We are discussing about wastewater treatment. We focus here on laundry laboratories and industrial laundries. Anyone that is familiar with the work, processes, and intervention techniques of water purification knows very well that standard solutions are now slowly disappearing, being replaced with solutions specifically tailored to the customer’s needs. As these needs are now manifold and varied, now we can rarely find pre-packaged intervention measures. The keyword is customization. But what are the most commonly used intervention techniques for water purification? Which is the most commonly used technology? How can the plant efficiency be guaranteed, particularly with regard to after-sales maintenance services? Public authorities require the compliance with increasingly stringent parameters in line with the requirements of the ecological transition and the Green Deal, to which all market operators, especially those from the laundry sector, are required to comply with
“The water purification system specifically used for treating wastewater from industrial laundries, says Giovanni Pio, Technical Sales Manager at DEPUR PADANA ACQUE, is biological and is based on the activity of a biomass composed of various microorganisms (mainly bacteria, but not exclusively). These microorganisms literally feed on the contaminants present in the wastewater, metabolizing them and transforming them into other substances that are no longer harmful to the environment. For more than 10 years, biological treatment plants have also been using M.B.R. (Membrane Bio Reactors) technology. This involves innovative purification systems that use special ultrafiltration membranes to separate the activated sludge from the purified water.
These are highly effective systems both for their high purification efficiency and because they significantly reduce the space occupied by the plant, especially the volume of the tanks, which has always been a real problem of the traditional biological plants. Additionally, MBR systems allow for water recycling, which is an essential part of the entire purification process. It should be pointed out that this technology can also be applied to already existing plants, for example, as part of a technological upgrade or to increase their capacity (up to doubling it) without requiring the construction of new tanks. Biological water purification plants are highly reliable as they provide consistent purification over time with low operational costs, also thanks to the necessary scheduled maintenance. However, the direction is clear: the goal is to reuse the purified water for laundry washing.
In order to achieve this result, the plant must be equipped and supported with additional equipment that allows for monitoring (including remotely) the entire process and significantly recovering water. Our strength lies in our over forty years of experience in the water purification market, with a growing and consolidated position. We are not only able to supply the water purification systems but also to provide punctual after-sales support across the entire national territory (including the islands). This represents a significant added value as well as a fundamental commitment to our customers, as maintaining the systems in full efficiency is crucial to ensure the expected results,” concludes Giovanni Pio.
As ÉCOSÌ, you primarily focus on detergents and washing methods, but which are the activities developed by your company in the field of wastewater treatment?
We ask Antonio Ciccarella, head of the Laundry division.
“For about fifteen years, Écosi’ has developed a plant for the wastewater treatment and reuse through a chemical treatment system that allows the elimination of “dirty and exogenous” substances. Thanks to surfactants, the residual water has a strong cleaning power. We are able to reuse this water 100%. The chemical role is important, and in this way, the water is completely recyclable. With this technique, we have currently managed to treat up to two thousand litters of water daily. One of our customers – a laundry in Emilia – quite large, equipped with four washing machines – and processing about 1.000 kilograms of laundry per day, is using around 5.000 litters of water per day. We are able to reuse, as mentioned, 2.000 litters of that water. It is obvious that during the treatment, a small quantity of water is being lost through sludge and drying, so about 10% of the water needs to be refilled. The competent authorities advised this customer to install a water purification system in the shortest term; otherwise, they would find themselves in the situation to suspended their activity. We proposed them a customized project, and within eight weeks, we delivered the system, allowing the laundry to continue its activity”.
But what does involve the chemical treatment?
The chemical treatment consists of an advanced oxidationreduction reaction that treats the effluent (wastewater from washing) with chemical additives capable of degrading pollutants. This is a Fenton reaction, an oxidation-reduction process by adding hydrogen peroxide and ferrous sulphate, which react to produce free radicals capable of oxidizing and degrading the pollutants. The next step is the flocculation of the sludge by means of flocculating agents, that separate the degraded material from the from the reusable water. The sludge is separated by filtration and dried, while the filtered water is collected and reused for textiles washing. When it comes to chemical products and detergents, we are working on increasingly biodegradable compounds. Almost all of our products use surfactants of vegetable origin, which makes them biodegradable. Therefore, our focus on ecology involves both trying to reuse water by reducing or even eliminating waste, and making our detergents biodegradable”.
For ITALHYDRO, we spoke with Luca Dal Lago, the owner and the technical manager of the company based in Thiene, near Vicenza. “From the modern industrial laundry perspective, water recovery has become now a key element. All our water purification systems are designed and dimensioned according to this opportunity. We work mainly with industrial laundries, and over 40% of our turnover comes from the recovery systems, even for those who already have a purification plant and decide to upgrade it for water reuse. Recovered water has superior chemical/physical and qualitative properties compared to mains water, enhancing washing standards”.
Which kind of intervention techniques do you use?
“Our solutions are customized based on the technical and environmental specifications, as well as the available space for sizing. Membrane systems, biological purification systems, molecular cutting systems, and ultrafiltration systems are in our DNA. Thanks to our extensive experience, we have developed software capable of monitoring and managing remotely the plant’s operations, alarms, and cleaning processes, allowing us to resolve and prevent issues that used to cause significant disruptions”.
Do you only operate in Italy or also abroad?
“Our company operates 70% in Italy, with other areas of activity in the Balkans and Mediterranean countries. In Italy, there are regions where drought and water costs are driving companies to maximize water reuse. The water scarcity forces authorities in some areas to impose rationing for the industrial sector in order to prioritize access for tourism and civil purposes. In the Greek islands, there is a problem both with the availability and the quality of water, requiring major treatments”.
Are there other reasons for which water purification is necessary?
“Apart from the well-known legal requirements, there shouldn’t be neglected either the significant increases imposed by local operators nor the ethical aspect. Ensuring “sustainability” with efficiency and water treatment reuse offers the opportunity to penetrate the market more easily, not only in the health care sector, but also with public administration or large brands where these requirements have now become mandatory”.
Which is your customer approach?
“Study and analysis to tailor a customized intervention. We use many information detectors, webcams, and surveillance systems, including on mobile devices. All our plants are structured to be constantly monitored remotely, allowing us to perform thorough analyses and provide prompt assistance in case of issues. In the field of research and development, the level of water recovery has reached very good results (over 70%), so we are now focusing on optimizing energy savings by aiming for self-sustainability while maintaining the heat of the recovered water”.
We meet Franco Fodaroni, the owner and technical manager of WTP, a company based in Città di Castello, in the province of Perugia.
What does the acronym WTP mean?
“WTP, is an acronym for Water Treatment Process, and it represents over thirty years of passion and expertise in the water treatment industry. From the earliest stages of each project, WTP offers personalized consultancy, based on on accurate water characterization studies, led by a team of highly specialized technicians. Each plant is a tailor-made solution, designed to meet the specific needs of each customer”.
How do you actually support the client?
“WTP’s commitment extends beyond just designing systems. We offer comprehensive support that goes beyond maintenance, including ongoing management of the plants. Using innovative technologies, we monitor the plants remotely, to ensure maximum efficiency in water purification treatment. An in-house laboratory, with dedicated technicians, ensures that each plant operates at its best, guaranteeing optimal purification. In the industrial laundry market, we stand out for our ability to provide tailor-made systems that meet every need, both for complying with discharge limits and for reusing process water”.
Which are the techniques or solutions that you focus on in your interventions? “Our solutions range from chemical-physical treatment plants to biological activated sludge plants (both traditional and MBR), and also include final finishing processes with technologies such as Reverse Osmosis and Ultrafiltration, among others”.
Lately there are public incentives for supporting those who want to invest in technology and eco-sustainability. What do you think about this, and which is your approach regarding the customers, in this sense?
“Our plants comply with the requirements specified by the 4.0 Industry Plan, ensuring that our clients can access the fiscal and financial benefits. Additionally, we are already working to make our systems comply with the latest 5.0 Industry standards, focusing on advanced automation, sustainability, and humanmachine integration. In addition to design and construction, we provide comprehensive post-sales support, covering all technical, bureaucratic, and operational aspects”.
Is there any particular reason for the focus on water purification lately?
“In the recent years, the attention on water purification has increased significantly for several reasons. First of all, there is a growing awareness of the importance of preserving water resources, not only for environmental reasons but also to ensure the long-term sustainability of industrial activities, industrial laundries included. Efficient water management and water purification have become essential to reduce environmental impact and to optimize the reuse of process water, minimizing waste.
Furthermore, the introduction of increasingly stringent regulations and the incentives from programs like the 4.0 Industry Plan has pushed the companies to equip themselves with water purification systems that meet the highest standards. This is not only to obtain the related tax benefits but also to improve operational efficiency and ensure compliance with discharge limits imposed by the law. Adding to this is the emerging 5.0 Industry, which emphasizes the integration of advanced technologies and sustainability, forcing companies to continuously innovate their water treatment systems to keep up with new requirements. Purification is therefore no longer seen only as an operational necessity but also as a strategic investment for the future, capable of enhancing a company’s competitiveness while protecting the environment”. •
by Marzio Nava
DETERGO Magazine # September 2024
