic, adhesive and explosive materials. It is designed for both particulates as well as gaseous pollution abatement. The variants available for particulate scrubbing are venturi and cyclonic.
Thermax believes that clean air, free of pollution, can be achieved only by working together and cooperating to create a sustainable ecosystem where technology can peacefully co-exist with nature. With its technologies and innovations in the field of energy and environment, Thermax empowers the customer to contribute to the development of a better future. Thermax’s efficient and stringent pollution control solutions ensure that the invaluable natural resource – air, remains free from pollution.
For enquiries related to clean air, clean energy and clean water solutions, reach out to us at enquiry@thermaxglobal.com or call us at 1800-209-0115.
Let’s together save #OurPlanetOurHome
Let’s together save #OurPlanetOurHome
Earth is home to millions of species of organisms with each distinctly different from the other. Humans are a part of this wonderful family and are the most advanced species to walk on the planet. In ancient times humans worshipped nature and lived in harmony with the environment. But with the advent of the industrial revolution in the 19th century, this harmony was destroyed. Rampant pollution and exploitation of natural resources for profit maximisation began. Today we are staring at a future of record global warming, climate change and a catastrophic rise in sea levels. All-time high temperatures across the globe, waning polar ice cover and unequal rainfall patterns are the consequences of centuries of over-exploitation. If we do nothing to stop this change, we can lose the earth as our home.
In order to save millions of lives from an unprecedented climate crisis, various climate action plans have been formulated and climate conventions have been held. India has taken a lead role in these climate summits and has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2070. This includes developing sustainable alternatives to current options in many critical sectors like power and reducing vehicular and industrial emissions which cause rampant pollution.
Developing solutions to protect the environment
To save the Earth for future generations, it is thus important for us to take up the responsibility to restore the planet through developing eco-friendly technologies as well as growing focus on reducing the exploitation of natural resources and controlling environmental pollution. India on its part has undertaken several high-level projects to reduce its carbon footprint in addition to developing safeguards to protect the environment. For example, replacing coal, which contributes to more than 70% of all Indian electricity generation with solar power. Many industries are also aligning themselves to the Sustainable Development Goals to develop without harming the environment. Thermax is focussed on bringing sustainability to the entire production process – right from sourcing, manufacturing, supply chain management, distribution and consumption.
Thermax’s offerings in waste heat recovery, biofuels, solar, Bio CNG, waste to energy etc., show its commitment to protecting the environment. In addition to contributing to global sustainability, Thermax’s solutions also strive to contribute substantially to the global priority areas of energy conservation, environment protection and enrichment of society.
Controlling Air Pollution
Air pollution is a major contributor to environmental pollution. Harmful gases emitted by vehicles and heavy industries on a regular basis cause global warming and lead to environmental pollution. Thermax offers multifold benefits to industries like cement, steel, aluminium, copper, etc., helping them recover products at various stages of plant processes and also comply with stipulated emission norms.
Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) is a flagship product of Thermax working successfully across heavy polluting sectors including power, cement, steel, non-ferrous metallurgical and fertilisers. The Electrostatic Precipitators (ESPs) come in two variants, Dry ESP and Wet ESP. The former is used on hot process exhaust (50℃ – 450℃) that operates above the dew point of the gas stream while wet ESPs are part of a special application system and are used for filtering wet, sticky, tarry and oily particulate matter. It is capable of capturing 100+ types of particulate matter from 1 micron to 1000 microns and can filter out harmful particles such as coal as well as 50+ types of biomass fuel from being emitted into the environment.
Scrubbers- A scrubber is a versatile system capable of handling a wide range of gas volumes for scrubbing the acidic/alkaline nature of gases, hygroscopic, adhesive and explosive materials. It is designed for both particulates as well as gaseous pollution abatement. The variants available for particulate scrubbing are venturi and cyclonic.
Bag Filters- These come in two variants – the Pulse Jet Bag Filter and Reverse Air Bag House with each involved in particulate emission control or product recovery in a boiler, furnace, kiln or mills. It is capable of handling 100+ types of particulate matter and is highly efficient in removing particulate matter from emissions.
Water Pollution and Effluent Control
Thermax is one of the leading companies in providing water and waste solutions for the past four decades to help several industries reduce fresh water consumption as well as reuse and recycling of wastewater. Thermax offers a wide range of sustainable options to control industrial water pollution as well as providing solutions to achieve Zero Liquid Discharge.
Zero Liquid Discharge – Zero Liquid Discharge is a wastewater recycling process used to limit liquid waste by removing all waste liquids and completely reusing the wastewater which is normally dumped in water bodies polluting them. Thermax has erected several cost-effective systems to recycle wastewater and provides Zero Liquid Discharge solutions for various industrial sectors. ZLD can be used by thermal technologies such as evaporators like Multi Effect Evaporation (MEE). Although short-term costs of production increase with the ZLD system but the long-term benefits far outweigh conventional options.
Wastewater Treatment -Thermax offers customised as well as standardised wastewater treatment plants for industries, housing societies, and commercial complexes. These solutions can greatly reduce the emissions of an industrial plant in addition to increasing the longevity of existing systems. Wastewater contains industrial wastewater and domestic sewage. Wastewater treatment plants are designed using a combination of physical, chemical and biological processes, so that treated water could be discharged into the environment or reused further.
Desalination- We have a large deposit of virtually unusable water in the form of oceans that cover over three-fourths of the planet because of a high amount of suspended solids like sodium chloride (table salt) which makes it unfit for use – both for drinking as well as for commercial purposes. Desalination involves the removal of these dissolved minerals from seawater and brackish water (a mixture of fresh water and ocean water) to reduce the strain on freshwater resources like rivers and streams. Desalination has grown to be accepted by many major industries, which are looking to invest in desalination plants to reduce their dependence on freshwater resources for the operation of their plants.
Solar Energy Solutions
With solar PV installations spread across industries and geographies, Thermax is helping customers generate green energy and minimise electricity costs. Thermax has a wide range of solar options for its customers to choose from –
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 huge savings and reducing the carbon footprint as well.
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 life cycle 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 the latest Li-ion technology to provide reliable and long backup. It can also form a hybrid system with solar PVs and the solar power grid.
Waste to Energy Technologies
‘Waste to wealth’ is the main principle of sustainable development and generation of sustainable energy. Waste products such as biomass play a very important role as substrates to be used in energy generation. Biomass and ‘waste to energy generation’ are some of the most promising technologies to look forward to trying and developing independence from fossil fuels. Some of these are listed below:
Biomass-Powered Boilers – Biomass is renewable organic material that comes from plants and animals and is a major producer of methane gas. These are produced in large quantities and are mostly dumped in landfills wasting their potential for energy generation. Thermax offers several advanced technologies to tap into this potential for providing renewable energy.
Thermax has developed boilers with the capability of using biomass as the source of fuel instead of fossil fuels like coal without compromising on the quality of their products. These boilers have various benefits including fuel flexibility, low maintenance, high efficiency, high availability, and reliability.
Waste To Energy – A waste-to-energy plant is a type of advanced waste management facility that combusts waste to produce electricity. This type of power plant is sometimes called a trash-to-energy, municipal waste incineration, energy recovery, or resource recovery plant.
Spent Wash (Vinasse) Fired Boiler- Boiler that will generate steam and power using highly polluting distillery waste – spent wash – as fuel. Distilleries can be highly polluting as 88% of their raw materials result in waste, which is discharged into fields and water bodies. Spent wash is one of the polluting byproducts of the distilling process in molasses-based plants. By generating steam from the spent wash, molasses-based distilleries can significantly reduce their energy costs. Thermax has pioneered the development of such boilers to combat the highly polluting nature of vinasse and has successfully installed them at various locations in India and abroad.
Waste Heat Recovery Power Plants – WHR power plants use waste heat from various sources like cement kilns, blast furnaces, sponge iron kilns, gas turbines etc. and convert these to power, thereby reducing the consumption of fossil fuels. WHR power plants help the customer in moving towards sustainability by reducing the carbon footprint of their operations. With the fuel being practically free, setting up a WHR power plant also helps in improving profitability. Thermax has been at the forefront of commissioning waste heat recovery power plants for more than a decade. Thermax provides a wide variety of customised, turnkey energy solutions to utilise waste heat from various processes and applications.
Thermax believes that by working together and cooperating we can create a sustainable ecosystem where technology can peacefully co-exist with nature. With its technologies and innovations in the field of energy and environment, Thermax empowers the customer to contribute to the development of a better future. Thermax’s solutions ensure better resource productivity, efficient use of energy, as well as cost savings and subsequently, help our planet in the long run.
For enquiries related to clean air, clean energy and clean water solutions, reach out to us at enquiry@thermaxglobal.com or call us at 1800-209-0115.
Best dating sites
Many local newspapers had online personals in the mid 1990s but were bought out by these big dating sites. From some of the comments it really shows how desperate dating sites are for money that they even advertise in comment sections. You have a much better chance going to local events and you will probably spend less than what you would spend on an online dating site.
Other apps have indicated that they might actually move closer to Facebook. For example, Bumble, founded by a former Tinder executive, said they had already reached out to Facebook regarding how to collaborate. And, “One thing everyone seems to agree on is that Facebook’s effectively endorsing online dating will be a huge legitimization event for the industry,” says Jefferies Internet analyst Brent Thill. According to Amanda Bradford, chief executive of The League, an elite dating app, “Facebook is validating that dating is a high-tech industry with really interesting and hard problems to solve. Still, Facebook could face some obstacles in building enough separation between the dating service and the legacy social network; some users might not like having both activities live on one app.
After giving him some time to cope with his cat passing away, he made plans to see her again and she was thrilled. He canceled the date last minute again because he said his grandma had died. Although this seemed too tragic to be true, she gave him the benefit of the doubt that he was telling the truth. Additionally, if someone is giving you a checklist right away of all of the things they want in a future partner, this may be a red flag for some controlling behaviors. It’s one thing if they express their non-negotiables but it’s another thing entirely if they are listing required traits. If you feel like someone is already trying to change things about you to suit their needs, that’s not okay. How someone initiates a conversation with you will say a lot about how they view you as a person and how they might treat you as a partner.
Online dating users are more likely to describe their overall experience with using dating sites or apps in positive, rather than negative, terms. Some 57% of Americans who have ever used a dating site or app say their own personal experiences with these platforms have been very or somewhat positive. Still, about four-in-ten online daters (42%) describe their personal experience with dating sites or apps as at least somewhat negative. Happily, there are some dating services that are looking to overcome the vanity. For example, Hinge matches people based on personality and preferences and lets you create a more interesting and rounded profile to draw people in. One of the few dating sites designed for affairs, Ashley Madison connects users for discreet encounters.
Basically all a guy like you has to do is instantly grab her attention in a memorable way with both your profile and your messages, then spend the least amount of time possible convincing her to meet you in person. For those who are hesitant to enter the online dating world for reasons related to safety or awkward conversation lulls, Double aims to take the pressure off with Double dates as opposed to one-on-one.
State things that are really important to you and be done with it. Connor turned an attempt at small talk into a rant about “gold-digging whores,” and the dating app was not having it. Matt- But what about when you said you would meet me in real life and we would lose our virginity together. One Love educates young people about healthy and unhealthy relationships, empowering them to identify and avoid abuse and learn how to love better. If you are going somewhere that serves alcoholic beverages, most bartenders are using secret codes to help customers signal, privately, when they need help if they’re getting harassed or feeling unsafe on a bad date.
With no financial requirement, free sites will naturally attract a greater proportion of people who are not really committed to finding a genuine relationship. Memberships you gain additional features such as being able to send more messages and receiving event discounts.
Act on Climate: A clarion call
Act on Climate: A clarion call
Climate change is the biggest threat the world is facing today. From developed countries to developing ones, climate change is a menace all across. According to the United Nations, the climate change that we are witnessing today is caused by several factors such as generating energy, manufacturing goods, deforestation, vehicular emission, waste generation etc.
The effects of climate change are equally varied including hotter temperatures, more cyclonic storms, increased droughts, rising sea levels, loss of biodiversity, food scarcity, more health risks, poverty and displacement etc.
COP26
Given the alarming level of climate change and the far worse consequences it entails, the world leaders and governments across the world met at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, in November 2021 and pledged to act on climate change mitigation. The COP26 called for the adoption of the Glasgow Climate Pact – a commitment to reach global net-zero emissions target by 2050. The climate pact sought to keep global temperature rise at a 1.5ºC level.
However, the reality is that at the current level we are headed for 2.4ºC warming.
On 28th February 2022, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its latest report, which suggested that the climate breakdown is taking place faster than anticipated, thereby closing the window of taking action fast. The report was approved on 4th April 2022, by 195 member governments of the IPCC in March 2022.
‘Red Code for Humanity’
The report suggests that the world must cut its total emissions by 45% by 2030 to avoid climate catastrophe. At current levels, global emissions will increase by almost 14% over this period. If this is the case, the plant will face irreversible impacts such as melting ice caps, frequent and intense weather events, and immense biodiversity and ecosystem loss. The latest report on climate change from the United Nations noted that at least 3.3 billion people’s daily lives are “highly vulnerable” to climate change, and people are 15 times more likely to die from extreme weather than in years past, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report said.
Rightly the UN secretary-general, António Guterres termed the report the ‘red code for humanity.’
The Swiss Re Institute also finds that the world stands to lose 10% of total economic value from climate change by 2050 if net-zero targets aren’t met. Asia, which has been the cynosure of economic growth in recent decades, stands to lose 26.5% of GDP by 2050, while Africa and the Middle East could lose up to 27.6%.
It’s time we started our act on climate change to stop irreversible damage otherwise an already fragile planet and the socioeconomic system will become even more unstable if enough isn’t done to curb climate change.
Thermax’s role in combatting climate change
Thermax Ltd. is a leading global company providing sustainable solutions for energy and the environment. Thermax group has been pioneering products and solutions that help companies achieve better resource productivity and improve their bottom line while maintaining a cleaner environment.
‘Act On Climate’ is a clarion call encouraging individual action on climate change and sustainability. Thermax, through its gamut of sustainable solutions in clean air, clean energy and clean water, and continuous investment in R&D, is well-positioned to contribute to climate change mitigation.
Thermax Ltd. offers these solutions targeting these areas as part of its energy and environment businesses.
Energy
The fast-declining fossil fuel reserves and the high CO2 footprint associated with their use are forcing governments and industries to look into the areas of renewables, efficient use of fuels, capturing of waste heat, besides new energy applications.
Thermax group, with its Energy business, helps industries transit to a ‘clean energy future’. Equipped with a wide range of energy-efficient solutions from Thermax, industries can easily meet their sustainable energy goals.
Thermax group offers heating, cooling, power solutions through the Energy segment. The company also provides outsourced utility delivery solutions on the Build-Own-Operate model.
Thermax’s Projects and Energy Solutions offers captive power plants, cogeneration systems, waste heat recovery power plants and independent power plants in the utility space on EPC basis. With Thermax’s legacy in heat transfer technology, environmental engineering and in-house capability of manufacturing almost 35% of power plant equipment, it is best placed to execute projects on turnkey basis.
The company’s Process Heating product portfolio consists of packaged boilers, thermal oil heaters, heat recovery boilers and hot water generators, among others.
A leader in vapour absorption cooling and heating systems, Thermax supplies chillers worldwide for industrial refrigeration, air conditioning, process cooling and heating. It also provides wet and dry cooling solutions for energy-efficient process cooling.
Thermax Babcock & Wilcox Energy Solutions (TBWES), a 100% subsidiary of the company, offers steam generation solutions for process and power needs. It also provides renovation and modernisation services for old boilers and process furnaces. Thermax has a strong edge in setting up best-in-class captive power, cogeneration and trigeneration plants on an EPC basis, with a current contracted base of more than 3,400 MW.
Solar solutions are a highlight in the Thermax green energy basket. Thermax has completed more than 150 projects, mainly of rooftop solar PV plants, on an EPC basis, aggregating to more than 70 MW of green power generation.
Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Thermax Onsite Energy Solutions Limited (TOESL), the company provides ‘green’ utilities on a long-term contract basis. The business spans investing, installing and operating plants on customer premises, along with supply chain management of all consumables, including biomass fuels.
Environment
Concerns over air pollution and effluent management have led to process-driven industrial sectors adopting and practising stringent regulated environment norms. Thermax supports these industries through its Air Pollution Control (Enviro) business. Thermax offers pollution control systems for particulate and gaseous emissions, and FGD (Flue Gas Desulphurisation) systems to mitigate SOx emissions in thermal power plants.
Through its Water and Waste Solutions (WWS) business, Thermax provides its expertise and customised solutions to industrial and commercial units. The WWS business offers water treatment solutions for process requirements, besides sewage and effluent treatment. It uses its advanced technological know-how for recycling water in water-scarce areas.
Till date, the Environment segment has successfully completed over 47,000 installations across various industries, including food & beverage, energy, oil & gas, cement and steel.
R&D
In view of the growing demand for solutions in these areas, Thermax has been making steady investments with a robust R&D infrastructure. They are targeted at enhancing its digital capabilities to further strengthen its competitive edge by offering IoT services, leasing, technology collaborations and R&D to drive sustainable solutions in new energy areas, such as fuel cells, coal gasification and Thermal-HVAC. The company’s investments are also aimed at augmenting its technological prowess in the key areas of water purification, ensuring zero liquid discharge, and minimising air pollution
From controlling emissions to minimising waste discharge and maximising recycling, Thermax’s solutions are helping customers manage the environmental impact of their business and contribute to global climate change mitigation.
For enquiries related to clean air, clean energy and clean water solutions, reach out to us at enquiry@thermaxglobal.com or call us at 1800-209-0115.
GreenEnergyToNature – Managing the environmental footprint
Driving the world towards a greener tomorrow
International Energy Association (IEA), in its annual update on global developments in energy efficiency for the year 2021, interestingly mentioned energy efficiency as the ‘first fuel’ of a sustainable global energy system as it still represents the cleanest and, in most cases, the cheapest way to meet our energy needs.
Energy efficiency is a globally shared goal that can be achieved through the utilisation of ‘Green Energy’. While renewable energy sources such as solar energy, wind energy, etc. clearly show up as the major green energy sources, the utilisation of process heat, off-gas, bio and industrial wastes by technologies such as heat transfer technology, waste heat recovery technology etc. have no less significance in building greener ecosystem.
Thermax: A Pioneer in Green Energy
Since its inception in 1966, Thermax Ltd. has been steadily growing as a leading sustainable solutions provider in the areas of energy and the environment in the world. Today, the company’s role is even more pronounced in the industrial energy efficiency space. As part of its commitment to a greener and better world, Thermax has relentlessly been working to encourage and inspire industries to optimise energy and reduce emissions through the use of green energy.
As part of this R&D infrastructure, the company has been involved in technology development and adaptation for various applications. Over the years, Thermax has formed technology partnerships with global majors, including Babcock & Wilcox, USA (boilers), Balcke-Duerr GMBH, Germany (dry electrostatic precipitators, regenerative air gas heaters and pulse jet bag filters), Lambion Energy Solutions, Germany (grate technologies) and Marsulex Environment Technologies, USA (wet and semi-dry flue gas desulphurisation technology), Power Roll (developing unique, low-cost and lightweight, flexible solar films), Steinmuller Babcock Environment (Municipal Solid Waste fired waste to energy boilers) and ExactSpace Technologies (AI solutions to decarbonise industrial plants and eliminate unplanned failures).
Thermax’s Green Energy Portfolio
Thermax’s offerings in the green energy portfolio include heating and cooling equipment; biomass-based boilers, balance of plant; turnkey captive power plants; waste heat recovery units; systems for water and wastewater management and air pollution control; solar systems for power generation etc.
Leveraging its expertise and years of experience, Thermax continuously innovates and introduces environment-friendly and carbon-neutral solutions for replacing most fossil fuels with commercial benefits. It has streamlined the power and steam generation process for many client industries by efficient use of heat transfer technology, waste heat recovery and engineering prowess, ensuring benefit from low energy costs and reduced carbon footprint in the long run.
Thermax’s green energy portfolio consists of mainly four areas – heating, cooling, power generation and renewable energy.
Heating
Thermax, through its Process Heating business as well as the wholly-owned subsidiary, Thermax Babcock and Wilcox Energy Solutions, provides steam generation solutions for process and power needs. The company offers a range of boilers capable of running on various solid, liquid and gaseous fuels, including biogas, heat recovery from gas turbine/engine exhaust, waste heat recovery and fired heaters for various industrial processes and applications.
Thermax has developed in-house expertise and self-reliance in manufacturing these boilers and serves industrial segments spanning steel, refineries, petrochemicals, power, cement, sugar, fertilisers, paper, chemicals, non-ferrous metals and textiles across the globe.
Cooling
Thermax’s absorption cooling and heating solutions range has been designed to offer ‘profit from heat’ to the user industries. These absorption cooling and heating solutions help industries minimise their operational expenses without damaging the environment by using water as the refrigerant.
Thermax’s absorption cooling and heating solutions cater to industrial applications ranging from -40°C to 180°C to meet customer needs in conjunction with efficiency enhancement. By harnessing waste heat from various applications, Thermax has improved productivity and operational excellence across multiple industries, such as recovering ultra-low pressure vapour in fried snack industries, recovery-based solutions in CHPC (Combined Heating Power and Cooling), pioneering inlet air cooling in chemicals/fertiliser industry and so on. Absorption cooling and heating solutions cover a standardised product range to exclusively customised solutions that are ideal for various customers across the industrial spectrum.
Projects and Energy Solutions
The Projects and Energy Solutions (P&ES) division of Thermax Limited is a leading EPC solutions provider with extensive experience in building and commissioning turnkey captive power plants as well as independent power plants.
P&ES has expertise in the area of combustion of over 100 different fuels and waste heat recovery solutions. Thermax’s expertise in heat transfer technology, environmental engineering and in-house capability of manufacturing almost 35% of power plant equipment such as boilers and auxiliaries, air pollution control systems, water management systems, and air-cooled condensers makes it the best to execute projects on turnkey basis.
Renewable Energy
Besides offering solar rooftop and ground mounted solutions, Thermax, through its subsidiary, First Energy Private Limited, has diversified its offerings in green energy with solar hybrid farms and storage batteries. The solar rooftop solutions can generate free electricity for more than 25 years, while the ground-mounted solar installations offer high ROI during the life cycle of the project, taking the customer’s manufacturing facility towards self-reliance for its power needs.
The innovative solar thermal hybrid systems introduced for cooling and heating areas enable industry processes and solutions to become energy efficient. In addition, the company provides end-to-end solutions, from concept to commissioning and operation and maintenance (O&M) support in solar PV systems.
Build-Own-Operate (BOO) Model
Thermax’s commitment to promoting green energy doesn’t stop with offering green energy products and services. The company has created an entire business model – Build-Own-Operate (BOO) – that helps industries adopt green energy solutions in a faster and easier way.
Thermax Onsite Energy Solutions Limited (TOESL) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Thermax that offers outsourced plant utilities through the Build-Own-Operate (BOO) business model wherein Thermax invests, installs and operates the utility plant on customer premises as well as undertakes its comprehensive operation and maintenance along with supply chain management of all consumables including biomass fuels.
This helps customers get relief from the burden of owning and running these utilities, and they are able to focus more on their core manufacturing processes.
As per IEA, energy intensity – a key measure of the economy’s energy efficiency – has improved on average by 1.3% a year over the past five years. However, it is down from 2.3% between 2011 and 2016 and well below the 4% as described in the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario over 2020-2030. There has been a slowdown in the global energy intensity growth, and going by this trend, the rate of energy efficiency improvement needs to double from current levels to match the gain forecast in the IEA Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario.
Thermax, with its vision and vibrant presence in green energy solutions, thanks to its R&D technological tie-ups, is well poised to drive the industry towards a greener energy ecosystem and the planet towards a better and sustainable future.
For enquiries related to clean air, clean energy and clean water solutions, reach out to us at enquiry@thermaxglobal.com or call us at 1800-209-0115.
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Sustainable Energy is the Future!
Sustaining the Environment
Climate change has reached an alarming level where it is pushing industries and governments across the world to take immediate corrective measures. One of the key factors contributing towards rapid climate change is the reckless use of hydrocarbon fuels for energy generation. This poses major threat to the environment with its unbridled emission and carbon footprint. The solution to stop the rapid degradation of climate and environment lies in the use of renewable energy sources for energy generation.
Energy is the keystone on which our modern civilization is based. The energy-hungry world requires huge quantity of energy – most of which is still met by coal and other fossil fuels – to fulfil everyday requirements. Sustainable energy is the process of energy generation that meets the needs of the present generations without compromising those of the future generations. Sustainable energy is all about finding clean and renewable sources of energy – sources of energy that renew themselves in place of conventional energy sources that deplete gradually and are harmful to the environment.
Advantages of Sustainable Energy
Several forms of energy are sustainable to the environment. In addition to the most commonly considered sources such as wind, solar, and water, bio-energy and geothermal energy are also renewable sources. Bio-energy is the process of creating energy from biological masses such as straw, manure and other agricultural by-products, while solar energy is energy harnessed from the sun.
Sustainable energy is not only naturally replenished, but it causes no harm to the environment, as there are no greenhouse gasses or other pollutants emitted. Sustainable energy solutions are the best for our homes and businesses as they are not only renewable but are also frequently developed closer to the end-user as compared to conventional power generation systems. Many are already making a move towards solar, wind, cleaner fuels and other sources of sustainable energy. Due to multiple government policies and the development of cost-effective technologies, the price of sustainable energy solutions has decreased dramatically in the last decade, making them more affordable than ever.
Thermax believes that sustainable energy is the future. We, at Thermax, have been working extensively to develop innovative solutions for a sustainable energy future.
Waste to Energy
‘Waste to wealth’ is the main principle of sustainable development and generation of sustainable energy. Waste products such as biomass play an important role as substrates to be used in energy generation. Biomass and ‘waste to energy’ generation are some of the most promising technologies to look forward to trying and developing independence from fossil fuels. Some of these are listed below:
Biomass-powered boilers: Biomass is renewable organic material that comes from plants and other natural wastes. These are available in large quantities and are mostly dumped in landfills, wasting their potential for energy generation. Biomass boilers come with the capability of using biomass as the source of fuel instead of fossil fuels like coal, oil & gas without compromising the quality of the output. These boilers have various benefits, including fuel flexibility, low maintenance, high efficiency and high reliability.
Waste to Energy: Through waste-to-energy solutions, various types of wastes such as waste/exhaust heat/biomass/bio-waste can be recovered/utilised to produce energy in the form of steam or power. These type of solutions encompass waste-to-energy power plants, municipal waste incineration boilers, waste heat recovery power plants, etc..
Spent wash (vinasse) fired boiler: Spent wash is one of the polluting by-products of the distilling process in molasses-based plants. Distilleries can be highly polluting as 88% of their raw materials result in waste which is discharged into fields and water bodies. By generating steam from the spent wash, molasses-based distilleries can significantly reduce their energy costs.
Spent wash (vinasse) fired boiler is the answer to combat the highly polluting nature of vinasse. This type of boiler generates steam and power using highly polluting distillery waste – spent wash – as fuel.
Waste heat recovery power plants: WHR power plants use waste heat from various sources like cement kilns, blast furnaces, sponge iron kilns, gas turbines etc. and convert these to power, thereby reducing the consumption of fossil fuels. WHR power plants help the customer move towards sustainability by reducing the carbon footprint of their operations. As the fuel for this plant is practically free, setting up a WHR power plant also helps in improving profitability.
Solar Energy Solutions
Solar energy is the most widely available and the most common sustainable energy solution to further the sustainable development goals of individuals as well as industries. The recent advancements in technology coupled with various government incentives have made solar energy an attractive alternative for many.
Solar rooftop: Solar energy offers an excellent return on investment (RoI) while utilising the rooftop space of your facility. Solar rooftop solutions can generate free electricity for more than 25 years, resulting in huge savings and reducing the carbon footprint.
Solar ground mounted: Thermax has an excellent track record of installing ground-based solar power projects. Ground-mounted solar installations deliver unbeatable ROI during the lifecycle of the project, taking the 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 a solar power grid.
Sustainable energy generation is inevitable to stop climate change and global warming that would result in severe consequences for both humankind and the planet as a whole. Sustainable energy solutions also offer respite to the energy producers, industries and governments in tandem in the face of rising coal and petroleum prices. With its technologies and innovations in the field of sustainable energy, Thermax helps customers navigate their journey towards sustainable energy solutions for a better future.
Let’s Foster Change #TogetherForOurPlanet
The Unprecedented Global Crisis
Amid the biggest climate crisis the planet is witnessing, where temperatures are forecast to rise above the 1.5°C warming threshold by 2040, we can no longer sit and do nothing. Scientists have warned that the predicted rise in global temperature will lead to catastrophic results which will affect the entire planet. Flooding of coastal areas will occur due to increasing sea level – over 70% of the earth’s coastlines are likely to disappear under seawater, meaning beaches will erode and our coasts will be flooded, and land will shrink in size. Meanwhile, extreme heatwaves and drought will become commonplace and fresh water will become more difficult to source.
All of these above problems have a common cause – global warming. One of the main perpetrators of global warming is excessive levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in our atmosphere. Billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide released by countries through the use of fossil fuels like coal and oil to power their economic development account for over 84% of all greenhouse gases released globally. The fact that we have removed at least a third of all forests, thus removing the natural capacity to absorb carbon, has accelerated the problem of global warming. Coal-powered thermal power plants still contribute as a major source of power to industries as well as residential areas. Automobile exhausts are choking the air in major cities like Delhi (India), which regularly features on the list of the cities with the worst air quality. Furthermore, the global demand for water is increasing rapidly due to rising population and growing industrialisation, thus making the availability of clean water a pressing concern.
This underlines the urgent need to move towards cleaner and greener sources of energy and adopt water conservation strategies to save the planet as well as save ourselves. Natural resources are finite and will be exhausted in the future. Thus, it becomes important for us to develop capacities to harness alternate sources.
How Can We Mitigate This Crisis?
Green Energy Solutions
The key to mitigating the effects of damage caused by the use of fossil fuels is renewable energy. Renewable energy resources are sources of clean, inexhaustible and environmentally conservative energy. Above all, they do not release greenhouse gases or pollutants that can cause climate change. Renewable energy sources are growing in popularity due to increased public awareness about climate change issues, and governments around the world have declared zero carbon emission targets that they hope to achieve in the coming future. India, in particular, has introduced a PLI scheme to incentivise manufacturers to develop solar energy capacity and has introduced several infrastructural projects to further the use of electric vehicles, which will mitigate some of the emissions released from automobiles. Such schemes go hand in hand with the active participation of the entire manufacturing industry to develop capacity for renewable energy and reduce dependence on fossil fuels for conserving the environment.
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. Its offerings in waste heat recovery, waste to energy, biomass-based solutions, solar, and bio-CNG show commitment to delivering clean energy. Thermax regularly introduces environment-friendly and carbon-neutral solutions which are capable of replacing most fossil fuels with commercial benefits.
Water Conservation Technologies
In a world where freshwater resources are shrinking every year, reusing and utilising recycled water has become a necessity. Over the last four decades, Thermax has been continuously developing and innovating products, systems and services for water and wastewater management.
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 solution help customers conserve valuable water resources giving Thermax a decisive advantage when compared to its peers.
Air Pollution Control
To control industrial emissions, which form a major part of air pollutants in India, Thermax has unveiled several advanced, state-of-the-art technologies to control the emissions from industries. Since 1980, the Air Pollution Control (APC) business of Thermax is a focal point entity for enterprises concerned with the control of particulate and gaseous emissions. Thermax caters to various heavy metal processing industries such as steel, aluminium, copper, etc., and helps them to reduce suspended particles in emissions at various stages of the plant processes. Our offerings like electrostatic precipitators, scrubbers and combofilters help industries capture both particulate and gaseous pollutants and thus, comply with the strict stipulated emission norms.
Thermax believes that by working together and cooperating with one another, we can stop global warming and other catastrophes that would result in severe consequences for both humanity and the planet as a whole. Over the years, it has partnered with customers to help them trace their decarbonisation journey, reduce freshwater consumption and become green champions, thus facilitating them to come ‘Together For Our Planet’.
For enquiries related to clean air, clean energy and clean water solutions, reach out to us at enquiry@thermaxglobal.com or call us at 1800-209-0115.
Water Recycling: Need of the Hour
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:
- 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.
- Clarifiers: Uses settling tanks to separate solid particulate matter from the liquid.
- Filters: Removes the finer impurities from water by using a physical barrier.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
