Steel Industry Water Treatment
Industrial wastewater treatment covers the mechanisms and processes used to treat waters that have been contaminated in some way by anthropogenic industrial or commercial activities prior to its release into the environment or its re-use. Most industries produce some wet waste although recent trends in the developed world have been to minimise such production or recycle such waste within the production process. However, many industries remain dependent on processes that produce wastewaters. Water is mainly used as a cooling medium in direct contact with the steel products (e.g. in continuous casting plants and hot rolling mills) but also for indirect cooling. But water has other uses too: for the cleaning of process gases, as a lubricant and for rinsing and flushing purposes during steel pickling. For the steel industry, therefore, it is essential to have access to water of good quality, and in sufficient quantity, as well as ensuring that water outflows meet the standards for good water quality
The steel industry requires large volumes of water for its processes. All plants therefore lie in the vicinity of a ready water supply.
The conversion of iron or steel into sheet, wire or rods requires hot and cold mechanical transformation stages frequently employing water as a lubricant and coolant. Contaminants include hydraulic oils, tallow and particulate solids. Final treatment of iron and steel products before onward sale into manufacturing includes pickling in strong mineral acid to remove rust and prepare the surface for tin or chromium plating or for other surface treatments such as galvanisation or painting. The two acids commonly used are hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid. Wastewaters include acidic rinse waters together with waste acid. Although many plants operate acid recovery plants (particularly those using hydrochloric acid), where the mineral acid is boiled away from the iron salts, there remains a large volume of highly acid ferrous sulfate or ferrous chloride to be disposed of. Many steel industry wastewaters are contaminated by hydraulic oil, also known as soluble oil.
The steel industry is a highly competitive market with producers constantly seeking new methods of process optimisation to allow for cost reductions.
Through the appropriate management and protection of assets and equipment using water, the primary metals industry can benefit from longevity of plant and make long term savings, while chemical optimisation can impact upon short and long terms costs.
GWS has experience within the primary metals industry, particularly in respect of steel works, coupled with the technology to enhance production through cost effective chemical applications and water treatment services.
If you are looking for a water treatment provider for the steel or wider primary metals industry,GWS has the strong infrastructure and understanding to introduce efficient technologies, while addressing water consumption and offering solutions focused on the sector’s environmental responsibilities. Whether it’s boiler and cooling water treatment, water sampling and analysis or scale, fouling and corrosion monitoring you need professional support with,GWS range of water treatment and wastewater treatment services include the solutions applicable to your primary metal production needs.
Treatment Segments:
- Aerators, Flash Mixers, Flocculators Clarifier
- Parallel Plate separator, Tube Settler, HRSCC
- Clariflocculator Sand Filtration
- Dual Media Filters
- Activated Carbon filters, Ultra Filtration Mill Scale Filtration
- Chlorination
- Side Stream Filter, Softener
- Chemical Dosing System
- DM plant
- RO unit
- Ultra Filtration
- Condensate Polishing
- Backwash/DM Water treatment
- Cooling Tower/Boiler Blow down
- Moving Media Bioreactor, MBR systems, Sewage Recycle Plant
- API/Tilted Plate Interceptor (TPI)