Do you know the top industrial uses of water? Find out all about it here and learn why water treatment for industrial businesses is so important to the Earth.
Water is essential for our day-to-day lives. Besides facilitating our survival, water is also crucial in the operation of our industries.
Unbeknown to most people, industrial water goes through regular treatment just like our drinking water. Many industries have incredibly high water usage potential. As such, they need proper water treatment setups for the smooth operation of these industries.
Examples of these industries include the brewery industry, automotive industry, paper mills, and the oil and gas sector.
In this piece, we’ll highlight some of the main industrial uses of water in various industries. We’ll also expound on why water treatment is so essential for these industries.
Top Industrial Uses of Water
Water is a fundamental requirement for most steps in the operation of industries. Without a constant supply of water, a lot of industries would crumble. Take, for instance, the recent California drought that led to the decline of a lot of industries.
Industries need a lot of water for their usual functioning. In developed countries, as much as 45% of all water demand comes from industries. This huge demand poses a significant challenge for the world as it gets more industrialized.
Administrative bodies are trying to find out how industries can use water more efficiently. That way, these industries won’t have to compete with the human population for water use.
Here are a couple of industrial uses of water:-
Semiconductor Manufacturing
Semiconductor manufacturing requires ultrapure water because of the sensitivity of the manufacturing process. Semiconductors are essential elements of all electronic devices.
Semiconductors are found in our phones, computers, and TVs too. These companies need lots of ultra-pure water to dislodge impurities from silicon wafers.
Due to the sheer amount of water used in semiconductor manufacturing, companies have to come up with efficient water use methods. Semiconductor manufacturing firms like Intel have come up with innovative water reuse methods to reduce the amount of water they use.
Paper Mills and Pulp
The paper industry remains one of the largest industries in the world. This is despite the rise in digitalization and the growing dependence of mobile phones.
Water is a very crucial commodity in the pulp industry. In fact, the pulp industry uses water in about 85% of all the processes.
You can break down pulp processing into three main steps: pulp processing, pulp making, and paper manufacturing.
Apart from these processes, water remains a crucial commodity in other processes like washing, bleaching, and even cooking.
Water for Cooling
One thing we know about these large industrial machines is that they generate a lot of heat. Too much heat and these machines would break down in their entirety.
Heat is a form of energy that needs to be transferred from one body to another. While there are so many coolants available today, water remains the most readily available and cheapest.
Sometimes, the heat these machines generate doesn’t only ruin the machines. The warm temperature might be conducive to microbial and fungal growth. This growth is a health hazard in the food industry and other industries too.
Oil Industry
Water is a raw material in the oil extraction and production industry. Not a lot of water is used in the oil industry. However, the industry can’t function without water.
The oil industry also uses water for cooling, tank cleaning, and injection water. So even though water and oil don’t mix, they have to in the oil industry.
Importance of Water Treatment for Industries
Water treatment is the process of improving water quality for particular end-use. Water treatment isn’t only for drinking water. Water used in industries and that coming out of industries also need treatment.
The ill-conceived notion that water is an unnecessary expense couldn’t be more misguided. This notion only holds if you don’t prioritize the quality of your products. What’s more, you stand to benefit more from improved processes and thousands in maintenance savings.
Here are a couple of reasons why water treatment is important for industries:-
To Control Microbial Fouling
Microbials in your industrial plants could lead to consumers getting sick from your products. Not to mention, the government has pretty stringent regulations against microbial contamination.
Industries use water to control any contamination of your machines by microbial. You’ll clean industrial plants and machines with water, thus controlling the spread and proliferation of these bacteria.
Apart from being a health hazard, microorganisms also lead to scaling and corrosion of a system. It will cost you much more to get rid of these scaling and corrosion afterward. In extreme cases, you may have to replace entire machine parts.
Energy Production
We all know that water is a crucial source of energy. However, did you know that you can also produce electricity during the wastewater treatment process?
In fact, a wastewater treatment plant can operate using electricity it generates on its own. So with wastewater treatment, you’ll get to save a bit on power. You can also sell the surplus energy to the national power grid and earn some extra cash.
Environmental Protection
Wastewater is pretty harmful to the environment. Remember, wastewater contains chemical pollutants and a lot of toxic chemicals.
It is dangerous to leave this waste out there in the environment. Unfortunately, not many industries take precautions when it comes to environmental friendliness.
With the current green wave, being environmentally careless could put you out of favor with your customer base.
Industrial Water Treatment Translates to Prosperity
By choosing to treat industrial water, you’re doing both your business and the environment a huge favor. Industrial uses of water are manifold, but you have to treat this water accordingly to serve its intended purpose.
Remember, you also get to save your industry a lot of money by treating industrial water. However, just ensure you choose the correct wastewater treatment plant and choose the right people for the job.
If you fancy more enticing and informative pieces, be sure to check out our other articles.
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