Closed Loop Wash Water Recycling System

Any business having to manage wastewater produced by an equipment wash rack knows the challenge of remaining both effective and environmentally compliant with regard to water treatment. 

Wastewater Disposal

Water consumption and wastewater disposal costs really add up.  If you find your water retention system building up sludge, it piles on additional expenses for cleanout and possible compliance issues. 

Depending upon your location and available waste disposal service options, paying to pump out a wastewater retention reservoir can be extremely expensive. 

The cost of paying to extract, transport, and dispose of wastewater is only outweighed by the danger and cost of a recordable event by contaminating the environment due to an improperly operated or designed water containment system. 

The costs and risks associated with single-pass water treatment systems have made them fewer in number than they once were and have paved the way for closed loop water treatment.

Closed Loop Water Treatment Basics

Closed loop water treatment systems for equipment wash racks are becoming increasingly popular among businesses.  Closed loop treatment systems provide an efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly solution for managing wastewater.  These wash rack wastewater treatment systems work by recirculating the water used while washing equipment, filtering out contaminants, and reusing the treated water. 

Closed loop systems consist of several components, including a holding tank, filtration system, pumps, and controls.  There are various technologies that can be applied to best clean the specific wastewater being processed.  Mechanical filtration, chemical treatment, and bio-treatment solutions can be applied individually or in combination to properly treat the water. 

The concentrations and particle sizes of dirt, grease, oil or other chemicals all contribute to determining which solutions to apply in treating water for re-use. 

One of the main benefits of using a closed loop water treatment system is that it reduces the amount of water waste generated from equipment washing activities.  By using a system that deals with wastewater filtration for wash rack equipment, you significantly lower water consumption and water cost.  Recycling wash water also greatly reduces environmental impact. Additionally, closed loop wash systems can help prevent contamination of the area surrounding the wash station further protecting the environment. 

Closed loop water treatment systems maximize flexibility.  A closed loop system can be customized to meet the specific needs of different applications such as different wash rack volumes or types of contaminants being removed. 

While there are many benefits to using a closed loop water treatment system for equipment washing, it is important to note that proper maintenance and upkeep are essential for ensuring that the system operates properly over time.  Routine inspections and consumable parts replacements such as filters are necessary to optimize system performance and maximize the life cycle of the equipment. 

Closed loop water treatment systems offer an effective and efficient solution for managing wastewater generated by pressure-washing equipment.  These systems provide cost savings, benefits for your environmental compliance, and operational flexibility.  A properly designed and maintained water treatment system provides long-term benefits for your business while protecting the environment. 

Closed Loop Wastewater Treatment Design

The fundamentals of a closed loop water treatment system are fairly easy to understand but system design and installation are critical to an effective system. 

While each individual component of a closed loop water treatment system is simple, properly integrating the components and matching them to the overall application requires some expertise and experience.  Like any system utilizing numerous technologies, system reliability relies heavily upon good system design. 

A deep dive into system design is beyond the scope of this post but it is important you have a basic understanding of the variables that can affect your system performance if the builder does not plan for them. 

Some of the key elements that the designer has to consider while specifying and matching system components include: wash water volume, wash water pressure, wash water temperature, any solids content including type of solids and particle size in wastewater, detergents or cleaning agents, hydrocarbon contaminants, chemical contaminants, utilities available to the wash rack location, wash rack covering options to control external water from other sources such as rainwater. 

The message regarding system design is to be sure to have a competent and experienced designer for any wastewater treatment system to be assured of a properly operating and reliable wash system.