Industrial Water: Functions & Aspects You Must Consider

Have you heard about industrial water? This kind of water is different from potable water that you drink daily. Industrial water is the special water produced for manufacturing purposes, especially in machine cooling and boiler usage.

The water management may be distinct from drinking water or household water because it requires special equipment. Want to know more about industrial water? Read the explanation below.

What Is Industrial Water?

Industrial water is the water used in a factory’s manufacturing process as one of the raw materials or for cooling equipment. Typically, industrial water is used to wash, dissolve, cool, and transport products.

Water is highly required in the production process, and almost every step needs water. The byproduct of the manufacturing processes utilizing water is industrial water and wastewater.

Both industrial water and wastewater must be managed properly based on their characteristics. For example, an industry may need demineralized water, meaning that they must demineralize water or do reverse osmosis to get demineralized water.

Demineralized water is frequently chosen to clean factory machines. After all, it does not contain minerals, making it safer for machines because it prevents corrosion of the machines.

Some industries that need massive industrial water are the dairy industry, beer and soda factories, textiles, automotive, paper and wood industries, sugar factories, and many more.

Then, is industrial water similar to drinking water? It is important to note that industrial water is not safe for consumption. Yet, you can use it to wash equipment.

Functions of Industrial Water

Industrial water is not only used to cool products and clean equipment but also for other functions. Here are the functions of industrial water you must know:

Manufacturing products, such as plastic, food, textiles, and more.
Cooling machines, tools, and processes to prevent damage due to excessive heat.
Creating steam to rotate the turbine in power plants.
Cooling the power plants’ generators.
Cleaning manufacturing equipment and the factory area to maintain its cleanliness and prevent contamination on products.
Transporting chemicals, raw materials, or products through a pipeline or conveyor.
Dissolving or triggering a chemical reaction on chemicals.
Managing wastewater by removing contaminants and purifying it before disposing of it.
Purifying and distilling water for chemical processes, beverage making, and pharmaceutical product making.
Setting the humidity and temperature of the factory based on the regulations.
Washing, cooling, and extinguishing iron during the production process.
Dyeing and finishing the cloth fiber.
Cooking, washing, packing, and cooling food products.
Creating pulp and molding paper.
Lab testing and medicine making.
Becoming a factory safety system during the fire.
Making glass, rock, and concrete.
Irrigating the farm and conducting seeding in the agricultural industry.

Parameters You Must Monitor in Industrial Water

As mentioned before, industrial water is crucial in supporting the manufacturing process. That’s why it is critical to always monitor the water quality and ensure that the water meets the applicable standards. Below are some parameters you must consider in industrial water:

Turbidity: Turbidity is a parameter measuring how clear the water is. If the water appears muddy, most probably there are particles in it.
pH: pH is the acidity and alkalinity level in water. This parameter has a significant impact on many manufacturing processes and wastewater treatment.
Temperature: Temperature must be monitored continuously to adhere to the standard, smooth the production process, and maintain the ecosystem health in the factory.
Conductivity: This parameter measures the ability of water to conduct electricity and looks at the ionic content of the water.
Ammonia level: Measuring ammonia levels in water is essential for monitoring organic contaminants in wastewater.
Dissolved oxygen level: This parameter measures the level of dissolved oxygen in water for the health of benthic organisms (organisms that live at the bottom of the water) and the life of organisms in various layers of water.
Taste and odor: Taste and odor can determine the water quality.
Heavy metal: Measuring heavy metal levels in water to see potential hazards to human health and ecosystems.
Organic content: Measuring organic compounds in water to assess wastewater safety and detect water pollution.
Microbiological indicators: Measuring the presence of microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses to assess water cleanliness.
Phosphate level: Phosphate levels are usually associated with algae and eutrophication in water.
Nitrate and nitrate-nitrogen level: Measuring nitrate and nitrate-nitrogen levels for industrial wastewater control.

Aspects to Consider in Using Industrial Water

In utilizing industrial water, especially for production purposes, you must consider some aspects:

1. Contaminant

You must ensure that the water is contaminant-free. If you detect a pollutant in water, you must measure and remove it. You may also perform industrial wastewater treatment to prevent the spread of contaminants.

2. Testing and Monitoring

Regular testing and monitoring must be done to test the water quality. You might need chemical, microorganism, and pollutant testing to determine whether you need advanced action on the water.

3. Wastewater Management

Wastewater management must be carried out to ensure that the water disposed of is safe and follows the regulations. Wastewater can be treated physically, chemically, and biologically to remove harmful contaminants.

4. Ecosystem Monitoring

You need to monitor the water quality and the ecosystem condition to make sure that it does not harm the aquatic life and ecological balance.

5. Reusing and Recycling

You can encourage the reuse of water to decrease freshwater usage by implementing a safe water recycling program.

6. Industrial Water Management

Even though not all water must be specially managed, industrial water management can be an option to avoid possible risks. Some common methods to manage industrial water are filtration, alkali reduction, reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, water desalination, and ion exchange.

That is the information about industrial water you must know. Water is one of the important parts of the manufacturing process. Industry may need clean water, wastewater management, and demineralized water in the production process.

Regarding this, Krakatau Tirta Industri, as an affiliated company of Chandra Asri Group, provides industrial water services. Some of the services available are clean water supply services for various industries, high-quality demineralized water, and wastewater treatment for companies and industries that meet quality standards.

So, make sure to entrust your industrial water needs to Krakatau Tirta Industri!