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GPG OUTBRIEF 29
Blowdown Recovery System for Cooling Towers
If you missed our latest webinar on a Green Proving Ground (GPG) assessment of a blowdown recovery system for cooling towers, a recording of the webinar and presentation slides are now available.
Many thanks to the presenters and participants for their thoughtful questions, some of which are answered below:
Q: Where can I find your cooling tower management best practices or resources?
Q: Is an enhanced discharge permit required due to the increased concentration of reverse osmosis (RO) reject discharge to the sewer?
A: This was not required at the testbed in Las Vegas. However, the requirement for an enhanced discharge permit may vary depending on your location, site specifications, and other factors. Check with your local utility.
Q: Where is this technology best suited?
A: The technology is applicable to any cooling tower. In general, consider the following for prioritizing alternative water treatment technologies:
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The cost of water/sewer rates (> $10/kgal is a general guideline)
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The length of time the cooling towers run (> 6 months a year is a general guideline)
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If the site is at risk for water shortages
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In new construction or if the site is undergoing a major renovation, installation will be more cost-effective.
Q: Are the membranes a proprietary material, or can they be purchased from local sources?
A: Only the controller itself is proprietary. All of the other materials can be procured from commercial-off-the-shelf sources.
Q: What is the processing capacity in gallons per minute (gpm) of the skid-mounted AWT system?
A: The vendor has skid-mounted standard systems that process 5–40 gpm of blowdown. Custom systems are available for larger blowdown requirements.
Q: Can this be tied into an existing filtration and reverse osmosis system on the site?
A: This technology may be used with an existing sidestream filter. This requires installing a flanged spool piece on the sidestream filter outlet (for the inlet and outlet piping of the blowdown or blowdown recovery system).
If the RO system is used to treat the condenser water makeup, it may be possible to pipe the concentrate from the RO to the blowdown recovery system for even greater water savings.
Q: Can you talk to hard water levels and how this impacts where this system is viable?
A: The blowdown recovery system can operate at any hardness level set by your water treatment provider.
In some cases, water and sewer savings can be increased by combining a partial water softening system from the same vendor with the blowdown recovery system.
Reference to any specific commercial product, process, or service does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof.
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