Commercial process water as well as condensation water from industrial evaporator systems can contain a variety of impurities. Different conditions arise due to the specific processes and materials used in the respective industry. Read here how such water can be turned into clean water using the light liquid separator technology from LK Metallwaren GmbH.

What at first glance appears to be almost pure water is in practice often contaminated with various pollutants and requires professional treatment before it can be reused or discharged into bodies of water. Organic substances, salts, chemicals and other residues may be present. To comply with environmental standards and ensure the reusability of the water, effective treatment of this condensate is required - specialized separator solutions and downstream treatment processes enable efficient separation of contaminants.

Origin of condensation water

Industrial condensate is produced when steam that has been evaporated from a (contaminated) liquid is cooled and collected in liquid form, i.e. as a distillate.

This process is often used to concentrate wastewater (e.g. in zero liquid discharge concepts) or to recover valuable materials, with the condensate falling off as apparently clean water. In reality, however, this condensate usually contains a large number of dissolved or entrained impurities. These primarily include highly volatile organic compounds - such as medium residues, volatile fatty acids or alcohols - which pass over with the water vapor and end up in the condensate.

In addition, ammonia and other gaseous substances can also pass into the condensate, as can very fine droplets or aerosols of less volatile substances if evaporation is not completely selective. In addition, the composition of such condensates is often subject to considerable fluctuations, e.g. due to changes in the raw waste water, the production process or the operating point of the evaporators (e.g. vacuum level or temperature). In practical terms, this means that condensate cannot usually be directly reused or disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner without further treatment. All in all, this results in a wastewater stream which, despite its clear appearance, requires a well thought-out cleaning strategy.

Light liquid separators: How they work and areas of application

Light liquid separators from LK-Metallwaren are high-performance separators that are also used for the treatment of water upstream and downstream of the evaporator thanks to their unique design and physical separation. The LK separators are able to effectively remove coarse and fine impurities from the volume flow. This reduces the load on the downstream treatment stages.

In addition, the separators are designed for industrial use and are characterized by their high resistance to chemical influences and mechanical loads. The systems can be easily integrated into existing plants without the need for extensive conversion work - even mobile units on trailers (e.g. the "LK Oilmaster") are available.

Treatment processes with LK separators

The treatment of water in conjunction with evaporator systems takes place in several steps, as different pollutant groups require specific methods. Light liquid separators typically play a central role in the first stage of such a treatment concept so that subsequent purification stages can work effectively: The separator removes oil, coarse solids and suspended solids from the water stream flowing to the evaporator and in the outgoing water stream. This is based on a proven separation process patented in the 1980s.

After mechanical separation, the condensed water can be subjected to chemical treatment in order to neutralize dissolved pollutants. Precipitants or other chemical reagents can be used for this purpose. In some cases, biological treatment may be required to break down organic contaminants. The separators help to reduce the load on the biological treatment stages. Post-treatment may be required to ensure that the legal limits are met. This can take the form of filtration, membrane processes or disinfection.

Environmentally friendly solution for the treatment of contaminated water

The use of LK light liquid separators in condensate treatment offers a number of advantages in terms of cleaning performance and efficiency. Firstly, the high separation efficiency ensures that the applicable limit values for oil and hydrocarbon content can be reliably adhered to. The systems from LK-Metallwaren offer a consistently high cleaning performance, even under changing inlet conditions. This has been confirmed by their design in accordance with the relevant DIN standards, which means, for example, that they meet the strict Class I requirements of EN 858-1 (maximum residual oil content of 5 mg/l in the effluent) and therefore represent an environmentally friendly solution for the treatment of oil-contaminated water.

The sustainable use of water as a resource also significantly reduces water consumption in production. Last but not least, the company's experienced service teams offer support with planning, commissioning and maintenance, which further simplifies integration into existing processes. In one hydropower plant, for example, an LK separator with sludge trap was installed in the existing infrastructure within just a few weeks - including customized adaptation to the installation situation and training of the operating personnel.

Conclusion

Wastewater treatment from industrial evaporation plants is a complex but necessary and holistic process that requires careful planning and implementation. With the right combination of physical separation, chemical-biological treatment and supplementary fine cleaning, even heavily contaminated and hot condensates can be cleaned safely. Their use minimizes the environmental impact and conserves valuable resources. This makes the use of LK separators in the treatment process a decisive factor for safe operation and represents an effective approach to minimizing environmental impact and complying with legal requirements.