Equipment
ProductsOil/Water
SeparatorsWastewater
Recycling SystemsIndustrial Wastewater
Treatment SystemsWash Water
Recycling SystemsFloor Scrubber Water
Recycling EquipmentUltrafiltration
Water SystemsServicesOnline System Analysis,
Monitoring & MaintenanceSystem Design
& Pilot StudiesIn Plant Feasibility
Testing
Arbortech Corporation
3607 Chapel Hill Rd
Johnsburg, IL 60051
Phone: (815) 385-0001
Fax: (815) 385-0089
E-mail: sales@arbortech.com
www.arbortech.com |
Trade Articles
|
|
Resources |
Modern Application News February 2010 Metalworking News for Todays Job Shop - Aqueous Cleaner Recyclers
Coolants / Lubricants / Filters Products
Recycle Aqueous Cleaners
Arbortech's Washer Washer system is a simple approach for recycling aqueous cleaners. This system helps to improve parts' cleanliness, minimize effluents, reduce haul-away, cut utility bills and lower chemical usage by extending the life of water-based cleaning solutions. Dirty cleaning solution is continuously gravity fed to the process tank where it is pumped through a membrane. There, portions of the dirty cleaner are purified (recycled) by passing through the S.S./TiO2 membrane and sent back to the wash tank. This recycled cleaner is called permeate. The remaining, uncleaned or reject solution is returned to the process tank. This is a perpetual process - continuous removal of oily waste from the cleaner tank, 24/7, and greatly extends the useful life of the cleaning solution. The process tank is periodically emptied of concentrated oily waste.
Close
Process Cleaning Magazine September/October 2009 - Washers Recycle Aqueous Cleaners... With a Twist
Washers Recycle Aqueous Cleaners... With a Twist
Arbortech Corp. celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Washer Washer, its line of standard systems designed for recycling water-based cleaners.
The company's Washer Washer brochure details nine key benefits that can be derived from recycling cleaning solutions. A basic list of evaluative questions is provided to preliminarily establish viability of the process in any given application. A comprehensive questionnaire is also available which, upon its completion and return, can be used to submit a free calculator that will enable the end user to determine monthly savings with a Washer Washer in use. The effects of contamination on cleaning are discussed, and photographs of typical systems are also included.
According to the company president, the systems are particularly notable for their longevity: "After 10 years in service, the next membrane replaced due to failure to perform will actually be the very first."
Close
Process Cleaning Magazine September/October 2008 - Midwest Engine Manufacturer Finds Big Savings
Midwest Engine Manufacturer Finds Big Savings with Arbortech's Washer Washer
During the last half of 2005, a paint defect in the chromate/e-coat paint line at an engine manufacturer surfaced in which series of pin hole "dots" down to the surface of the substrate material were forming. Corrosion protection for the parts became an immediate concern.
During the course of the process to resolve these issues, one potential cause was uncovered through performing daily and free alkalinity testing on the cleaners being used, among other things. It was found that the "usable" cleaner (free alkalinity) left in the fluid was virtually non-existent, not only after fresh tank charges but also on an ongoing basis. In order to maintain a sufficient level of this free alkalinity level, total alkalinity (total concentration) was raised to such a point that white surface residue would be left from the cleaner.
After analyzing this data, tank dump and recharges were shorted to every two weeks, sometimes even more frequent. It became evident that better controls were needed to help remove the contaminants that were causing the cleaner to be consumed.
Investigation/Testing
Testing throughout this process showed several issues that could be controlled in the cleaner stages of the system that would aid in resolving the paint defects. The testing showed several that the cleaner's free alkalinity level was quickly being used up by strontium leeching out of the parts and tying up the cleaner. As alluded to previously, in order to keep the free alkalinity level sufficiently high, overall concentration needed to be raised to a point where solving one problem created surfactant residue problems.
To combat these issues, two actions were taken. The chemical manager and the paint engineer worked with safety personal to implement proper safety equipment and cleaning processes, thereby ensuring that the tanks and piping within these systems were properly maintained. The second issue that the chemical manager worked on was to investigate and research filtration units in which a semi-permeable membrane would remove the portions of the cleaner that were "used-up."
Research into the different equipment on the market led to the purchase of two Washer Washer Aqueous Cleaner Recycling Systems (each one a model WW1MO) from Arbortech Corporation out of Johnsburg, IL. Arbortech, an award-winning manufacturer of customized membrane systems for wastewater treatment, felt its best match for this application was the Washer Washer, the company's line of standard systems designed for recycling water- based cleaners. They had worked with this manufacturer before, providing earlier generation membrane systems, and pilot-testing confirmed the Washer Washer's ability to accomplish this task. One WW1MO was purchased for each cleaner tank on the paint line and both were implemented in the February/March 2006 timeframe. Each WW1MO was positioned in front of and dedicated to one tank.
Once these units were implemented, the chemical manager continued to perform the daily total and free alkalinity testing on each of the tanks. The two-week dumping frequency mandated was removed and tank dumps were to be based upon data collected from the cleaner testing. The chemical manager also assumed the task of logging daily throughput readings on each WW1MO to ensure that the membranes were operating efficiently.
Results
Since the implementation of the two Washer Washers from Arbortech, the engine manufacturer has been able to move the cleaner tank dump and recharges from a two-week frequency to an average of 5.5 weeks over the course of the first year of operation. This frequency decrease has provided the manufacturer with cost savings on cleaners as well as on their waste treatment costs, not to mention water conservation and less labor hours.
Cost / Benefit |
Costs |
Washer Washer, model WW1MO |
$19,756 each |
$39,512 |
Stands for Units |
$1,040 each |
$2,080 |
Miscellaneous (Fittings, labor) |
$4,000 |
|
Total |
$45,592 |
Benefits (Actual) |
Cleaner Costs Savings |
$37,901.74 |
Waste Treatment Costs Savings |
$ 7,108.92 |
|
Total |
$45,010.66 |
ROI |
ROI = Costs of Implementation / Benefits |
ROI = 45,592 / 45,010.66 |
ROI = 1.01 years |
The overall cost savings through the course of the first year were $45,010.66, not including reject reduction savings resulting from the improved cleanliness of parts coming out of the wash operation and the beneficial downstream effects (like less rings water overflow and longer salt sprays from better paint adhesion to consistently cleaner parts), which are more difficult to quantify.
With implementation costs of $45,592, the Return On Investment for this project was one year.
For additional information about this project and/or how recycling might save your money in your aqueous cleaning processes and increase the quality of your parts, contact Ray Graffia, Jr., President of Arbortech Corporaton at (815) 385-0001 , email sales@arbortech.com or visit www.arbortech.com
Close
Gear Product News Magazine October 2006 - Arbortech Helps Reliance Gear Clean Up Its Act
ARBORTECH HELPS RELIANCE GEAR CLEAN UP ITS ACT
"I CAN REMEMBER THIS LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAYLATE SUMMER OF 2004. HOT DAYS, HOT NIGHTS AND A WHOLE LOT OF GEARS TO GRIND. BUSINESS WAS VERY GOOD FOR US THEN, SAME AS IT IS TODAY, BUT ONE WEEK IN PARTICULAR, THAT WAS THE TOPPER," RECALLS TOM GUERRA, MAINTENANCE AND WELDING SPECIALIST AT RELIANCE GEAR CORP. OF ADDISON, IL, A PRECISION MANUFACTURER OF CUSTOM GEARING, SPECIALIZING IN SPIRAL BEVEL GEARS.
The week Guerra recalls in 2004 began following a very hot weekend. When employees first came into the shop on Monday and turned on the equipment, they thought something, or quite a few things, died in the plant the prior two days. Guerra says the odor was unbelievable and they had to evacuate the front offices for a couple of hours. Each day after that, the same thing happened.
He further explains that the process of grinding gears requires coolants that accumulate contaminants, such as fine metal shards mixed with the consumable grinding wheels' particles. Oils are removed during the process and the operation generates mop buckets full of spent floor-washing solution from the extensive housekeeping entailed by grinders and the rest of the shop.
Reliance tried to run this wastewater combination through a waste treatment machine, but the agitation during processing just caused the smell to get worse. Finally, the company emptied out the grinders, called in a waste hauler and started over freshpun intended. Guerra knew that a new system had to be in place before the summer of 2005. The hauling company ultimately saved the (next) summer by suggesting they contact Arbortech Corp., a company that manufactures equipment to recycle industrial fluids.
"The salesperson from Arbortech came in and provided us with a quote on a recycling system and even offered to lay out a design so we could save money on the accessories necessary for a complete installation, instead of buying the parts from them," said Guerra.
"They worked with us on aspects of the operation that they were going to sell, surethat's to be expectedbut also told us how we might best optimize their Washer Washer's performance, including preparing a special CAD drawing so we knew exactly how to do the installation." He says Arbortech also offered to provide a free unit to use during the transition.
Reliance Gear placed the order for an Arbortech Washer Washer Aqueous Cleaner Recycling System. The system came equipped with an internal heater designed to enable pasteurization of the wastewater, thereby killing off "bugs," which were the likely source of the foul odor the previous summer.
The recycled solution, a combination of grinding coolant and floor wash, is sent into a drum, which then overflows to the sewer. This provides both a draw point for reclaimed floor wash, instead of always making up new cleaner, and a place where the overflow can easily be observed for visual clarity prior to discharge from the premises.
As part of their order, Reliance Gear elected to engage the services of Arbortech to maintain the performance of its permanent filters, both the module in use and the spare that comes as a standard part of Arbortech's recycling systems, whenever such attention was going to be required. Essentially this case was closed
or at least that's what everyone thought at the time.
Guerra explains that the system Arbortech loaned the company while building its product indicated that the filters needed slightly more attention than he liked, but when the one Reliance purchased came in, Guerra met with Ray Graffia Jr., president of Arbortech Corp., to see how to cut back on the frequency of Arbortech's service.
"Instead of protecting his own wallettheir 'annuity,' the restoration of the membrane filtershe showed me how to construct a small cleaning station so we could do the maintenance ourselves."
Since putting the station together, Guerra has only required restoration assistance from Arbortech once, but, "They never squawked about us doing our own membrane restorations and, in fact, continued to help me evaluate several ideas I had for improving that process, each of which made it work better," he says. Most important, "We went through the entire summer last year without any recurrence of the stench."
Close
Process Cleaning Magazine August 2006 - Benefits of a Membrane Recycling System
Best Practice
The Benefits of a Membrane Recycling System
Membranes have been around and in successful use for decades. However, over the past 10 to 15 years membranes have served a third function-recycling water-based cleaners. Ray Graffia, Jr. What makes us buy one particular cereal when there are 46 others on the shelf? Or watch a program at 7 p.m. when there are, via cable and satellite anyway, 600 alternative options? A quick answer to the two aforementioned queries would probably be, "because that's what I like," however, the cereal commercial must have been intriguing or maybe you decided to try it on a reference from a family member or trusted colleague. Some unique characteristic entices us to sample or explore this or that, following which we find it to be pleasing or worthwhile. This certainly does not demean the other breakfast foods or television series, which also may turn out to be favorites when/if we are exposed to them, but it does serve to point out the importance of product differentiation. There is no denying the existence of other factors beyond simple comparison and/or exposure. You might truly crave a new Mustang, Viper or "Vette," but if all you can afford is a used Yugo, desire becomes moot. But, where pricing is similar or the differences justifiable, whether in reality or simply in the eyes of the beholder, being different could be a key to success. Therein lies not only the challenge to the sales and marketing departments of purveyors of goods but also to the consumers whose eyes and ears are besieged with ads and whose dollars are being pursued from so many angles. How can companies gain enough attention from the consumer-small business owner, maintenance supervisor or EHS engineer-to make their products known and do justice to the options that are available when taking on the task of assessing choices on any given project?
Membrane TechnologiesWe hear comments like these all the time
"Parts are just not getting clean enough. Our post-wash coatings are not passing salt spray specs, wash operation costs are out of control, hauling expenses keep spiraling higher and higher and we need to do better on our waste minimization plans." Each of these might be addressed by discerning a new cleaning technique or device, comparing several cleaning chemistries or looking at the plethora of in-house wastewater treatment technologies. At least those are the traditional things to consider. But what about thinking outside the box and shifting the paradigm? Why not approach the problem in a different manner? Why not consider recycling your wash solutions instead of dumping and recharging them? Why not look at membrane technologies to reclaim and reuse your cleaners and look at what's out there and what makes each different? Membranes have been around and in successful use for decades. The two principal metal-working plant applications are ultra-purification of incoming water (a common use where parts' cleaning is concerned) and pre-treatment of wastewater prior to sewer discharge. Over the past 10 to 15 years, however, membranes have served a third functionrecycling water-based cleaners. Reverse osmosis (commonly referred to as RO) membranes, can be used to ultra-purify your incoming water. The membrane selected often has pores that, in comparison to others, like RO modules, would be categorized as relatively "tight" - in hopes of removing as much as can be practically achieved without severely curtailing the speed of processing. Membrane materials of construction differ from vendor to vendor on such systems, but, in a majority of cases, consist of a polymer "skin" surface atop a fiberglass substrate. For limited pH range and ambient temperature projects, these components serve well when focusing less on recycling and more on wastewater treatment. However, when dealing with highly alkaline cleaners or very low pH combination phosphatizer/degreasers, especially at the elevated temperatures often seen in washing operations, they simply do not hold up. The benefits of "tightness"desirable in making ultra-pure water or for projects involving sewer dischargewill now actually be detrimental to reuse because some of the good stuff may be removed during processing. Membranes intended for use in recycling are best if they are not so "tight," and made to thrive under conditions where others might fail. For example, systems that use titanium dioxide membranes with a 316L stainless steel substructure can tackle applications where pH is anywhere from zero to14, at temperatures to 200 degrees F. Therefore, when recycling aqueous cleaners in-line directly at the wash bath, such widely diverse conditions may be demanded of the equipment and must be compensated for in membrane selection. To further differentiate such systems, the flow pattern for removal and concentration of the "yuck" is across the module as opposed to dead end filtration as in traditional bag or cartridge filters (Think of the contaminants as shooting across the top of your desk versus dropping from the ceiling and piling up atop your desk
), pressure-driven (generated by a circulation pump) and multiple pass, with the long-term effect being that oils and soils are retained on one side of the membrane, while the water plus materials in true solution with water (like the cleaning product) pass through to the other side. With an in-line system set-up, permeate (that which passes through the membrane) is normally returned directly to the wash bath while the reject is slowly concentrated in a small process tank (when compared to the volume in your wash bath tank) for later removal and disposal. As a result, the wash bath stays perpetually near to freshly-made-up condition and the contamination concentrates in the recycling system's process tank instead of the wash bath, therefore requiring no (or at least greatly reduced) dumps and rechargesjust continuing reuse.
Installing a Membrane Recycling SystemIn one unusually successful case, a company that formerly dumped and recharged its 5,000 gallon bath quarterly before implementing a recycling system only did so once in the next seven years, when they moved the operation out of one building and into another. While this performance is quite extraordinary, prolonging bath life four to six times or more is very common. Beyond extended bath life, what other direct or indirect contributions to the bottom line might be expected from installation of a good membrane recycling system? There are nine fundamental reasons to at least consider investigation:
- Improves parts' cleanlinessIf the condition of the wash bath is consistently high quality, the washing process will be enhanced and parts cleaned will always be at maximum purity. You know how well your bath cleans just after a dump/recharge; why not just keep it that way, essentially permanently?
- Improves rinsingTypical washing operations result in transfer by carry-over of a small portion of the wash bath to the subsequent rinse stage. Where this carry-over is highly contaminated, the negative consequences and wasted water at the rinse stage can be dramatic. (The solution to pollution need not be dilution!) After installing adequate recycling, including counter-flowing measures, rinse stages that formerly overflowed at high rates have been reduced to lower rates, and, in some cases, even turned into standing rinses.
- Improves subsequent stepsHow difficult is it to paint, powder coat or plate a part that has not been properly cleaned? By maintaining wash bath cleanliness, those issues and the accompanying rejects attributable to poor cleaning often disappear.Increases productionIs your wash process a production bottleneck? If so, forget about ever-shortening cycles of dump and recharge, because recycling can keep high quality cleaning virtually perpetually available. To reiterate, just think about your reject rate on parts
how much might it be reduced if they came out consistently clean?
- Increases productionIs your wash process a production bottleneck? If so, forget about ever-shortening cycles of dump and recharge, because recycling can keep high quality cleaning virtually perpetually available. To reiterate, just think about your reject rate on parts
how much might it be reduced if they came out consistently clean?
- Reduces labor costsDo you dump and recharge on straight time or overtime? Many companies do such work after hours or on weekends, making the labor costs even greater. And how about the dollars spent addressing all the paperwork required for proper handling and disposal of the wastewater?
- Saves powerWhether you heat by gas or electricity, as your wash bath deteriorates one common performance booster is to turn up the heat and that can be expensive. The potential to maintain or even lower the operating temperature in a wash bath is an increasingly important reason to consider membrane recycling.
- Saves hauling costsWhen was the last time that your cost per gallon to haul this "stuff" away was reduced? How is such a price reduction even possible? Since the hauler's first objective is usually to dewater the product hauled, if you remove most of the water and present them with a far stronger concentrated solution, this saves them costs and saves you money.
- Saves waterIn portions of the world where good quality water is scarce and a precious commodity, keeping a 5,000 gallon bath in use instead of recharging it three to four times per year would be substantial conservation. Further, consider the reduction in water usage if recycling can enable a rinse overflow to be reduced, for example, from 3 gpm to 2 or 1 gpm, or even eliminated.
Saves chemistrySavings in chemicals ranging from 50 percent to 80 percent have been reported. How much is your annual budget for cleaning chemicals? Think that might be worth a phone call or two to companies with a recycling focus?
Typical Membrane MaterialsNow that you are convinced to check out recycling with membranes, what are your options? Let's review the three most typical membrane materials of construction and kick around the compatibilities for each. This trio includes: polymerics, ceramics and sintered metals. How do they differ? Polymer membranes typically can only function with decent longevity under circumstances where both pH and temperature are limited. A pH range of 3.5 to 10.5 might be expected, with the ability to sustain exposure to an operating bath temperature of perhaps 130-140F maximum. Eventually, even where material incompatibility does not lead to failure, compression of the membrane substrate leads to decreased productivity on the permeate (treated/recycled water) side; over time these membranes need to be replaced. Ceramics and sintered metals, on the other hand, can often tolerate almost any extremes that one might see in a washing operation. Both are typically suitable for any pHacross the full 0 to 14 range and temperatures as high as anyone uses to clean. However, temperature variation to a point where the far more fragile ceramics might crack could lead to premature failure of those. Additionally, where the membrane recycling system includes the option for offsite restoration of membrane performance, the ability to ship ceramic membrane modules back and forth would not be a viable option due to the rough handling common when using commercial shipping firms, like UPS, Fed-Ex, DHL, etc. A fractured ceramic membrane must be replaced and that costs a lot of money; hence, the most bullet-proof of these three membrane materials of construction is sintered metal. How rugged are they? Where factory membrane restoration is an option, seventy-five percent or more of those end users utilize this service to keep their membranes in tip-top shape.
Some Final Words to the WisePresuming that you are driven to at least explore recycling, look for things that differentiate one vendor from another; pick your potential partner carefully. Writing about the benefits of reclamation and "sales pitching" a product that can accomplish this objective are both relatively easy. Remember the old phrase, "Words are cheap!" The willingness and wherewithal to prove the application at your site, with your incoming water quality, your operating personnel, your cleaning chemicals and your contaminants are much better standards against which to measure viability of one system manufacturer versus another. Vendors with capabilities to run bench scale demonstrations followed by in-the-field pilot scale testing, may be the ones best suited to stand up and be counted if "Murphy" ever visits you after the final payment check has cleared. What can go wrong probably will, so do your homework, be thorough in your evaluations and testing, and keep an open mind. Ray Graffia Jr. is Vice-President of Arbortech Corporation (Johnsburg, IL). Following a unique path to today's role as head of a manufacturer of equipment to recycle waterbased cleaners, that long road began in the 1960's when he completed college while touring the country as lead singer for nationally known and two gold record-achieving rock and roll band, New Colony Six. He moved into the cleaning industry and spent more than a decade as manufacturers' representative for companies involved in water and wastewater treatment. He saw a growing need in the marketplace for small aqueous cleaning solution recycling systems and began manufacturing them in 1992. Arbortech, still focused today on that niche market, has since expanded in its system sizes, applications for the Washer Washer and scope of supply. He can be reached at 815-385-0001, ext 224 or visit the Web site at www.arbortech.comClose Process Cleaning Magazine June 2006 - Sta-Rite Industries Saves Upgrade Project with Washer Washer
Washer Washer Recycling System - Process Cleaning Magazine June 2006Washer Washer Rescues Manufacturer's Upgrade Project
"We were dead in the water
"
Sta-Rite Industries (Delavan, WI), a manufacturer of water pumping systems, wanted to upgrade its pre-paint parts washing operations by purchasing aqueous cleaning recycling equipment. The company's targets for reclamation: a 3,000 gallon primary washer tank, which held a combination phospatizing/degreasing solution that was replaced twice a year, and a second, similarly sized wash tank that held less-contaminated water. But after receiving quotes for $45,000 to $50,000, plus expenses, for recycling equipment, Sta-Rite was ready to table the project. "At that price, we were dead in the water," says Sta-Rite environmental engineer John Raymond. "And then Arbortech approached us."
Arbortech's (McHenry, IL) Washer Washer system offered a more economical alternative than other products Sta-Rite had seen. The system works by pumping contaminated solution across a membrane filter. The water that passes is returned directly back into the parts washer. Water that is rejected returns to the process tank, where contaminants are concentrated and eventually removed The Washer Washer has a small 3 x 5 foot footprint. from the looptypically hauled away or sent for subsequent treatment. Through this multiple pass operation, about 90 to 99 gallons out of every 100 can be processed for reuse. "After seeing a demonstration with a one-gallon sample, I remember thinking how ridiculously small their equipment seemed, especially when compared to the other proposals. Their pricing was low, almost too low to be credible," said Raymond. Arbortech "did a great demonstration, but at full-scale, I had my doubts." Raymond decided to do an onsite pilot at Sta-Rite's facility. "Investing time and a few dollars to see if we could actually cut the cost for recycling the two washers by more than half seemed very worthwhile. We saved 60 percent compared to the other two quotes by implementing two Washer Washers."
Washer Washer Featureshe system has a small 3 x 5 foot footprint, taking up less floor space than competitive products. Construction materials have been selected to withstand extreme temperature (up to 200° F) and pH conditions (0 to 14). Benefits of using a Washer Washer include:
- Less frequent new bath make-up can cut water usage by 75 to 90 percent. Rinses remain so clean that overflows can often be substantially reduced adn sometimes even shut off completely.
- No need to boost wash bath temperature as cleaning quality diminishes from contamination build-up - Washer Washer keeps the bath clean.
- Maintenance may take as little as five to 10 minutes a week, meaning that labor hours can be assigned elsewhere.
- Fewer gallons to dispose, plus decreased water content, often produces lower per gallon charges
- Fewer rejects caused by faulty cleaning.
"Designed for simplicity, Washer Washers are easy to install, easy to run, easy to troubleshoot and easy on the pocketbook. Paybacks of less than one year are common, often just from savings on cleaning chemistry purchases," says Ray Graffia, President of Arbortech. "All around," says John raymond, " Arbortech's washer Washer was a wonderful discovery that has helped us prevent pollution, improve our painting process and add dollars to our bottom line." Close Membrane & Separation Technology News November 2005 - Commentary on Industry Resistance
Commentary
Membrane & Separation Technology Newsletter November 2005
Resistance to Change Still Plagues Industry
While it appears that RO, NF MF and UF now are widely accepted for producing potable water, and MBRs are gaining ground for municipal wastewater treatment, membrane technology still has barriers to overcome for industrial wastewater treatment, especially where recycling or waste minimization are concerned. Conventional wastewater treatments are well entrenched and less complex than membrane separation. However, the costs of conventional wastewater treatment continue to increase, and often still leave streams unacceptable for disposal or reuse. Says Arbortech President Ray Graffia, Jr., "We continue to generate [considerable] interest, prepare lots of proposals and wind up with folks sitting on their hands when it comes time to issue purchase orders...It is so exasperating to show paybacks of less than a year or two and still have companies sit there and do nothing" using the justification "It's the way we've done things for more than 20 years." (Arbortech manufactures stainless steel UF systems for recycling aqueous cleaners used in metalworking and other industries). At a recent desalination workshop geared, in part, toward oil and gas producers, who generate massive volumes of oily wastewater, I observed first hand this resistance to change. Several speakers at the event, RO module and system manufactures, put forth membrane solutions for converting these wastes into a resource suitable for reuse by the exploration company or by local farmers as irrigation water in the arid regions where many oilfields are located. A representative from one oil firm admitted that his company had been spending $9 million annually (for years) to have produced water trucked off-site for deep well disposal. It appeared as though the oil producer's very presence at the workshop offered some hope - for the company's bottom life, for membrane system vendors and for the planet. Not so, countered the RO reps, who had see the oil firm, and others like it, review and then reject their solutions year after year. What obstacles still prevent investment in membrane systems? Are these issues endemic to all new technologies and those perceived as "new"? Sluggish adoption of membrane processes primarily is due to lack of knowledge by potential users, rather than inadequacies in the membranes themselves. Among these barriers are: A lack of awareness of the technology, Distrust of new technology, Benefits of the technology not understood.
Lingering misconceptions and unfavorable perceptions that might once have been true may be factors. (These issues may prompt resistance to many new technologies.)
High price or uncertainties about investment costs, High risk of failure, Waste minimization / zero discharge negatively affects the bottom line.
Intertia, the bane of much human activity often plays a large role. Fear of being first to adopt new technology, Low priority given to investing in membrane processes compared to core production equipment, Priorities elsewhere rather than on new technology's benefits.
A few doubts also may be warranted. Lack of suitable membranes and process equipment for industries, Capital equipment costs sometimes higher.
However, benefits far outweigh the negative and may include: increased energy efficiency, reduced water use, potential to reclaim and recycle water and raw materials, minimized environmental impact, lower operating costs and smaller space requirements. Graffia notes that the savvy membrane technology vendor must have resolution to the potential users' reservations, a strategy he refers to as "education, investigation , experimentation and implementation," as well as the "workforce, technical capabilities, equipment, references, training resources and other information necessary to help these now-educated manufacturers invesigate, experiment and eventually implement the process under consideration."
Close
Cleantech Magazine June/July 2005 - Where You Cleantech
Where You CleanTech
Cleantech Magazine Page: 42 ; June/July, 2005 Ray Graffia Jr. & New Colony Six Ray Graffia Jr. has had an interesting journey to his current position as president of Arbortech Corp., a manufacturer of equipment to recycle water-based cleaners. Graffia completed college in the 1960s while touring the country as lead singer for the two-time gold-record achieving rock and roll band, The New Colony Six. The band released more then 20 45s (for anyone old enough to recall what those are, he jokes) and four albums, spending 198 weeks on national "Top 100" charts. After this six-year career in the arts, Graffia completely shifted gears, working for the next six years as a middle-school teacher. Then he moved into industry and served as national sales manager for a company that made equipment used to treat oily watewater for - again - six years. Seizing an opportunity to appoint himself as an independent representative for his employer, Graffia incorporated Arbortech in '81. After more than a decade as a manufacturers' representative for companies involved in water and wastewater treatment, he saw a growing need in the marketplace for small aqueous solution recycling systems and began manufacturing them in 1992. Graffia will celebrate his 38th wedding anniversary with his wife, Bonnie, in September 2005, and their three children: Becky, 24, Sara, 21 and Raymond III, 18. In a move some would find "quite unusual for an ex-rock 'n' roller," Graffia was ordained as a deacon for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago in 1993. While Graffia says it is unlikely to merit an appearance on MTV or VH1, it does illustrate that not all performers self-destruct and that fidelity, faith, family and rock musicianship are not mutually exclusive. He still spends several days each year performing with a reunited The New Colony Six, most frequently at festivals in the Midwest.
Close
Cleantech Magazine April 2005 - Switchcraft thinks small with Little Gizmo UF Recycler.
Article originally appeared in the April 2005 edition of Cleantech Magazine.
The Little System that Could Faced with how to remove oils prior to final wastewater treatment, Switchcraft makes the switch. by Christopher Clark Founded in 1946 to produce jacks, plugs and switches, Switchcraft Inc. has been setting industry standards since the day they first opened their doors. Expanding offerings to include more than 5,000 products and thousands of custom variations over the years, the product line is currently divided into five major categories: connectors, jacks and plugs, jackfields and jackpanels, cable assemblies and patch cords, and switches, used in electronics, audio/video, computer and numerous other industries. Throughout its long history, the company faced aggressive competition from various corners of the world, and though some customers have been tempted by alternative sources, they always come back to Switchcraft's quality and performance. Reflecting the company's commitment to excellence, Switchcraft meets ISO 9001 standards, blending oldworld craftsmanship and value with high technology precision, through innovative manufacturing techniques. Do As We Do When faced with the dilemma of how to remove oils from a vibratory cleaning solution prior to final treatment in our wastewater handling equipment, we sought out and found a provider with similarly high standards and a commitment to cutting edge technologies, the Arbortech Corporation (www.arbortech.com). We had been using membranes to remove oils and prepare this vibratory solution for final wastewater treatment since purchasing the equipment in 1994 we knew the technology could do what was needed. However, over that ten-year period, we probably bought the system a second time, spending additional dollars to maintain items like the circulation pump and the membranes themselves. The old unit was big and bulky, had a lot of plastic parts, and we just grew tired of patching it together. The former system was about 3 feet x 3 feet x 7 feet tall. The original pump on the system was an electric drive centrifugal, and because of the abrasive nature of the vibratory media, it did not have much longevity, which was replaced by an air-operated diaphragm pump that had to be rebuilt over and over again. The old system's membranes themselves were the more typical construction polymer with fiberglass substrate instead of our titanium dioxide over 316L stainless substrate and the old ones were replaced probably two to three times over the ten years. Arbortech Corporation brought in this little gizmo, that's actually its name the Little Gizmo. The system is part of Arbortech's Washer Washer series of cleaning systems. The Washer Washer Little Gizmo (WWLG) was not much bigger than a breadbox, featured all stainless steel construction including the membrane with an electric diaphragm drive that would relieve us of the headaches from our old system's pump, and it was 30 percent cheaper than anything else quoted to us. To be precise, the Little Gizmo is 23 inches x 14 inches x 20 inches tall, plus a four inch diameter housing for the membrane that extends to about three feet in height. The amp draw for the system is less than 7.5 amps at 110 volt, single phase operation. Turning Up the Heat Experience notwithstanding, Switchcraft still desired a chance to kick the tires of this specific piece of equipment, so we negotiated a trial whereby Switchcraft would buy and install the Little Gizmo, but could return it anytime during the first 30 days of use for a full refund. But when I had to take a one-month leave, it was agreed that no decision would be finalized until my return. Initially, with my absence-imposed transition in responsibilities, Switchcraft personnel felt the unit had its "ups and downs," with much less of the former and much more of the latter. The most significant "up" was processing speed upon initial start-up, when the combination of very dilute material in the WWLG's process tank and a brand new membrane led to satisfactory output speed. A secondary, but consistent "up" was the continued high clarity of the permeate, or the treated water; but the corresponding major "down" from our staff's perspective was the very rapid loss of flux rate or processing speed. According to Ray Graffia, president of Arbortech, "From our perspective, the most significant 'down' was the lack of their personnel's available time to commit to the system while Chris was gone. We were without a champion until he returned. For example, with their existing heavy workload, no one could break away to take a flux rate reading. The system was being shut down instead of being run 24/7. I know they tried, but without sufficient minutes to do this and that, the system's performance suffered from a lack of attention ... until Chris returned." Placing a regenerated membrane on a process tank full of concentrated waste led to processing speed complaints. Operation in this manner ensured that processing speed would almost instantaneously drop right off the table, because it was this concentration that caused the replaced module to require restoration in the first place (see Membrane sidebar). A commitment to hold off final judgment pending my return proved to have been a wise choice, as I wanted to be absolutely certain we gave this machine a fair and full chance to succeed, or fail, on its merits; and not because of anything we might have done or failed to do while I was out. Within days of my return a meeting was scheduled to review the early results. Intending to hold Arbortech's feet to the fire over the reportedly inadequate processing speed, I anticipated returning the system at the close of discussions. However, when offered free use of a heating coil (see Heater sidebar) to raise the ambient solution to an elevated temperature something which had been discussed early in the negotiations as potentially necessary to deal with anticipated biological membrane fouling I agreed to plug it in; so long as Arbortech remained at the site long enough to establish if this was going to make a difference. In other words, if they wanted that Little Gizmo to stay here any longer, they had to invest some time like we had otherwise, it was out of here. The engineers at Arbortech knew we had to average about one gallon per hour to keep up with our demand, so if this heater could help fine, but as I told them, just don't expect me to baby-sit the unit. Graffia literally drove over and dropped off this heating coil, because of their proximity to us and our willingness to consider use of heat. The coil was placed in our holding tank, as it was far too big to fit in the tiny WWLG process tank. Agreement in place, we returned to other tasks while Arbortech staff kept watch, awaiting sufficient temperature rise to know whether to make room in the trunk of the car or plans to leave the heater, and the Little Gizmo, at Switchcraft for a while longer. The answer came in less than two hours, after which time the system was "percolating"; along at a rate comfortably in excess of a gallon an hour. We agreed to take measurements for another day or two and, if the system maintained this level of performance over that time, to secure and install our own heating element and other safety items we felt necessary to complete the installation. Arbortech agreed to extend Switchcraft's use of its heating coil until such time as those procurements could be made. Arbortech was certain the performance enhancement would remain steady and prolonged, so long as the solution was raised to near pasteurization temperature, but only time would tell, as they say.A Big Difference In the near month it took to go from temporarily loaned heater to full and final installation, the Arbortech Washer Washer Little Gizmo consistently met or exceeded daily demand requirements, and remains in everyday use. The only other thing we had to do following treatment using the Washer Washer Little Gizmo was to adjust the pH of the solution to comply with discharge parameters. Solids, and fats, oils and grease are no longer a concern after processing through the WWLG. However regular that use might be, its integration into Switchcraft's shop was by no means routine. I automated the system, including such things as adding a tiny heater in the WWLG's process tank, adding another heater to our own holding tank; using level switches and a timer to turn the system on and off. I added a large beacon to let area personnel know when they have gathered a full container of processed water; implementing all Switchcraft safety standards, as Graffia explains, "making this the most elegantly appointed Little Gizmo Arbortech Corporation has ever sold."About the Author Christopher Clark is maintenance engineer at Switchcraft, Inc.
Close
Industrial Paint & Powder Magazine February 2005 - Metal Fabricator recycles with Washer Washer.
Nu-Way Uses New Way To Decontaminate Wastewater by Rodger Talbert February 1, 2005
With high levels of zinc, fat, oil and grease in the cleaner and other process tanks in its washers, this metal fabricator was forced to consider options for wastewater treatment. A membrane was its solution for their solution.
In mid-1998, when Nu-Way Industries Inc., Des Plaines, Ill., designer and fabricator of precision metal products, needed a new wastewater solution, the company called on Arbortech Corp., McHenry, Ill. Ray Graffia Jr., president of Arbortech, helped Nu-Way troubleshoot an existing membrane filtration system used to remove oil from solution. Although Graffia started his business in 1981 as a representative products, it was in 1992 that Arbortech built its first oil removal system utilizing membranes and entered the manufacturing market. And what a good thing for Nu-Way that it did.
Founded in 1968, Nu-Way has grown from a small job shop to a vertically integrated, technology-focused provider of thousands of high-quality precision metal parts, metal housings and electronic enclosures, working with aluminum, steel (CRS/HRS), copper and stainless steel. The company has a broad scope of service capabilities and a strong allegiance to technological advancement. And Nu-Way prides itself on its quality and range of services offered, technological flexibility, and seamless interface with customers throughout development and manufacturing processes.
Of course, Nu-Way strives to provide quality parts on time. To accomplish this, the company focuses on and monitors on-time delivery performance and works to improve scheduling procedures with customer-focused expeditors and customer contact personnel, always working to reduce process flow-time and cycle-time. With a focus of being a valuable asset to its customers through improved processing methods, Nu-Way has achieved more than 99.5 percent product acceptance. The company is ISO 9001:2000 certified and supports ASQ certification for its quality department personnel.
Nu-Way serves rapidly growing and mature industries, including telecommunications, appliances, advertising, retail, gaming and industrial automation, electrical enclosures, street furniture and electrical enclosures. In addition to its engineering and machining capabilities, the company also offers silk screening, pad printing, electrical engineering and powder coating. It operates two automated powder coating lines and a batch operation. With three systems, Nu-Way is able to produce a range of products with exceptional service and flexibility. As you might imagine, with such large volumes of steel being processed, the buildup of oil caused Nu-Way to dump and recharge their spray washer tanks every three months. There are two automated lines at Nu-Way the Green Line and the Blue Line, each named after its exterior color. The Blue Line runs at 8 fpm and can handle a part up to 36" wide x 48" high x 9' long. The Green Line runs at 10 fpm and can handle a part up to 48" wide x 60" high x 16' long. The automated lines use six automatic spray guns mounted on rotary oscillators and manual spray guns from ITW Gema, Indianapolis. Spray booths are from Wagner Systems, Carol Stream, Ill. The application equipment is located in a clean, well-lit, environmentally controlled room for process control. The company has a very low turnover rate of employees who are 5S certified for their application. Finish quality is routinely measured and verified by a comprehensive set of in-house calibrated tools, including a light booth, gloss and thickness meters, and an environmental test chamber. The batch operation was built in-house seven years ago. It features a closed-loop, hand-pull conveyor traversing the outer parts of the booths and a powered conveyor through the center of the booth. The batch system uses a high pressure spray wand system from Fremont Industries, Shakopee, Minn., that applies a cleaner/phosphate solution and a seal rinse for pretreatment, and can handle a part up to 16' wide x 15' high x 20' long.
Washing the Wastewater
The spray washers that Nu-Way uses on its automated powder systems are five-stage operations with alkaline cleaning and iron phosphate treatment supplied by Chemetall-Oakite, Berkeley Heights, N.J. (Tables 1 and 2). Effective treatment chemistries remove soils and oil from the parts and retain them in the solution. As oils and solids build up in the solution, the cleaning and treatment capability of the solution gradually declines. Removal of the oil or solids on a continuous basis can extend the life of the solution, saving maintenance time and getting more value from the chemicals.
Arbortech's initial contact with Nu-Way eventually lead to a demonstration of Arbortech's Washer Washer, a crossflow membrane filtration system used for the separation of emulsified oils and high molecular weight, colloidal or suspended solids from water-based cleaning solutions. The mechanism that enables the separation process is a semi-permeable TiO2 (titanium dioxide) membrane, cast on a 316L stainless steel substructure. Spent, contaminated cleaner is pumped at relatively low pressure (typically less than 120 psi) across the surface of the membrane. Soluble materials larger than the membrane pore size (oils and suspended solids) are retained and concentrated within the Washer Washer's process tank, while water and low molecular weight constituents, like the cleaner's surfactant and detergent components, can pass through the membrane and return to the washer solution. The permeate that passes through the membrane leaves as a clear filtrate while the rejected fraction (oils and soils) is moved away continuously due to the turbulent flow at the membrane surface. As a result of this crossflow, the speed of processing (flux or flux-rate) across the membrane remains relatively stable when compared to traditional "dead-end" filtration. Flux decline is slow and steady, with typical runs lasting from two to 10-plus weeks before the system requires attention. The process begins by gravity transfer of dirty cleaning solution from the washer solution to the Washer Washer's process tank. The process begins as a modified batch, meaning that during the initial phase of the cycle, the process tank is kept full to minimize concentration of contaminants. The operator empties the Washer Washer's process tank, then refills it from the washer, exchanges the dirty membrane module with the spare if required, sends the dirty one to Arbortech for cleaning (or cleans the membrane module in-house) and begins recycling again.
Sizing Criteria
The objective of this system is to recycle enough cleaning solution on an average-per-day basis to turn over the total wash bath volume four to six times before the end of the customer's historically established cycle for dumping and recharging. This turnover rate has proven sufficient for keeping a washer's level of contamination in good control. In other words, with a quarterly dumped 1,500-gal wash bath, the math is as follows. Tank size: 1,500 gal Historic dump cycle: 90 Days 1,500 x 6 (to be conservative vs. 4 turnovers) = 9,000 9,000 ÷ 90 = 100 gal/day
This is a preliminary calculation to serve as a starting point and assumes that separation can be made continuously and the membrane recovered and cleaned repeatedly without loss of performance or damage from exposure to the dirty cleaner streams. Following the initial bench scale demonstration in late January 2003, a pilot study began on one of Nu-Way's two five-stage washers in March 2003 on the Green line. The 1,100-gal first-stage cleaner tank has an alkaline cleaner with a 3 percent concentration of Gardoclean S5219, at an operating temperature of around 130°F and a pH of 8.5 to 9.5. Arbortech brought in its pilot scale WW1 Series system with heater package and Nu-Way placed the membrane module directly into the side tank where it "weeps" the recycled cleaning solution back into the wash tank. The pilot unit required a 20 A, 110 V single-phase line for the circulation pump and, if used, a second 15 A, 110 V single-phase circuit for the immersion heater. A learning curve followed, during which they found that a prefilter would be required to keep the Washer Washer's circulation pump in good running order. Solids buildup in the pump had initially caused unacceptable pressure changes. The flow rate of treated water to be recycled, referred to as permeate, increases as temperature goes up. When the Nu-Way process tank heater is in operation, the flow rate of permeate is satisfactory. When the washer solution heater is not in operation (weekends or at night), the heater provides adequate temperature elevation to keep things running well.
The pilot system tested at Nu-Way produced the necessary permeate level at an adequate processing speed, indicating that the size of this system would work for full scale. So, after nearly five months of study work, an order was issued in August 2003 to purchase two Model WW1 Washer Washers. Nu-Way added the immersion heater package to each unit to compensate for heat loss during shutdowns and also included a housing for each membrane, so that the added space into its washers' side tanks would be an opening for tubing of less than 1" instead of the hoses and membrane being laid within the tank. The pilot remained in use on the Green Line until both units were delivered on October 1, 2003. Prior to installing the Washer Washer system, Nu-Way's high levels of zinc and FOG (fat, oil, grease) in the cleaner and other process tanks in their washers made the company unable to discharge untreated water, which forced them to consider options for treatment. Joe Bappert, facilities manager at Nu-Way, says that they chose the Washer Washer as an alternative to a waste treatment system that would have cost more than $150,000 and taken up considerable floor space with no return on investment. Among the benefits of operating the Washer Washer, he says, "We not only trapped the oils in solution, we also significantly reduced the zinc count in our tank solution." Nu-Way measured the FOG and zinc levels in the tank solution and in the concentrated waste from the filtration system to determine the specific changes in the operation. Prior to using the Washer Washer system, zinc counts were as high as 220 mg/L and FOG levels as high as 1,330 mg/L in the wastewater. Nu-Way measured the concentrated waste from the filtration system and the tank solution and found that the tank solution had been reduced to 6.39 mg/L of zinc and 555 mg/L of FOG, while the concentrated waste was at 231 mg/L of zinc and 3,950 mg/L of FOG. In addition, the sludge buildup in the washer tank was much lower, extending the bath life from three months to six months and reducing maintenance significantly. "Our turbidity in the tank is lower, process operators find it much easier to clean the tank, we have better bath quality, and we have improved the bottom line," says Bappert. Zinc levels had prevented Nu-Way from discharging its overflow, but now they have no problem and their makeup water volume is only 5 gpm. Although zinc was not a primary target of the system, it turned out that enough of it gets tied up in the oil removed from the washer solution to keep the cleaner and the rest of the washer much lower in zinc levels.
One Hand Washes the Other
Arbortech has further strengthened its business partnership with Nu-Way. The process tank mounting bases are now fabricated and powder coated by Nu-Way, a good indicator of the value of the equipment and the level of customer satisfaction. The Washer Washer system also can be used to clean floor wash water by recycling the wash water offline. Arbortech has more than 100 units in operation since introducing them in 2001. In addition to cost savings, simplifying the operation and improving environmental compliance are good reasons to look into oil removal and other filtration options. For more information on the Washer Washer, call Arbortech at 815-385-0001 or visit www. arbortech.com. For information about Nu-Way, call 847-298-7710 or visit www.nu-way.net com.
Close
Membrane & Separation Technology News November 2004 - Release of the "Little Gizmo" Small UF Recycler.
Little Gizmo Recycles Small Cleaner Baths
Membrane & Separation Technology News November 2004 by Susan Hanft Senior Editor
Arbortech Corp. has released a small version of its award winning Washer Washer UF recycling system for water-based cleaners. Dubbed Little Gizmo (Model WWLG), the unit can sustain a 35-gallon wash bath that is discarded weekly, a 400-gallon tank replenished quarterly, or a 1,800-gallon washer that is replaced annually. Bath life extensions of four to more than ten times are possible, which means that wash baths formerly dumped and recharge with fresh water and chemicals on a quarterly basis can remain in productive service for a year or longer. The unit handles wash baths with temperature up to 200 degrees F across the full pH range. Parts exhibit consistent cleanliness while rinses remain clear. The Little Gizmo is low priced, starting at less than $4,000, in a size that will fit most available space. According to President Ray Graffia, Jr., Arbortech's UF elements are manufactured for the company from titanium dioxide (TiO2) in a tubular configuration. Membrane pore size is 0.1um, which Graffia describes as "the ideal porosity" to recycle water-based cleaners. Elements in the Little Gizmo are less than a yard long and less than 2" in overall diameter, each individual tube channel is 0.25 in. diameter. Arbortech is a past winner of the Illinois Governor's Pollution Prevention Award for the development of Washer Washer recyclers. The product line is designed to maintain water-based cleaners online, drawing a slipstream flow rate calculated with company's well-proven formulas. Following parts cleaning with Washer Washer systems, processes like painting, powder-coating and plating show significant quality improvement. Volumetric reeducation of waste by up to 99% is possible, so disposal expenses are minimized. Decreased bath dump / recharge frequencies also create energy, labor, water and chemical savings. The TiO2 membrane is expect to have a service lifetime of "at least 10 years, maybe 20," says Graffia. "However, the next membrane that permanently fails will be the first!" Arbortech began designing and manufacturing customized UF systems in 1981. In 1992, the company shifted to more standardized systems and a primary focus on recycling aqueous cleaners. The Washer Washer series debuted in 2000. Each Washer Washer, including Little Gizmo, is maintained easily, since it comes supplied with a spare UF module. To change modules, the end user empties concentrated residual from the washer's process tank, explains Graffia, and "uses a small wrench to loosen two fittings, switch modules, retighten, refill the process tank and keep on going." The replacement procedure takes less than five minutes. Arbortech also will service fouled modules under contract using delivery services such as UPS or FedEx to ship elements back and forth. The dirty module is sent to Arbortech, and after performance restoration, the same module is sent back, to be stored until the next required exchange. Contact: Ray Graffia, Jr. Arbortech Corp., 3607 Chapel Hill Road, McHenry, IL 60050-2502 Telephone 815-385-0001 ext. 224
Close
Membrane & Separation Technology News November 2004 - Who's Who in Membrane Technology.
Whos Who in Membrane Technology
Membrane & Separation Technology Newsletter November 2004
Ray Graffia Jr. is President of Arbortech Corp., a Chicago-based manufacturer of UF systems for recycling aqueous cleaning solutions. Graffia became involved in membrane technology through a circuitous route taking him from the New Colony Six, a 60s era rock and roll band that earned two gold records, through a brief career as a schoolteacher, and finally into the environmental field of oil/water separations. MST: How did you become involved in membrane technology? Graffia: I became aware of an opening with a company that made fiberglass panels for McDonalds' restaurants and they were just beginning to change focus to the environmental field, manufacturing fiberglass oil/water separators. I was hired as Sales Coordinator on a trial basis since neither they nor I were certain I'd be any good at this. Every project was funneled through me so it was sink or swim. I must have had a knack because during my second year with the firm, I was named National Sales Manager. As I grew more knowledgeable of the field, I saw where we lacked the ability to tackle projects where free oil was not the problem, but emulsified oil was. Researching the market, I would up entering my firm into a relationship with a leading manufacturer of membranes and began to learn what they could and could not do, with respect to oily wastewater. MST: How and when was Arbortech established and how has the firm been funded? Graffia: I incorporated Arbortech on September 3, 1981, and soon added on more principals, among them the membrane company with whom I had interfaced on behalf of my former employer. As time went on, I saw a real potential market in an area this membrane company did not perceive as being very lucrative - namely recycling wash solutions. In 1992, we made our first membrane system and began the long process in transitioning from rep to manufacturer. While we still rep some things today, our focus is really more then 90% to 95% on the Washer Washers we commercially introduced at the turn of the century. We spent more than a year in field prototype work with existing clients, ensuring that the TiO2/SS combination membranes were going to work as well or better than the old-style polymerics we formerly used.
The company was funded with our family savings initially, and through taking on a partner some years back now. It was all done internally, with an occasional boost from a home equity loan to smooth out the valleys between the peaks and help underwrite R&D and the manufacture of our stable of pilot units. We rent units to folks who subsequently buy them after testing for a month or more about 80% of the time. Seeing is believing. We also have built and sent on to our more active reps a demonstration unit that can fit in the backseat or trunk of their vehicle. In so doing, they can bring that in and run a legitimate qualitative test (but not quantitatively) right during the initial exploratory visit.
MST:Tell us briefly about Arbortech's technologies and product portfolio. Graffia:
- Pollution prevention with payback
- Return on investment within a year is commonplace.
- Save chemicals, water, energy, labor, hauling fees - minimize waste, close the loop
- Unique cleaning service-membrane maintenance contract, ensuring maximized performance for life.
This pretty much tells the story. We have Washer Washer series ranging from the Little Gizmo at maybe 20gpd to 40gdp output of recycled washwater, to the WWHO seris, WWMO series WWPRO series where we are processing as much as 6,000 gallons per day. There aren't too many washer recycling applications that require daily volumes beyond that, though we can certainly make larger units, virtually any size, on a one-ff basis as projects demand them. The path we're walking is a narrow one and very focused. We feel it is probably too tiny, with equipment sized far too small, to interest the big boys. We haven't seen a rush by many to get into this market, so, thus far anyway, we seem to be correct in our supposition. Pretty much all our eggs are placed squarely in the water-based cleaner recycling basket. We think we can grow the company over time and while we may never become a Steinbrenner or a Trump, we should be able to earn a living, make the planet a better place, save folks money and sleep soundly every single night. MST: What goals do you have for the company near term (next 2-3 years) and longer term? Graffia: Continue to find more outstanding independent sales reps to work the line, grow the business through their and our own efforts, and begin exporting to at least Canada and Mexico near term, and eventually, wherever else the demand leads us. We look forward to the day, and believe it will come, albeit perhaps not in my lifetime, when recycling aqueous solutions is just as much a standard component for a parts' washer as is the heating element or circulation pump or spray header. While that may not sit well with those chemical vendors who still sell chemistry by the pound, it will make a positive impact on our environment, natural resources (requiring that less chemical be made), energy sources (why dump and reheat a fresh bath if you can keep it in use through recycling), company's bottom lines, etc. Wouldn't it be wonderful if every plant that washes something - from their parts to their floors - could win a Pollution Prevention Award like many of our customers already have for implementation of recycling equipment? (And as have we for its development, the Y2K Illinois Governor's P2 Award for manufacturers.) MST: What is the biggest challenge you've faced as company president?Graffia: Developing skills in areas outside of sales and marketing, which are my more natural talents. And another tough thing to do is balancing the needs of my family, my ordination (I was ordained as a Roman Catholic Deacon in 1993 by the Archdiocese of Chicago.) and church ministries, the concerts we still do with the New Colony Six every summer, ranging from five to ten to more then a couple dozen during a very busy season, with the demands of the business. I will not let Arbortech destroy all the other aspects of my life. If this means we grow at a slower pace, then so be it. We don't have to be the biggest, but we will always strive to be the best. Close
Pollution Engineering Magazine March 2004 - Powder-Coater Recycles with Washer Washer.
P2 sustainability: Ultrafiltration Scores a Win for P2By Barbara Quinn
Productivity, like pollution prevention, is a process rather than an event. Few people appreciate that more fully than Mary Beth Schwefel, who serves in the dual capacity of Finishing Engineer, and Environmental, Health and Safety Manager for Metcam Inc. The perspective born of her professional responsibilities has provided Schwefel and Metcam, a manufacturer of precision sheet-metal components and assemblies, with a unique opportunity to pursue pollution prevention initiatives.
Facing the challenge
etcam manufactures components and assemblies for a broad range of industries, from telecommunications and electronics to medicine and food service. The company employs around 60 people at its 100,000 square foot plant in Alpharetta, Ga. After the sheet-metal components are laser cut, punched, bent and welded, the parts move to the finishing department. Aluminum parts are subjected to a chrome conversion before some are powder coated. Cold rolled steel and galvanized parts are pretreated through a five-stage iron phosphate washer and powder coated. This five-stage iron phosphate washer spray deserves a closer look.
- Stage 1 involves a 1,250-gallon alkaline cleaner solution with surfactants operating at a 3.5 to 4 percent concentration, with water pressure of 15-18 psi at the nozzles and temperatures of 135°F. The alkaline cleaner removes oil and grease from the parts, thereby preparing them to accept the iron phosphate or powder coating. The sodium hydroxide solution is purchased as a liquid, which is formulated with a silicate builder and nonionic and anionic surfactants.
- Stage 1 is followed by a spray rinse (Stage 2) using city water.
- Stage 3 centers on iron phosphating, which minimizes corrosion of the part. The first step is the dissolution of the metallic iron in a phosphoric acidic solution. As the acid attacks the metal surface, it is consumed, raising the pH of the liquid. The change in pH causes phosphate salts to precipitate and react with the metal surface, forming a crystalline coating that locks paints or powder onto the part and acts as a barrier to the flow of electrons.
- The third stage is followed by another spray wash (Stage 4) using city water.
- Stage 5 is the non-chrome seal, which enhances under-paint corrosion resistance on the surface of the iron phosphate-coated steel.
Keeping the rinse water at a sufficiently high quality level is critical to the efficiency of the finishing process. The rinse from Stage 2 is particularly sensitive to the amount of oil carried over from the Stage 1 cleaner, and the Stage 3 process cannot operate effectively if more than 100 ml of oil per liter of rinse is carried over from Stage 2. To ensure process efficiency, Metcam was forced to dump Stage 2 rinse water every other production day. In addition, as the cleaner in Stage 1 approached its six-month bath life, the quality of the solution carrying over to Stage 2 deteriorated. Maintaining the quality of its finishing line was of paramount importance to Metcam, but it was also expensive. Metcam estimated that it spent $35,515 every year just to generate Stage 1 and Stage 2 wastewaters, with evaporation costing approximately $0.31 per gallon of wastewater. Managing the wastewater it generated added even more cost and headaches. Without access to a sewer connection, Metcam weighed two options: sending the waste offsite for treatment and disposal, or reducing the waste by evaporator onsite and sending the residual sludge offsite for final disposal. Evaporation represented the most cost-effective solution, but Metcam recognized that minimizing or even eliminating wastewaters at their source would be a much more effective solution. Explained Schwefel, "We were interested in finding an alternative to the two traditional options available to metalworking operations. Fortunately, the state of Georgia was just as interested in finding alternative methods to minimize waste. With the help of the state's P2 division (P2AD), we entered into a program to test a pollution prevention option." That option, one of three that had been considered, was ultrafiltration (UF). After more than six months of testing, the results are impressive.
Minimizing waste through ultrafiltrationMetcam's filtration system reduces both Stage 1 and Stage 2 wastewater at the source, extends alkaline cleaner bath lives and reduces dump and recharge costs. Unlike a traditional filtration system that can foul within a short period of time, a cross-flow filtration system lets the membrane surface receive continuous "sweeping," thereby limiting the fiber cake buildup and extending processing times. In a crossflow UF system, contaminated cleaner solution is pumped across the membrane at relatively low pressures. Solution flow is parallel to the filter pores while a tangential pressure transports water, dissolved salts/metals and low-molecular weight cleaner compounds through the membrane pores to the cleaner bath. All suspended solids and soluble materials rejected by the membrane move away in a continuous, turbulent flow at the membrane surface. The UF system that Metcam employed was designed to separate high molecular weight, colloidal or suspended solids from water-based cleaning solutions. Constructed of a semi-permeable, sintered titanium dioxide membrane attached to a tubular, stainless steel substructure, the membrane had a nominal pore size of 0.1 microns. The system configuration chosen by Metcam is known as "batch with recirculating loop, top-off." In this system, the feed rate to the process tank from Stage 1 is equal to the permeate flux rate. A counter-flow rinse system, which works synergistically with the UF system, ties Stage 2 and Stage 1 together, allowing for reuse of Stage 2 water to make up for Stage 1 evaporation and dragout losses.
Performance and resultsMetcam's UF system was online independently from Jan. 2 to March 10, 2003; since then, the UF system has worked in conjunction with the automated rinse counterflow system. Of particular interest to Metcam and Georgia's P2AD was the system's ability to rejuvenate dirty cleaner bath and the extension of the bath's life before dumping and recharging was required. When the project started, the cleaner was judged to be equivalent to a six month bath. If the UF system could rejuvenate Stage 1 to the quality of a new bath, there was a solid likelihood that the system could keep the bath operating for a very long time without the need for dumping or recharging. The UF system turned the 1,250 gallons over in just about ten days, transforming a cloudy, orange-brown liquid into a much clearer, orange-yellow bath after just one month. By April 2003, Metcam saw a steady performance in contaminant removal and recovery. "The system has been up and working," said Schwefel, "and the results are as good, or better, than we had anticipated. We've gone months without adding chemicals, and that saves money. We're well on our way to being ISO 14000-compliant, and our employees are working in an improved physical environment. But, we're also seeing some unexpected benefits. Our employees don't have to clean out the tanks nearly as often, and that's a dirty, messy job. And our customers are very positive because our quality has remained excellent at the same time that we've implemented these major environmental improvements. With this system, everyone wins." PEBarbara Quinn has written about environmental, public policy and economic development issues for more than 25 years. Her work has been published in magazines that serve the industrial, environmental, municipal and business communities. Close
Metal Finishing Magazine February 2004 - Washer Washer in Product Spotlight
February Product Showcase
Metal Finishing Magazine February 2004
Arbortech's Washer Washer recycles floor wash to pressure sprayers, electros/soaks to parts washers, etc. Featuring stainless steel design, the Washer Washer handles pH from 0 to 14 at temperatures to 200º F. Benefits of using the system include less chemicals used, reduced dump/recharge frequency, energy saving because there is no need to boost temperature since cleaner remains perpetually excellent, and conserved water because of extended bath life. The recycler is inexpensive to operate because of low HP and Arbortech maintains the membranes.
Close
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality January 2004
SMALL CHEMICAL MANUFACTURERS POLLUTION PREVENTION INITIATIVE: BEST POLLUTION PREVENTION PRACTICES DOCUMENTATION PROJECT
From the Website of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
Best P2E2 Practices
Membrane Separations for Concentration or Purification (Recycle)
Membrane separations are used to concentrate wastes, purify effluents for recycle, purify and recover water, remove oils and solids from plating baths, etc. As a result of the high cost of water, disposal, and chemicals, the utilization of membrane technology is often justified. Excellent developments and improvements in the 90s have increased efficiencies, reduced costs, and significantly increased the number of applications of this relatively new technology. This is a crossflow unit operation that has one influent and two effluents; the effluents are known as the permeate and the concentrate. The permeate passes through the membrane and the membrane rejects the flow of ions (Reverse Osmosis (RO)), or rejects higher molecular weight polymers and solids (Ultrafiltration (UF)), or rejects only insolubles (microfiltration (MF)). One significant advantage of the cross flow configuration is the continuous self-cleaning of the membrane by the solutes and solids that are swept through to the concentrate. RO rejects chemicals with a molecular weight of 150 and sometimes lower (e.g. producing drinking water from brackish water), and UF rejects chemicals with a molecular weight above 1000 and solids (e.g. concentrate high molecular weight materials for disposal and/or recovering water and chemicals for cleaning baths).
Membrane Separations for Concentration or Purification (Recycle): Detailed Description
Abstract
Membrane separations are used to concentrate wastes, purify effluents for recycle, purify and recover water, remove oils and solids from plating baths, etc. As a result of the high cost of water, disposal, and chemicals, the utilization of membrane technology is often justified. Excellent developments and improvements in the 90s have increased efficiencies, reduced costs, and significantly increased the number of applications of this relatively new technology. This is a crossflow unit operation that has one influent and two effluents; the effluents are known as the permeate and the concentrate. The permeate passes through the membrane and the membrane rejects the flow of ions (Reverse Osmosis (RO)), or rejects higher molecular weight polymers and solids (Ultrafiltration (UF)), or rejects essentially insoluble materials (microfiltration (MF)). One significant advantage of the cross flow configuration is the continuous self-cleaning of the membrane by the solutes and solids that are swept through to the concentrate. RO rejects chemicals with a molecular weight of 150 and sometimes lower (e.g. producing drinking water from brackish water), and UF rejects chemicals with a molecular weight above 1000 and solids (e.g. concentrate high molecular weight materials for disposal and/or recovering water and chemicals for cleaning baths).
Technical Details and Examples
The applications for membrane technology include three general categories: process, waste treatment, and water purification. Recovering and reusing valuable chemicals justify process applications. And waste treatment is justified by concentrating wastes for disposal or by removing chemicals from effluents to meet some specific regulation. Membranes are chosen to optimize the performance for any specific application. RO membranes include cellulose acetate, aromatic polyamides; UF membranes include polysulfone, cellulose acetates, and fluorinated polymers; MF membranes include polypropylene, acrylonitrile, nylon, and PTFE, in addition to ceramics and titanium dioxide. The operating temperatures range between 32 and 185 0F, (200F+ with titanium dioxide/316L SS modules) depending on the membrane material; the pH range varies depending on materials of construction with certain MF modules being capable of operation over 0-14; and the operating pressures are: RO (200 to 1000 psig), UF (15 to 200 psig), and MF (3 to 150 psig). The mechanical designs of membrane systems include tubular, hollow fiber, plate and frame, and spiral-wound. For every application, the vendors [1-3] design the system for specific objectives, the chemistry, corrosion factors, and requirements for prefiltration, etc. In most cases the justification for a membrane application is the recovery and reuse of valuable materials. For example, many parts cleaning and/or plating plants recover chemicals by recycling lubricant oils, cleaning chemicals and plating formulations. This is possible in small plants (50 gpd) and in large plants (50 to 100 gpm). Specifically, one plant used an RO system on a nickel-plating line. The permeate stream (116 gph) was recycled as rinse water and the concentrate stream (6 gph) containing the nickel salts was returned to the plating bath. Through chemical savings alone, another facility paid for its MF system in less than 12 months by recycling alkaline cleaner instead of continuing its past practice of disposal and recharge. Membrane and membrane system companies have developed small plug-in systems that are very easy to use and maintain; for example: a) "Competitive Brand" [1], and b) Washer Washers [2]. The "Competitive Brand" (100 to 500 gpd) and the "Mini Competitive Brand" (2 to 50 gpd) were specifically developed to purify and recycle spent industrial fluids, such as aqueous cleaner baths, mass-finishing compounds, and water-based industrial fluids in any metalworking and parts repair operations. "Competitive Brand" units tied to baths have extended bath life by 10 times or more. The Washer Washers (WW) (50 to 150 gpd) and larger versions (up to 6,000 gpd) have been used successfully for a) the reduction of oils and soils that interfere with cleaning effectiveness, therefore parts are always perfect, b) processing rinse waters for recycle, and c) the volumetric reduction of wastes up to 99 percent. Chemical costs have been reduced by 50 to 80 percent. The plug-in Washer Washer systems are relatively inexpensive; i.e. the larger systems cost from <$15K to <$40K, and smaller units are less than $10K. Systems were specifically developed for recycling cleaning solutions used in applications like: wash tanks, electro and soak cleaners, pressure water washer systems, vibratory cleaning solutions, press wash-down water, spray and dip or immersion parts washer water, etc. Customers typically indicate savings in the range of 50 to 80 percent in chemical purchases alone, and bath life has been extended 4 to 10 times. Additionally, this vendor [2] provides its systems with a spare membrane (or membrane set) and offers a service to clean the membranes and return them to the user within days; at a cost lower than in-house wash processes. The recycling process, therefore, proceeds with only minimal (five minutes or less) interruption, requiring simple exchange of modules and emptying of the concentrate, before return to the recycling process. In Summary, these results show the benefits of using membrane technology, such as: a) reducing chemical costs by reclaiming plating salts or aqueous cleaners, b) reducing shipping and disposal costs by concentrating (90 to 99 percent) effluents, and c) improving quality via removing solids and oils and recycling water and chemicals.
Close
Cleantech Magazine January 2004 - Report on our WW-1 Unit
P2AD Helps Metal Finisher Save $30,000
Cleantech Magazine January 2004
January 8, 2004 The Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P2AD) received the results of a six-month study of two pollution prevention (P2) technologies that were implemented at Metcam Advanced Metalworking during the first half of 2003. The results surpassed expectations, reducing Metcam's wastewater discharge and other costs for a total savings of $29,032 per year.
The Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P2AD) is a non-regulatory division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Since 1993, P2AD has provided free, confidential environmental technical assistance in the areas of pollution prevention, resource conservation, waste reduction, by-product reuse and recycling. P2AD's clients include the manufacturing industry, commercial businesses, agriculture, institutions, the military, government and the citizens of Georgia.
"These results are even better than what we had anticipated," says Colin Kiefer, pollution prevention engineer for P2AD. "Metcam has shown that a metal finishing business can greatly improve the efficiency of their processes, while simultaneously achieving significant cost savings and environmental benefits."
Metcam is a mid-size metal fabricating and finishing company located in Alpharetta, Georgia. In the pilot project that ran from January through June 2003, Metcam demonstrated it could significantly reduce washer-related rejects, cleaner chemical use, and wastewater generation through the use of an ultrafiltration (UF) membrane system and rinse counterflow system.
By implementing these P2 technologies, Metcam realized a 78 percent reduction in operating costs related to wastewater evaporation and cleaner chemical use, reduced its wastewater generation by 94.5 percent, reduced chemical use by 64 percent and improved the quality of their product by 51 percent. Metcam also avoided purchasing a $42,400 evaporator system that would have been needed to handle its increasing wastewater output.
"The first step in convincing businesses to adopt a new technology is to prove that it works," says Kiefer. "I'm grateful to Metcam for working with us on this pilot project, and for their help in making the P2 technologies more appealing to other companies."
P2AD's Metal Finishing Initiative was designed to help bring about cost savings through waste reduction and resource conservation for metal finishing businesses across the State. P2AD established metal finishing as a priority industrial sector for outreach and technical assistance because of the significant dollars these companies spend to manage and control regulated wastewaters, hazardous wastes and air pollutant emissions.
Close
P2: Then and Now Cleantech Magazine July 2003
P2: Then and Now
After 20 years, recycling proponents still face the same confused preconceptions of what Pollution Prevention is all about.
By Raymond J. Graffia Jr. President Arbortech Corporation
his article's intent is to share recycling expertise so the reader can consider equipment to recover and reuse aqueous cleaners. We would all love to save the planet, keep it green, minimize waste and satisfy every other buzz phrase that is or ever was popular reflection of the sentiment toward reuse of vital resources. What if there actually is a way to reclaim all that wastewater generated from your washing operations? Pie-in-the-sky dream or reality?
The premise here is the latter. To begin, let us examine the concept, starting with an explanation of the heart of the technology used for equipment such as Washer Washer (small scale) and WWPro (larger scale) - membranes.
Membranes have been around for years in die casting plant applications. The two most common uses within the die casting industry are ultra-purification of incoming water and pre-treatment prior to sewer discharge. Focusing on the end-of-pipe scheme, the membrane selected often has pores that would be categorized as relatively "tight" - in hope of removing as much as can be achieved without severely curtailing the speed of processing. Materials of construction differ from vendor to vendor, but, in a majority of cases, consist of a polymer "skin" surface atop a fiberglass substrate. For limited pH range and ambient temperature projects, such as either of the above would typically be, these components serve well. However, when dealing with highly alkaline cleaners or very low pH combination phosphatizer/degreasers, especially at the elevated temperatures often seen in washing operations, they simply do not hold up. Additionally, the benefits of "tightness" prior to sewer discharge will now actually be detrimental to reuse because some of the "good stuff" may be removed during the processing.
Membranes intended for use in recycling are not so "tight," and are typically made to thrive under conditions where others might fail. Arbortech's equipment utilizes titanium dioxide membranes with a 316L stainless steel substructure. Hence, this module and others so designed can tackle applications where pH is anywhere from 0-14, at temperatures to 200° F - what it often takes to recycle water-based cleaners. The mechanism for removal and concentration of the "yuck" is cross-flow (not dead-end as in traditional bag or cartridge filters), pressure-driven (generated by a circulation pump) and multiple pass, with the long-term effect being that oils and soils are retained on one side of the membrane, while the water plus materials in true solution with water (like the cleaning product) pass through to the other side. With an in-line system set-up, permeate (that which passes through the membrane) is normally returned directly to the wash bath while the reject is slowly concentrated in a small (compared to the wash bath) process tank for later disposal. As a result, the wash bath stays perpetually near to freshly-made-up condition and the contamination concentrates in the recycling system's process tank instead of the wash bath, therefore no ( or at least greatly reduced) dump/recharge-just continual reuse. In one unusually successful case, a company that formerly dumped and recharged its 5000+ gallon bath quarterly before implementing a recycling system, only did so once in the next seven years... when they moved the operation out of one building and into another. While this performance is quite extraordinary, prolonging of bath life from 4-to-6 times is very common. Beyond extended bath life, what other direct or indirect contributions to the bottom line might be expected from installation of a good recycling system?
There are many factors to consider when purchasing a new washer water recycler such as part cleanliness, improved rinsing, increased production, less labor, cost efficiency and environmental benefits.
- Improved parts' cleanliness -
If the condition of the wash bath is consistently high quality, the washing process will be enhanced and parts cleaned will always be at maximum purity. You know how well your bath cleans just after a dump/recharge; why not just keep it that way?
- Improved rinsing -
Typical washing operations result in transfer by carry-over of a small portion of the wash bath to the subsequent rinse stage. Where this carry-over is highly contaminated, the negative consequences at the rinse stage can be dramatic. After installing adequate recycling, including counterflowing measures, rinse stages that formerly overflowed at high rates have been reduced, and, in some cases, even turned into standing rinses.
- Improved subsequent steps -
How difficult is it to paint or plate a part that has not been properly cleaned? By maintaining was bath cleanliness, those issues often disappear.
- Increased production -
is your wash process a production bottleneck? If so, forget about ever-shortening cycles of dump and recharge, because recycling can keep high quality cleaning virtually perpetually available. Think about your reject rate on parts... how much might it be reduced if they come out consistently clean?
- Save Labor -
Do you dump and recharge on straight time or overtime? Many companies do such work after hours or on weekends, making the labor costs even greater. How about the dollars spent addressing all the paperwork required for proper handling/disposal of the wastewater?
- Save power -
Whether you heat by gas or electricity, as your wash bath deteriorates, one common performance booster is to turn up the heat and that can be expensive.
- Save hauling costs -
When was the last time that your cost per gallon to haul this "stuff" away was reduced? The right product can reduce volumes to be hauled (obvious benefit) but also reduce the cost per gallon for the much more highly concentrated wastewater achievable through recycling (not so obvious benefit).
- Save water -
In portions of the world where good quality water is a scarce and a precious commodity, (southwestern USA, for one example) keeping a 5000-gallon bath in use instead of recharging it 3-to-4 times per year would be substantial conservation. Further, if recycling can enable a rinse overflow to be reduced, say from 3 gpm to 2 or 1 gpm, or even eliminated, what a savings in water that would be... incredible!
- Save chemistry -
Savings in chemicals ranging from 50 percent to 80 percent have been reported. How much is your annual budget for cleaning chemicals? Think that might be worth a phone call or two to companies with a recycling focus? Think your chemical vendor should reconsider that purchase of a new luxury sedan? Some final words to the wise... Pick your potential recycling partner carefully. Writing about the benefits of reclamation and "sales pitching" a product to accomplish this objective are both relatively easy. (Otherwise, the editors of this publication would never have given me this forum.) The willingness and ability to prove the application at your specific site, with your incoming water quality, your operating personnel, your chemicals and your contaminants are much better standards against which to measure credible vendors. For more information, please contact Arbortech Corp. at 815-385-0001 or go to www.arbortech.comClose
Dicasting.Org Magazine June 2003
Myth or Reality?Recycling Water-based Cleaners By Raymond J. Graffia Jr. President Arbortech Corporation
This article's intent is to share recycling expertise so the reader can consider equipment to recover and reuse aqueous cleaners. We would all love to save the planet, keep it green, minimize waste and satisfy every other buzz phrase that is or ever was popular reflection of the sentiment toward reuse of vital resources. What if there actually is a way to reclaim all that wastewater generated from your washing operations? Pie-in-the-sky dream or reality? The premise here is the latter. To begin, let us examine the concept, starting with an explanation of the heart of the technology used for equipment such as Washer Washer (small scale) and WWPro (larger scale) - membranes. Membranes have been around for years in die casting plant applications. The two most common uses within the die casting industry are ultra-purification of incoming water and pre-treatment prior to sewer discharge. Focusing on the end-of-pipe scheme, the membrane selected often has pores that would be categorized as relatively "tight" - in hope of removing as much as can be achieved without severely curtailing the speed of processing. Materials of construction differ from vendor to vendor, but, in a majority of cases, consist of a polymer "skin" surface atop a fiberglass substrate. For limited pH range and ambient temperature projects, such as either of the above would typically be, these components serve well. However, when dealing with highly alkaline cleaners or very low pH combination phosphatizer/degreasers, especially at the elevated temperatures often seen in washing operations, they simply do not hold up. Additionally, the benefits of "tightness" prior to sewer discharge will now actually be detrimental to reuse because some of the "good stuff" may be removed during the processing. Membranes intended for use in recycling are not so "tight," and are typically made to thrive under conditions where others might fail. Arbortech's equipment utilizes titanium dioxide membranes with a 316L stainless steel substructure. Hence, this module and others so designed can tackle applications where pH is anywhere from 0-14, at temperatures to 200° F - what it often takes to recycle water-based cleaners. The mechanism for removal and concentration of the "yuck" is cross-flow (not dead-end as in traditional bag or cartridge filters), pressure-driven (generated by a circulation pump) and multiple pass, with the long-term effect being that oils and soils are retained on one side of the membrane, while the water plus materials in true solution with water (like the cleaning product) pass through to the other side. With an in-line system set-up, permeate (that which passes through the membrane) is normally returned directly to the wash bath while the reject is slowly concentrated in a small (compared to the wash bath) process tank for later disposal. As a result, the wash bath stays perpetually near to freshly-made-up condition and the contamination concentrates in the recycling system's process tank instead of the wash bath, therefore no ( or at least greatly reduced) dump/recharge-just continual reuse. In one unusually successful case, a company that formerly dumped and recharged its 5000+ gallon bath quarterly before implementing a recycling system, only did so once in the next seven years... when they moved the operation out of one building and into another. While this performance is quite extraordinary, prolonging of bath life from 4-to-6 times is very common. Beyond extended bath life, what other direct or indirect contributions to the bottom line might be expected from installation of a good recycling system? There are many factors to consider when purchasing a new wash water recycler such as part cleanliness, improved rinsing, increased production, less labor, cost efficiency and environmental benefits.
- Improved parts' cleanliness -
If the condition of the wash bath is consistently high quality, the washing process will be enhanced and parts cleaned will always be at maximum purity. You know how well your bath cleans just after a dump/recharge; why not just keep it that way?
- Improved rinsing -
Typical washing operations result in transfer by carry-over of a small portion of the wash bath to the subsequent rinse stage. Where this carry-over is highly contaminated, the negative consequences at the rinse stage can be dramatic. After installing adequate recycling, including counterflowing measures, rinse stages that formerly overflowed at high rates have been reduced, and, in some cases, even turned into standing rinses.
- Improved subsequent steps -
How difficult is it to paint or plate a part that has not been properly cleaned? By maintaining was bath cleanliness, those issues often disappear.
- Increased production -
Is your wash process a production bottleneck? If so, forget about ever-shortening cycles of dump and recharge, because recycling can keep high quality cleaning virtually perpetually available. Think about your reject rate on parts... how much might it be reduced if they come out consistently clean?
- Save Labor -
Do you dump and recharge on straight time or overtime? Many companies do such work after hours or on weekends, making the labor costs even greater. How about the dollars spent addressing all the paperwork required for proper handling/disposal of the wastewater?
- Save power -
Whether you heat by gas or electricity, as your wash bath deteriorates, one common performance booster is to turn up the heat and that can be expensive.
- Save hauling costs -
When was the last time that your cost per gallon to haul this "stuff" away was reduced? The right product can reduce volumes to be hauled (obvious benefit) but also reduce the cost per gallon for the much more highly concentrated wastewater achievable through recycling (not so obvious benefit).
- Save water -
In portions of the world where good quality water is a scarce and a precious commodity, (southwestern USA, for one example) keeping a 5000-gallon bath in use instead of recharging it 3-to-4 times per year would be substantial conservation. Further, if recycling can enable a rinse overflow to be reduced, say from 3 gpm to 2 or 1 gpm, or even eliminated, what a savings in water that would be... incredible!
- Save chemistry -
Savings in chemicals ranging from 50 percent to 80 percent have been reported. How much is your annual budget for cleaning chemicals? Think that might be worth a phone call or two to companies with a recycling focus? Think your chemical vendor should reconsider that purchase of a new luxury sedan? Some final words to the wise...Pick your potential recycling partner carefully. Writing about the benefits of reclamation and "sales pitching" a product to accomplish this objective are both relatively easy. (Otherwise, the editors of this publication would never have given me this forum.) The willingness and ability to prove the application at your specific site, with your incoming water quality, your operating personnel, your chemicals and your contaminants are much better standards against which to measure credible vendors. For more information, please contact Arbortech Corp. at 815-385-0001 or go to www.arbortech.com.Close
Finisher's Management Magazine May 2003
Ultrafiltration Proves Profitable for Manufacturer
By Kristy Schlossberg Editor
Jon Raymond was in a jam. As environmental engineer for Sta-Rite Industries, Delavan, WI, he needed to come up with a way to extend the life of the company's aqueous cleaner without spending tens of thousands of dollars on equipment. He also needed a solution that would fit into a relatively small space.
The Sta-Rite plant employs about 1,000 workers and manufactures pumps, captive air tanks, water treatment products, and pool and spa equipment. Parts are made from steel and contain a light coating of stamping oils that must be removed before they travel on to the powder coating line. In Sta-Rite's two three-stage washing systems, the combination of hard water and oil was creating a large amount of sludge that was shortening the cleaner bath's effective life, causing dirty water to carryover to the rinse tanks in the cleaning process, increasing daily chemical usage, and creating expensive hauling bills. Some proactive step needed to be taken.
The first stages of the washing systems targeted for recycling held more than 3,000 gallons of a combination phosphating and cleaner solution that was replaced on a semi-annual basis. "We were looking to buy an ultrafiltration unit to solve our problems through the recycling of our cleaner and had received some quotes, but the equipment took up a lot of floor space and was cost prohibitive," Raymond said. "We thought we were going to have no choice then but to table the project."
Big Savings in a Small Package
Raymond soon learned of Arbortech Corp., a company that manufactures custom ultrafiltration systems and had recently introduced a standard aqueous cleaner recycling line called the Washer Washer (WW). The first thing Raymond noticed about the WW was its low price; the second, that it was a stand-alone unit with a footprint less than 15 square feet. Although skeptical at the difference in size and price from other bids he received, Raymond decided to go ahead and run an extended trial of the unit at the Delavan plant.
Ultrafiltration units are designed to prolong the use of baths through the continuous removal of contamination. According to Ray Graffia Jr., president of Arbortech, additional benefits can include:
- Cleaner parts: Oil and soils wind up in the recycling system's process tank instead of remaining in the wash bath where they might have been re-deposited on parts.
- Better rinsing: As the wash bath gets dirtier, carryover will eventually make the rinse tanks dirty and ineffective, as well. With ultrafiltration, this carryover is less contaminated with soils.
- Improved subsequent steps such as plating or painting: Ineffective cleaning or rinsing can have a negative impact on coating adhesion.
- Waste minimization
- Lower hauling charges: Not only is volume reduced, but cost-per-gallon is often less because of the lower percentage of water in the residual product after the recycling process.
- Lower utility bills: The gut reaction to unclean parts is often to "turn up the heat," but there is no need to do so if the bath stays perpetually clean.
- Increased production: Consistently clean parts help relieve bottlenecks and minimize rejects.
- Reduced labor costs
- Reduced chemical usage and purchases
The WW unit and Sta-Rite's wash tank are connected by a hose. Gravity forces the water to travel from the washer to the system's process tank. The heart of the WW system is the stainless steel membrane (that is tolerant to temperatures up to 200 degrees F) with pores that have been controlled during fabrication to produce a specific size opening. Having determined an ideal size and using membranes of that porosity, water and cleaner pass through the membrane while the oil and contaminants are retained. The treated water and cleaner is returned to the bath, and the contaminants are concentrated in the WW's process tank where they can be disposed of on a scheduled basis. The WW extends the longevity of productive wash bath use through continuous removal of contamination and continuous return of reclaimed water and cleaner.Arbortech is able to provide low-cost solutions in part because of the construction of the membrane it provides. By using a robust material like stainless steel, many of the controls found in other ultrafiltration units, such as cooling features, do not have to be incorporated. The small footprint has stemmed from Arbortech's realization that typical customer demands to process 1,000-gallon to 3,000-gallon wash tanks need not take up too much vital floor space. The Results are InAfter their installation, Raymond noticed an immediate improvement in the washing tanks. "We ran the trial and the sludge changed -- not only the volume, but also the makeup. It was lighter than it was before and our carryover between the first and second wash bath was reduced," Raymond said. "Our chemical usage also evened out -- we didn't have to add additional chemicals as the bath got older like we had to in the past in order to keep it productive." Additionally, the WW can run without operator supervision and requires very little downtime to clean, which helped Sta-Rite decrease its operating costs. Once the trial was complete, Sta-Rite bought two units, one for each of its wash tanks. Raymond has continued to be pleased with the performance of the WW, which allowed him to find a solution to a problem that he thought he would never fix. "We've saved 60 percent compared to the other quotes by implementing the Washer Washers and considering each unit's small footprint, they took up far less floor space, as well," Raymond said. "All around, these products have helped us prevent pollution, improve our painting process after cleaning, and add dollars to our bottom line." For more information, please contact Arbortech Corp. at 815-385-0001 or go to www.arbortech.com. Close
Pollution Engineering July 2001
Washer Washer Recycling System - Process Cleaning Magazine June 2006 Washer Washer Rescues Manufacturer's Upgrade Project
"We were dead in the water
"
Sta-Rite Industries (Delavan, WI), a manufacturer of water pumping systems, wanted to upgrade its pre-paint parts washing operations by purchasing aqueous cleaning recycling equipment. The company's targets for reclamation: a 3,000 gallon primary washer tank, which held a combination phospatizing/degreasing solution that was replaced twice a year, and a second, similarly sized wash tank that held less-contaminated water. But after receiving quotes for $45,000 to $50,000, plus expenses, for recycling equipment, Sta-Rite was ready to table the project. "At that price, we were dead in the water," says Sta-Rite environmental engineer John Raymond. "And then Arbortech approached us."
Arbortech's (McHenry, IL) Washer Washer system offered a more economical alternative than other products Sta-Rite had seen. The system works by pumping contaminated solution across a membrane filter. The water that passes is returned directly back into the parts washer. Water that is rejected returns to the process tank, where contaminants are concentrated and eventually removed The Washer Washer has a small 3 x 5 foot footprint. from the looptypically hauled away or sent for subsequent treatment. Through this multiple pass operation, about 90 to 99 gallons out of every 100 can be processed for reuse. "After seeing a demonstration with a one-gallon sample, I remember thinking how ridiculously small their equipment seemed, especially when compared to the other proposals. Their pricing was low, almost too low to be credible," said Raymond. Arbortech "did a great demonstration, but at full-scale, I had my doubts." Raymond decided to do an onsite pilot at Sta-Rite's facility. "Investing time and a few dollars to see if we could actually cut the cost for recycling the two washers by more than half seemed very worthwhile. We saved 60 percent compared to the other two quotes by implementing two Washer Washers."
Washer Washer Features
The system has a small 3 x 5 foot footprint, taking up less floor space than competitive products. Construction materials have been selected to withstand extreme temperature (up to 200° F) and pH conditions (0 to 14).
Benefits of using a Washer Washer include:
- Less frequent new bath make-up can cut water usage by 75 to 90 percent. Rinses remain so clean that overflows can often be substantially reduced adn sometimes even shut off completely.
- No need to boost wash bath temperature as cleaning quality diminishes from contamination build-up - Washer Washer keeps the bath clean.
- Maintenance may take as little as five to 10 minutes a week, meaning that labor hours can be assigned elsewhere.
- Fewer gallons to dispose, plus decreased water content, often produces lower per gallon chargesFewer rejects caused by faulty cleaning.
"Designed for simplicity, Washer Washers are easy to install, easy to run, easy to troubleshoot and easy on the pocketbook. Paybacks of less than one year are common, often just from savings on cleaning chemistry purchases," says Ray Graffia, President of Arbortech. "All around," says John raymond, " Arbortech's washer Washer was a wonderful discovery that has helped us prevent pollution, improve our painting process and add dollars to our bottom line." Close
33 Metalproducing July 2001
33 Metalproducing
McCook Metals Reduces Wastewater Hauling by 95% with Ultrafiltration System Page: 28; July, 2001
McCook Metals, L.L.C. in McCook, IL casts, rolls, and processes aluminum sheets and plate for the aerospace, defense, general manufacturing, and distributor markets. Its operations require a high volume of water. The former owner of the facility, Reynolds Aluminum, spent about $600.00 per day in hauling fees to dispose of a daily average of 3,000 gal of wastewater. This year, the McCook facility , now owned by Michigan Avenue Partners, reduced those costs more than 95%. "In prior years waste hauling fees were simply assumed to be an ongoing part of normal overhead costs, " says Matt Ochalski, president of McCook Metals. "We began to search for a way to bring those down." Company officials found Arbortech, whose experts built and installed a sophisticated, customized ultrafiltration (UF) system with controls and automation that allow for remote monitoring and operation. Instrumentation reports are accessed and downloaded daily at Arbortech's facility 50 miles from McCook. From there, Arbortech technicians operate, clean, and maintain the system. They also provide telephone directions to guide McCook's personnel through any required onsite system adjustments. McCook's daily responsibilities are limited essentially to checking the area to ensure the integrity of the overall system and keeping the chemical tanks filled. In operation, wastewater typically is pumped across membranes in the system at a high flow rate and at an appropriate pressure. Contaminants slowly accumulate near the membrane surface, forming a gel layer, during normal operations. When membranes no longer process at the desired or necessary speed, they are cleaned in place and returned to service. McCook thermally cracks the concentrated waste from the UF and gets paid for the resulting oil phase, sending the water phase back to the ultrafilter to be treated again. "With over 1 million gallons treated during the first twelve months of operation, we have seen a payback not only for the unit, but also for the complete installation costs in just one year," Ochalski states. "That's fantastic performance. I'm truly impressed with what they've done for us. I'm so pleased with our success that I've put Arbortech in touch with all three of our sister locations in hopes that they can work miracles for them too."
Close
Die Casting Management July 2001
Die Casting Management
Arbortech Ultrafiltration System Cuts Hauling Costs Page: 12; July, 2001 Arbortech Corporation, award-winning manufacturer of customized ultrafiltration (UF) systems for wastewater treament and the recycling of aqueous cleaners, has just relased the story of its successful work with McCook Metals, L.L.C. "Success Story:McCook Metals" details the dramatic 95+ percent reduction in hauling costs achieved in the first year of operation, with the UF system processing wastewater generated during the casting, rolling, and processing of aluminum sheet and plate. Further financial benefit is derived as McCook thermally cracks the residual waste from the UF and gets paid for the resulting oil phase! The entire project cost has been recovered in just the first twelve months of operation, with over 1 million gallons of wastewater treated in that time. Matt Ochalski, McCook's president, says, "... fantastic performance. I'm truly impressed with what Arbortech has done for us. I'm so pleased... that I've put them in touch with...our sister locations in hopes that they can work miracles for them, too. This is how all equipment should work. This is how all companies should support their products." The accolades are in part due to Arbortech's state-of-the-art controls' design that permits them to monitor and operate McCook's UF system remotely, performing daily checks, downloading reports, running, cleaning, and maintaining the equipment at a distance of more than 50 miles from the McCook site. In business since 1981, Arbortech designs, engineers, and builds customized ultrafiltration systems and recently introduced a standardized line for recycling aqueous cleaning solutions. The company has become a success by working closely with its clients, from lab scale and pilot testing through equipment start-up and beyond.
Close
Industrial Wastewater January/February 2000
Industrial Wastewater MagazineProblem Solvers: Ultrafiltration System Treats Corrosive Fluid Page: 49; January, 2000
Tired of storing and hauling used synthetic air-compressor lubricant, managers at Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. (Stratford, Connecticut), which designs and manufactures helicopters, began searching for a low-maintenance system that could process the highly corrosive lubricant onsite. After an extensive search, operators chose Arbortech Corp. (McHenry, Illinois) to custom design a corrosion-resistant ultrafiltration system. "We build aircraft, not run pollution-control equipment," says Walter Joseph, the Sikorsky engineer in charge of selecting the new system. "We needed to work with a company that could understand our focus and design a system with enough automation to suit our requirements." Using an ultrafiltration system to treat a single-source condensate like the lubricant may seem simple, but in this case, the condensate was highly corrosive to plastics, explains Arbortech President, Ray Graffia Jr. Arbortech engineers designed a totally stainless steel ultrafiltration system, replacing even the most minute plastic parts that would contact wastewater. Converting the entire system to stainless steel was not the only modification, adds Tom Huemann, Arbortech's Vice President of Engineering. The system was installed in the basement of the plant, but Joseph wanted to be able to monitor operations from the first floor, where employees spend most of their time. To satisfy this need, Arbortech constructed a second operator interface terminal in the control room that allows all non-manual operations to be performed from the main floor. The capacity of the system, which discharges to the municipal wastewater treatment plant, is 5677 L/d (1500 gal/d). The nominal capacity of similar systems treating spent coolant probably would be about 1900 L/d (500 gal/d), Graffia says. However, he says, lighter-duty applications, like compressor condensate, often run two to three times as fast because the streams are cleaner to begin with than most industrial wastewater processes. The ultrafiltration system operates in modified batch mode, Huemann says, and routine maintenance is limited to cleaning between batches. Thus far, Sikorsky officials are pleased with the system, which cost a little less than $40,000, Graffia says.
Close
Pollution Engineering January 2000
Pollution Engineering Magazine "The Source for Water, Air and Waste Information"
Case Book: Ultrafiltration System Takes on Aircraft Manufacturer's Wastewater by: Diane Strzelecki Pages: 51-52; January, 2000
Five years ago, Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. of Stratford, Connecticut, generated eight to ten 55-gallon drums of wastewater a day, all of which had to be hauled away at a hefty cost to the company. In 1996, however, the aircraft manufacturer began discharging that wastewater directly into the municipal sewer system, saving the company thousands of dollars a year. Key to this accomplishment was the installation of an ultrafiltration (UF) system custom-designed for the unique properties of the wastewater.
When Walter Joseph, a foreman with Sikorsky, began evaluating wastewater treatment systems and technologies, he was aware that the diester-based synthetic air compressor lubricant used in their manufacturing process was toxic enough to destroy many plastics used in filtration systems. Therefore, all components in the system -- down to the membrane housing -- needed to be constructed from corrosion-resistant material. The company accepted the design presented by Arbortech Corporation of McHenry, Illinois, which called for an all-stainless steel system that could stand up to caustic wastewater. "We build aircraft -- we aren't experts in running pollution control equipment," said Joseph. "We wanted to reduce our disposal costs, but we also wanted a system that was easy to maintain and operate."
From the UF element to the two tanks used, low maintenance and ease of operation were priorities in the design of the 60-psi system, notes Ray Graffia, president of Arbortech. "The 1-inch-diameter tubular ultrafiltration elements are virtually impossible to plug, and they can be cleaned hydraulically or mechanically. That alone can make the difference between the ability to clean or the necessity to replace a membrane," he says.
Membrane preservation also was the reason for providing a "soft start" on the system's circulation pump. Instead of an immediate circulation of 60 psi from startup, the system ramps up and shuts down slowly to prevent membrane shock. Because the UF system was installed in a remote area of the plant, Arbortech used two operator interface terminals -- one at the system's location and one in the plant's main control room. The setup allows the system to be monitored and controlled from either location. The alarm/shutoff feature of the system also is very flexible, offering alarm and/or shutdown for various conditions, including a drop in processing speed or a reduction in circulation pressure. Alarm conditions can be addressed at either terminal.
Finally, the two tanks used in the system allow cleaning procedures to run separately from processing operations. According to Graffia, this feature is a real timesaver.
"Many smaller UF systems run from one tank, which means it [the tank] has to be completely evacuated before cleaning," notes Graffia. "With two tanks, you can begin cleaning from the second tank as soon as treatment is shut down." Bells and whistles aside, the UF system allows Sikorsky to achieve compliance while saving money. According to Joseph, Arbortech's UF system paid for itself in less than a year.
"I looked everywhere for a system like this," Joseph says. "It has a clean, professional appearance, and it definitely does the job it is supposed to do."
Close
Wastewater Technology Showcase Fall 1999
Wastewater Technology Showcase
Ultrafiltration System Saves Water, Reduces Disposal Fees
Page: 9; FALL, 1999 Problem: Metal products manufacturer needed to reduce fats, oils, and greases in its wastewater
Solution: The company installed a membrane ultrafiltration system that saves it money on water, waste disposal and cleaners.
AMCO Engineering, a Schiller Park, Illinois, manufacturer of modular electronic enclosures for the computer industry and high-tech switching stations, needed to reduce fats, oils, and greases (FOG) in the 25.4-m (6700-gallon) first stage wash line. Metals fabricated at the company are washed, sealed, rinsed and painted: the FOG comes from rustproof coatings, says Ed Shook, formerly AMCO's environmental manager, now the company's purchasing manager.
For years, AMCO discharged this wastewater quarterly and replaced it with a fresh bath, Shook says. Although the company had used a wheel skimmer to remove FOG from the wastewater surface, he says, "We were getting awfully close to the [Metropolitan Reclamation District of Greater Chicago] standards of 250 [mg/L] for FOG." As a resulted AMCO decided to install more effective FOG controls before it had a compliance problem.
"The company considered several ultrafiltration (UF) systems," Shook says, and eventually chose one from Arbortech Corporation of McHenry, Illinois, which manufactures UF systems with semi-permeable polymeric membranes. "We chose the Arbortech unit because it worked best during a demo and was much cheaper than the other systems," Shook says. In 1994, when the system was installed, AMCO spent less than $15,000; the same system today would range from $15,000 to $20,000, says Arbortech President, Ray Graffia Jr. Cost is based in part on membrane square footage, materials of construction, and controls. AMCO's UF unit features a semi-permeable membrane with openings that are smaller than 0.005 mm. "Bacteria, viruses, suspended solids, and macro molecules that are formed when the cleaner grabs onto the oil are way too large to pass through," Graffia says. Arbortech does not size its UF systems according to gallons per minute of permeate, he says, but by matching the rates of contaminant generation and flux. "If we oversize, the client may lose more of his cleaner than necessary, reducing payback," he says. The unit also features programmable logic controls with pertinent operations' details built into help screens and a motor drive on the circulation pump to eliminate pressure-shocking membranes during starting and stopping, Graffia says. "No two systems we've ever built have been identical," he says. According to Shook, AMCO "jazzed up" its system, by adding a heater "so we could heat the bath in the Arbortech unit [and added] surge and shunt protection to guard against power surge or power drop." The UF unit has saved AMCO money in several ways, he says. The company uses less water and discharges 75% less wastewater than it did before installing the unit. Instead of draining, cleaning, and refilling the system every 3 months, Shook says, "now we only discharge it every year and a half and save about 6,000 gallons [23,000 L] of water every 3 months." AMCO also saves money on oil-disposal fees because of the higher concentration of oil in haul-away, Shook says. The material that AMCO's skimmer had reclaimed was about 70% water and 30% oil, and had to be mixed as a fuel blend before it was burned, he says. "That was costing us around $400 or $500 per barrel," he says. The Arbortech system generates about 70% oil. "That costs us only about $200 per barrel to get rid of, and there are fewer barrels," he says. Another unexpected benefit of the UF system, Shook says, is that "it saves us on chemical cleaners that we used to use to get rid of dirt and oils." Arbortech tells customers to expect to spend less than 5 minutes per shift under normal operation to log pressures, temperature, and the flux rate, Graffia says. Cleaning usually is necessary anywhere from once a week to twice a month, he says. According to Shook, in the 5 years that the company has had the UF system, "we've replaced a valve and replaced the filter twice. The maintenance is minimal, and we've had no major problems. We're very happy with the system."
Close
Products Finishing Magazine July 1999
Recycling Aqueous Cleaning Solutions
Using membrane filtration to recycle aqueous cleaning solutions... By N. Rajagopalan and T. Lindsey Illinois Waste Management and Research Center, Champaign, IL and John Sparks, U.S. EPA, Washington, DC
Originally Appeared in the July 1999 Issue of Products Finishing
During this century, industrial technology and capacity has grown tremendously. Demand for goods created an economy that favored resource-intensive industries. However, natural resource consumption and subsequent discharges to the air, water and land were enormous and often made without consideration of environmental consequences.
By mid-century, landfilling and deteriorating air and water quality became a national priority, leading to the creation of the U.S. EPA. An early action of EPA was the Clean Water Act of 1972. It authorized a comprehensive federal water pollution control system to reduce discharges into the nation's surface waters and restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the water. The ultimate goal was to make the waterways suitable for fishing, swimming and recreation.
By the late 70s and early 80s, effluent guidelines had been set for most industry sectors that discharged toxic organics, heavy metals, cyanide and oil and grease. The metal finishing effluent guidelines of 1983 (40 CFR part 433) sets limits on discharged pollutants. Industries covered include electroplating, electroless plating, anodizing, coating (chromating, phosphating and coloring), chemical etching and milling and PCB manufacturing.
If a facility engages in any of these processes, then discharges from other regulated operations in that facility are also subject to the guidelines. These 40 other unit operations include metal working, organic coating and paint stripping, among others. Permitting authorities use these guidelines as a basis for permitting and setting limits on heavy metals, grease and oil and total toxic organics. Federal law requires that limits be at least as stringent as the U.S. EPA guidelines.
Because of these regulations, most industries installed waste treatment systems. The typical technology is a pH adjustment and oil skimming followed by a lime and settle treatment. The treated water is discharged, and the precipitated waste is compacted in a filter press. The lime and coagulants used in this process add considerable bulk to the landfilled waste.
Many manufacturing operations, however, have effluent from metal working processes and are not subject to EPA guidelines. For example, a machine shop that discharges effluent from an aqueous degreasing system and does not engage in one of the six trigger categories is not covered by the guideline.
Because of this, a newer rule with broader coverage is under development. The Metal Products and Machinery Rule covers facilities by sector, similar to the scheme used for SIC codes, rather than by specific processes. According to the EPA website, this rule is scheduled for signature in October 2000. Under this rule, effluent volume will be considered as well as discharge quality. Using these metrics, the facility may have mass-based limits that are calculated by the pollutant concentration multiplied by the volume of the discharge per unit time. Facilities that institute water-conserving practices that increase the concentration of a pollutant will not be penalized by regulation of the mass of pollutant discharge.
The Common Sense Initiative is a sector-based initiative intended to explore industry-specific environmental strategies. The program is designed to promote cleaner, cheaper and smarter environmental performance using a non-adversarial process that tests new ideas and approaches.
The Metal Finishing sector includes representatives from EPA, the industry, state government, POTWs, environmental organizations and organized labor. The Strategic Goals Program arose from this initiative. This creates two voluntary cleaner, cheaper, smarter national performance goals for the industry. The first goal is facility-based, and the other is an industry-based goal. One goal addresses water use. Using 1992 as a base year, the facility-based goal is to achieve a 50% reduction in water purchased and used by 2002. The industry goal is for 80% of facilities nationwide to achieve these goals.
The Metal Products and Machinery Rule and trends toward voluntary initiatives are helping the nation's industries achieve the zero discharge goal of the Clean Water Act of 1972. Membrane filtration technologies are increasingly recognized as ways of achieving the goals.
Basic concepts and terminology. Several terms describe an ultrafiltration/microfiltration system. Crossflow. Flow of solution parallel or tangential to the membrane surface. Counteracts concentration polarization. Feed. Starting solution to be processed. Flux. Measure of membrane productivity in liters of permeate or filtrate produced in one hour by one sq meter of membrane area. Fouling. Interaction between substances in the feed and the membrane that reduce flux. Usually reversible. Permeate (filtrate). Solution that permeates or passes through the filter. Plugging. Accumulation of particulates in the membrane passages that restrict flow. Pores. Filter passages for solution. Retentate/concentrate. Residual solution containing the concentrated contaminants. Rejection. Filter's ability to retain contaminants. A 100% rejection indicates complete retention. In the context of aqueous cleaner recycling, a 100% rejection of the contaminants is desirable.
UF/MF is a pressure-driven separation process. It uses a semi-permeable barrier (membrane) to separate feed-stream components according to particle size. Feed stream components that have a particle size larger than the pore sizes of the membrane are retained while smaller one pass through. Ultrafiltration is an extension of conventional filtration, which is considered appropriate for filtration of particles larger than 5mm. The term microfiltration usually applies to filters that separate particles in the size range of 0.05mm to 5mm. Ultrafiltration separates both particulate matter as well as dissolved substances in the range of 0.001mm to 0.1mm. The distinction between the two is blurred in the range of 0.03mm to 0.1mm. Membranes used to regenerate aqueous cleaners have pore sizes ranging from 0.05mm to 0.45mm. The terms ultrafiltration and microfiltration are interchangeable in this article.
A major difference between conventional and membrane filtration is the mechanism of particle capture. Conventional filters capture particles in a matrix that cannot be regenerated. Membrane filters are usually sized to have pores that are too small for particles to enter, so the bulk of filtration occurs at the filter surface. Membrane filters can be reused after flushing or cleaning.
Crossflow filtration describes the flow of feed solution in a direction parallel to the membrane or filter surface. This "sweeps" the membrane surface and limits filter cake buildup, allowing for longer operating times. A small portion of solution is forced through the membrane by the applied pressure and is recovered as permeate.
During ultrafiltration dirty cleaner solution is pumped from the wash tank into a holding (process) tank. A pump constantly circulates the solution from the process tank across the membrane surface. A valve at the exit of the membrane controls pressure. Part of the dirty cleaner solution is forced through the membrane while dirt and other contaminants are rejected at the membrane surface and returned to the process tank. Recovered clean permeate is returned to the wash tank. A level controller in the process tank allows for additional solution transfer from the wash tank to the process tank. Eventually, the wash tank's entire contents are filtered and replaced with clean permeate. Dirt and other contaminants would have been transferred from the wash tank to the process tank where they are concentrated. Usually, after turning over many wash tank volumes, the increase in contaminant concentration would have reduced the permeate flux to below design levels. Cleaning the filters restores the permeate flux. After cleaning, the membrane can be used again. Concentrated contaminants are either treated or disposed of accordingly.
Aqueous cleaners typically contain alkaline/acidic salts; sequestering/chelating agents; wetting/emulsifying agents (surfactants); and co-solvents. Each component has a specific role in the cleaning process.
Alkaline salts neutralize acidic soils/contaminants. An example would be the neutralization of free fatty acids to form soaps. Some alkaline salts, such as sodium silicates and phosphates, perform additional functions. Silicates are used in cleaners because silicic acid has significant soil dispersing capabilities and prevents soil redeposition. Other benefits include inhibition of alkaline attack on aluminum and prevention of rust on steel. Sodium and potassium phosphates have some detergency, especially in the case of mineral ions. They also promote efficient cleaning by binding ions that cause hardness in water.
Salts, such as calcium and iron, can form deposits on parts left in solution. Chelating agents are specially formulated to bind these ions. The type used depends on its effectiveness at a given pH, temperature and complex stabilization capability for targeted ions. Sodium gluconate, for example, is partially effective at binding calcium, but very effective at binding iron under alkaline conditions.
Surfactant molecules are made up of a hydrophilic (water-loving) and a hydrophobic (water-repelling) part. Surfactants help remove oil and stabilize the removed oil, preventing it from redepositing on the part. There are anionic and nonionic surfactants. Anionic surfactants include the linear alkylarylsulfonates, phosphate esters and alcohol sulfates. Common nonionics include alkylphenolethoxylates, linear and secondary alcoholethoxylites and ethlyeneoxide-propyleneoxide copolymers. In general, anionics are used as wetting agents, and nonionics are used for emulsifying oils and controlling foam.
Organic co-solvents may also be part of the formulation. These lower the surface tension of the cleaner, promoting solubility of surfactants and stabilizing oil emulsions.
Limiting an Aqueous Cleaner's Useful Life. Under normal conditions, cleaning solutions pick up contaminants. Oil and grease in an emulsified form consume surfactants, eventually compromising detergent and emulsification action. The cleaner should show signs of aging long before surfactant depletion becomes important.
With aqueous cleaners, the alkalinity of the bath decreases with use because the alkaline salts are neutralized with acidic soils or by reaction with carbon dioxide from air. Metal accumulation may overcome the sequestering agents, preventing them from staying in solution. Subsequently, they bind to the ionic surfactants leading to a loss of wetting properties.
The most important factor in determining the useful life of an aqueous cleaner is its ability to prevent redeposition, particularly as contamination increases. This is the major limiting factor in extending cleaning bath life. It is here that membrane filtration plays a critical role, allowing for the selective removal of contaminants and prolonging cleaner life.
Regeneration. Successfully implementing an ultrafiltration system for regenerating aqueous cleaners requires careful consideration of the cleaner; compatible membrane materials; correct filter sizing; effective membrane cleaning; and makeup schedules for depleted active components.
Characteristics such as pH, nature of alkaline components, cloud point, temperature and the presence of certain compounds such as limonene, are important considerations when selecting a filter. An understanding of these characteristics also helps evaluate potential recyclability and problems that may occur during recycling.
Alkaline cleaners vary in strength, and the pH is often greater than 9. As pH increases above 12, the cleaning solutions become aggressive and react with membrane materials, leading to degradation and filter failure. As an example, the presence of silicates under certain conditions causes precipitation of silicic acid on the membrane surfaces leading to drops in permeate flux. Understanding the cleaner constituents can help avoid conditions not conducive to membrane filtration.
The cloud point refers to the appearance of turbidity with an increase in temperature. It is caused by increased insolubility and separation of the nonionic surfactant(s) from the solution. Above the cloud point, the nonionic surfactants are similar to oils in solution; therefore, high losses during filtration can be expected. Aqueous cleaner cloud points vary. Those with cloud points above the ultrafiltration system's operating temperature are more readily recycled. Otherwise, cooling the cleaner solution below the cloud-point temperature may work to avoid surfactant loss. Most membrane materials made of organic polymers are also limited by their inability to withstand temperatures exceeding 140F. For ultrafiltration temperatures above 150F, inorganic membranes are used, although high-temperature polymeric-based membranes are also available.
Recently, limonene (derived from citrus fruits) and other related compounds have gained popularity in aqueous cleaning. These chemicals are not water-soluble; water stabilizes them. The resulting emulsion is the same size as the oil and grease contaminants, so they are removed during filtration. Even when present in trace quantities, however, they can interact with and foul membrane surfaces.
Membrane materials. Membrane materials for filtering aqueous solutions are broadly classified as organic polymer based or inorganic/ceramic. The inorganic membranes are usually made of alumina, zirconia or sintered steel.
These materials differ in their ability to withstand high temperatures and extreme pH. Organic membranes are generally limited to a pH less than 12 and operating temperature less than 140F. The temperature and pH limits of organic membranes are interdependent. Operating at the limits of both shortens membrane life. Inorganic membranes withstand the highest temperature (200F) and a pH up to 14.
Both membrane types vary in their ability to interact with the cleaner components. Water-repelling surfaces can be coated or fouled by hydrophobic compounds such as oil or grease. This coating can be reversible (cleaned off) or irreversible. If irreversible, there is a drop in membrane productivity. Membrane manufacturers can supply modified versions of the polymers with decreased susceptibility to fouling such as modified polyvinylidenedifluoride or polysulfones. Inorganic membranes are also susceptible to fouling; therefore, it is important to study the operating conditions of the filters as well as the compounds the filter contacts.
Pore size. The objective in cleaner regeneration is to separate the contaminants selectively while recycling the active ingredients. Oil, if present as an emulsion, typically has particle size distributions in excess of 0.1mm. In contrast, all the aqueous materials are completely dissolved and have sizes approximately 1/10,000th of 1mm. The surfactant molecules are the only active ingredients comparable in size to the oil emulsion. Although surfactant's molecules have low molecular weights, they can form large aggregates.
The nature of the surfactant, its concentration, operating temperature, electrolyte content and the presence of contaminants such as oil and grease are important to controlling surfactant aggregate size. The appropriate choice of the membrane pore size should allow the separation of the oil emulsion from the surfactant aggregate. The wrong choice can lead to unacceptable losses of surfactant and significant loss of cleaner efficiency. This is unique to membrane filtration.
Module configuration. Once an appropriate membrane material has been identified, the module configuration must be determined. The packing density of modules refers to the membrane area packed into a module of given volume. Modules with larger packing density offer space savings. Less obvious are the savings in pumping energy that result from the hydrodynamic regime in which these modules operate. For example, tubular membranes with low packing densities require high recirculation rates to maintain adequate turbulence. Hollow fibers or spiral wound membranes offer higher packing densities and lower recirculation rates. However, these often require prefiltration of the process fluids to avoid plugging the fluid passages.
Pressure capability is not critical. All modules are suitable because pressures less than 30 psig are normally used for ultrafiltration of alkaline cleaners. Fouling resistance, however, is important. Studies indicate that particulate fouling and free-oil fouling can be significant for the filtration of alkaline cleaners because the used cleaning solutions contain a lot of fine material and visible oil slicks. The particulates block membrane passages externally and internally. There are two ways of controlling this.
1. Appropriate filtration. A common rule is to prefilter to at least 1/10th the size of the fluid passageway. For example, hollow fiber modules using fibers of 250mm would need prefiltration to 25mm. This prefiltration level should be sufficient for alkaline cleaner recycling using spiral-wound membranes. Sometimes, prefiltration to 5mm is needed. Prefiltration is not usually required with tubular membranes.
2. Low pressure and high shear rates at the membrane surface help prevent solids accumulation. Energy savings can also be achieved. Conventionally, high shear rates at the membrane's surface are generated by maintaining a high flow rate across the membrane surface, such as 30-45 gpm for one-inch tubular modules. Newer approaches use turbulent vortices created by a rotating surface near the membrane surface or produced by curved membrane passages, periodic backpulsing and mechanical vibration. Periodic backpulsing is available only for hollow fiber and ceramic tubular monolith modules. The vortex approach is available for membrane modules that use plate-and-frame configurations.
Free-oil fouling can be mitigated with an external coalescer to pretreat the feed. The membrane surface can also be altered by grafting hydrophilic groups to help prevent free-oil fouling. Another option is coalescence by adding salts.
The level of cleaning differs among modules. Tubular membranes can be mechanically cleaned and offer some access to the permeate-channel sides. Hollow-fiber modules can often be backflushed and offer good access to the permeate channels. Spiral-wound membranes are more susceptible to fouling and are more difficult to clean. Tubular monolith ceramic membrane modules can be backflushed and withstand harsh cleaning.
Membrane modules depend on the application, dirt and oil loading. For high particulate loadings, tubular membranes operating under a low pressure and high flow rate may be adequate. If the system is started under relatively low particulate loading conditions, a hollow fiber or spiral-wound membrane would be adequate with prefiltration. Backpulsing is recommended for hollow fiber and ceramic tubular modules. To avoid free-oil fouling, a hydrophilic membrane surface is needed or an external coalescer is essential.
Membrane cleaning. Membranes inevitably show a loss in flux because of increased contaminant concentration, salt precipitation and fouling. Loss of flux from increased contaminant concentrations is unavoidable, since it results from ultrafiltration. Normally, the membrane is cleaned when the flux has dropped to a certain level.
Fouling and salt precipitation also cause rapid flux decrease (minutes to hours). Careful membrane choice and feed pretreatment can control fouling and lower cleaning frequency.
Chemical additive management. Ultrafiltration of aqueous cleaners will lead to a loss of active cleaner components because of surfactant reaction with large oil emulsions. Plugged membrane pores can also retain surfactants, leading to loss. Alkalinity loss from air contact during pumping can occur. Such losses often lead to reduced efficiency unless chemicals are added to the cleaner.
Alkalinity is monitored and controlled in an industrial setting; however, surfactants are difficult to measure without sophisticated analytical equipment. Estimates of surfactant loss with a given membrane need to be generated prior to implementing the technology. Once this is determined, an additive package of surfactants can be formulated and used in the field without additional testing. A thorough evaluation of both aqueous cleaners and membrane materials will ensure recycling success. This includes screening the membrane materials for cleaner compatibility. Pilot scale testing with identified membranes follows bench-scale testing.
Case studies. A metal shelving manufacturer used a one-step degreasing/phosphating solution to prepare surfaces for painting. Dirt and oil buildup reduced cleaning and phosphating efficiency, compromising product quality. Residual oil and dirt affected adhesion and phosphate coating uniformity. Oil skimmers were only partially effective; the bath was replaced every three or four months. The spent bath was RCRA hazardous waste because it failed TCLP procedures for xylene. Disposal costs, including transportation and incineration, were approximately $1/gal, not including downtime, raw materials and energy costs.
Ultrafiltration was used to separate the oily contaminants and suspended solids. The recovered phosphating/degreasing solution was reused.
A hydrophilic form of polyvinylidenedifluoride (rated at 100,000 molecular weight cut-off) was chosen as the membrane material because in trials it was able to withstand acidic conditions. Tubular membranes were chosen because they withstood high-suspended solids loading and were easy to clean.
The cleaner's surfactant analysis revealed a substantial loss of nonylphenol ethoxylate surfactant and the ethoxylate alcohols were occurring. An additive package of surfactants was formulated and added to the bath regularly. This extended the bath life from a few months to more than five years.
Equipment capital costs were $12,000 with an estimated payback period of seven months.
Three years after the system was installed, the company experienced paint adhesion problems again. A site visit revealed an oil slick on top of the phosphating/degreasing bath that had not been observed after installation of the UF system. It turned out the chemical supplier had changed the formulation of the cleaner to enable low-temperature operation. The surfactant package used was only partially effective in emulsifying the oil, allowing the oil slick to develop. The problems here were directly related to the cleaner. Incorporating a stronger emulsifying package helped resolve the problem by keeping the oil suspended in solution and allowing subsequent removal using UF.
With careful testing during this long-term trial and development of a well-formulated solution maintenance program, the cleaning/phosphating solution can function for an extended time. The process is highly sensitive to the surfactants used; even minor formulation changes can cause problems with solution maintenance.
Alkaline cleaner recycling. At a railroad facility, UF was shown successful at extending an alkaline cleaner bath. The cleaner exhibited no cloud point, so temperature was not an issue. The cleaner's pH was about 10 and the operating temperature 180F. A polymeric membrane was used because of lower costs, but the feed temperature had to be cooled to 120F. The membrane was a hydrophilic PVDF in tubular form.
UF reduced cleaner concentrate consumption 73% and decreased effluent generation more than 99%. Capital equipment costs were recovered in two years.
The demonstration had its problems, however. The unit functioned well for one week before experiencing severe productivity loss. Cleaning the membrane did not help, since fouling reoccurred within hours. The fouling caused precipitates on the membrane surface and the permeate side. The cause was an organic calcium salt, presumably caused by an interaction between the defoamer and minerals in the water. Substituting soft water and adding EDTA to the retentate prevented further precipitation. Following this, the system's permeate flux was a constant 17 gph for 60 days.
The UF system successfully removed contaminants (oil, grease and TSS) and allowed complete passage of the organic solvent, surfactant and other active materials. This was a primary reason for a decrease in cleaner use.
Initially, water quality was the main cause for the system performing below par, emphasizing the importance of using softened water in UF. Also, softened water has elongated the time between membrane cleaning and lowered labor costs.
System specifications/operational considerations. Generally, a 0.1mm pore size membrane made of hydrophilic PVDF, polysulfone or polyacrylonitrile would be sufficient if the feed temperature was kept below 140F and pH less than 13. Otherwise, a ceramic membrane may be more appropriate. Ceramic membranes made of alumina are not appropriate for use with phosphoric acid solutions. Choosing a pore size is a compromise between fouling resistance, productivity and active component loss.
For high-suspended solids loading, a tubular or fat hollow fiber membranes are appropriate, as are flat sheet modules. For clean oil emulsions, the spiral format is usually more cost effective.
Membrane sizing is an important determinant of cost. The unit should be sized to turnover the cleaner solution in about half the time as the normal work life of the bath. Too frequent turnovers can increase capital and chemical maintenance costs.
A monitoring program for proper solution maintenance is necessary. The supplier is ideally positioned to help with this program and provide formulation information. Softened water is necessary to avoid membrane scaling.
UF for recycling aqueous cleaners has tremendous potential if investigated carefully, engineered properly and implemented conscientiously. As a technology, it can reduce waste volumes and chemical consumption.
Close
Parts Cleaning Magazine Oct. 1999
Parts Cleaning Magazine"The Magazine for Industrial Metal Cleaning" Case Study: Boat Maker Discovers Ultrafiltration
by: Andy Hagg Pages: 17; October, 1999
Outboard Marine Corp (OMC) is a manufacturer of boat brands such as Seaswirl, Lowe, and Javelin, as well as engine brands such as Johnson Outboards and Evinrude. The company' s Waukegan, Illinois, division is a die casting facility that forms many of the aluminum components, from large engine blocks to small parts, for OMC' s engine division. Like any other manufacturing operation, OMC Waukegan's die casting process requires cleaning of equipment. The dies, for example, are coated with lubricants that act as release agents, and these lubricants must be washed off after use. A cleaning stage is also necessary whenever a die is changed on a machine, as it is for any routine maintenance done on the equipment. The cleaning method used by the facility is power washing with an aqueous cleaning agent with a pH less than 12.5 to a visible level of cleanliness. The cleaning results in a waste effluent of agent, water, and a combination of floating and emulsified oils. Though this waste is non-hazardous, the cost of hauling it away was very expensive because of the high volume of water, about 300,000 gallons per year. Therefore, OMC Waukegan sought to find a way to recycle some of that water for reuse in their operation. Finalists for the Governor' s Award for a pilot study they did in conjunction with the state of Illinois, Waukegan was offered a grant from the state to look at evaporation technologies, ultrafiltration, and vapor recompression as methods for recycling their wastewater. Their findings pointed to ultrafiltration as a better payback in this application, with lower operation and maintenance costs, energy costs, and capital investment required. Waukegan put these findings into practice with an Arbortech Corp (McHenry, Illinois) ultrafiltration system. The system was a success, reducing the plant' s yearly disposal of the soap and water cleaning solution from the 300,000 gallons previously hauled away to 50,000 gallons. This 83% recovery naturally spared the company great expense when hauling away their effluent. Anthony Montemurro of Waukegan said of the process change, "It works really well, and we've been doing it now for a couple years with significant reduction in cost." Though they were only seeking to reuse their water, Waukegan found an added benefit in using the ultrafiltration system. They discovered that the membrane allows a lot of the cleaner to pass through, reducing the amount of cleaning agent they need to add to get their cleaner concentration back up to operating levels. Said Montemurro, "That was something we really hadn't bargained for, but of course, we weren't going to complain about it!" The high rate of recovery from Waukegan's waste stream didn't particularly surprise Arbortech' s Ray Graffia, Jr. "In general terms," he noted, "with alkaline cleaners or phosphatizing degreasing solutions . . . you get some recovery of the cleaner that's involved." According to Graffia, that could be anywhere from 50% to 80% cleaner recoverability, and any components that are lost in the process can be made up with an additive package. In optimal conditions at the OMC Waukegan site, the membranes are being cleaned from once a week to once every other week with hot water and a special cleaner. "Basically," explains Graffia, "they turn the system off the process, do a short flush, and then they turn it on the cleaning process." Furthermore, if a need arises for temporary maintenance between scheduled cleanings, the 1-inch-diameter internal dimension of the membranes allows them to be manually cleaned. Copyright 1999, Witter Publishing Corporation 84 Park Avenue · Flemington, NJ 08822 Phone: 908-788-0343 · Fax: 908-788-3782
Close
Finishers Management Magazine Sep. 1999
Finishers' Management Magazine Success Stories With Ultrafiltration by: Erin Martin Rose Pages: 36-38; September, 1999
Dana Corporation
Warner Electric® Industrial Products, a division of Dana Corporation, needed a way to extend the life of its aqueous wash system's bath.
"We were dealing with significant user discharge fees," said Dave Waelchli of Dana. "We needed to recycle a product that was a combination phosphatizer and degreaser."
The company found a solution in Arbortech's line of ultrafiltration systems, which utilize semi-permeable polymeric membranes. While the UF technology is not dependent on a specific chemistry, it is particularly effective in treating this type of wastewater. With UF, the treated water is recycled back into the cleaning process, resulting in significant savings.
Arbortech met with the company, evaluated their needs, conducted a pilot, and designed a customized system. Almost 2 years after final installation, the system continues to run smoothly. The company's investment is nearly repaid and a second unit was purchased about a year ago. Plans for a possible third UF system are in discussion.
"Arbortech's unit has worked very well with our current phosphatizing/degreasing chemistry," said Waelchli. "We have had large reductions in waste haul-off and maintenance costs."
OMC Waukegan
OMC Waukegan, a division of Outboard Marine Corporation, wanted to reduce its weekly disposal of 5,000 gallons of waste soap solution. This waste was generated by the pressurized power washing of its aluminum die casting machinery and equipment. The "soap and water" cleaning solution is heated and sprayed on manufacturing equipment. The combination of oils and soils with the cleaning solution creates a special non-hazardous waste. OMC Waukegan investigated various methods and technologies to reduce the volume of waste soap disposal, and ultimately settled on ultrafiltration, purchasing a system that was installed in July 1996. "UF was selected because it has the lowest capital and operating costs, and requires the least amount of operator assistance," said Anthony Montemurro of OMC Waukegan. "With this technology, we are able to circulate the bulk of the treated liquid back in to our process."
The company's purchase of the Arbortech system led to dramatically lower waste disposal statistics. While waste disposal had been more than 300,000 gallons in 1995, the company predicts it will be lowered to just over 50,000 gallons.
"We've worked numerous times with Arbortech over many years," said Montemurro. "When we needed to address this issue, we had every confidence that their UF equipment would solve the problem and we were right."
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
Sikorsky Aircraft needed a system to treat its diester-based synthetic air compressor lubricant. The company conducted an extensive evaluation of various products and technologies before picking a stainless steel ultrafiltration system. Sikorsky chose a model that is almost all stainless steel, including the membrane housings, because the diester-based lubricant being treated is not compatible with most plastics.
"We felt the superior, customer-friendly packaging Arbortech provided and the utilization of polymeric membranes really set them apart," said Walter Joseph of Sikorsky.
The ultrafiltration unit is helping maintain environmental regulatory compliance and is saving the company money. Additionally, Sikorsky is very pleased with the unit's performance, reliability and low maintenance.
"We build aircraft, not run pollution control equipment," said Joseph. We needed somebody who could understand our focus and design a system with enough automation to suit our requirements. Arbortech did just that!
Conclusion
For different reasons, three companies turned to ultrafiltration to solve problems unique to their business. The results, however, are the same for all three: savings, waste reduction and compliance.
Close
Precision Cleaning Magazine Nov. 1996 - (The first 4 of the 5 projects are ours...)
Aqueous Cleaning System Design: Recyclingby: William Nelson Precision Cleaning Magazine Pages: 36-43; November, 1996
Introduction
The current regulatory climate is causing both large and small companies to reconsider their existing cleaning methods. The use of chlorinated solvents in metal and electronics parts cleaning is no longer the primary method of choice. Over the last five to 10 years, the consequences of past usage of these cleaning systems have led to traumatic and expensive experiences of many companies, municipalities and government agencies. With heightened environmental awareness, more improvements are still required. The Environmental Protection Agency has declared that source reductions leading to pollution prevention will be the primary area of focus in environmental compliance over the next decade and beyond. In the realm of precision cleaning, aqueous cleaners are emerging as safe and effective alternatives to solvent degreasers. Switching to water-based cleaners, however, creates a new waste stream which tends to be high in oil and grease and potentially RCRA hazardous. An article appearing in this journal described how one company, Hamilton Standard, switched from a vapor degreaser to an aqueous cleaning technology. A more impressive example comes from R. B. White, which accomplished the same feat and has been using the same cleaning solution for four-and-a-half years without dumping its cleaning tank. This process of reclaiming and reusing spent solutions is the basis of closed-loop cleaning technologies. This article will discuss closed-looping of aqueous cleaning processes as a means to make them more economical and environmentally friendly. In support of this, we will present case studies exemplifying the process and documenting the results.
Aqueous Cleaning Combined With Closed-Looping
In general terms, aqueous cleaning combines a water-based cleaning solution with mechanical cleaning action. In particular, alkaline cleaners are viewed as the most viable substitutes for chlorinated solvents because they are capable of removing nearly any type of contaminant. The selection of the most appropriate aqueous cleaning method is dependent upon the nature of the contaminants and the desired level of cleanliness. Factors affecting the cleaning process include cleaning temperature and time, type of mechanical action, fixturing of the parts and the cleaner concentration and additives. The three methods for providing mechanical energy are immersion/agitation, spray and ultrasonic, operated either in a batch or continuous mode. In order to appreciate the value of close-looping an aqueous cleaning system, careful consideration of several factors would be helpful. Cleaning solutions get contaminated with dirt and oil, limiting their cleaning capability. Periodic dumping and replacement of the cleaning solution is required. Closed-looping, as understood here, is incorporating into the cleaning system the technologies by which contaminants are removed from the cleaning solution and/or rinse waters, and this solution is subsequently "looped" back into the process so it can be used again in cleaning/rinsing. This allows for extended recycling and reuse of a given volume of both cleaning solution and rinse water in the aqueous cleaning system.
In some instances, a dirty bath can be cleaned, its chemicals recovered for reuse, and, in the process, its aqueous waste will be cut as much as 99 percent. The parts are initially immersed in the cleaner bath. The contaminated cleaner solution is continuously pumped through a particulate filter to a process tank where tramp oils are skimmed. The solution is then passed through a membrane filtration module, which removes emulsified oils and other contaminants. The permeate containing the cleaner components is recycled to the original cleaner bath, while the contaminant-laden retentate is sent back to the process tank.
The process tank eventually accumulates oil and other contaminants such that it must be emptied and disposed. The continued use of the process tank is a function of its productivity. This is a result of the flux through the membrane: too large a drop in flux means lower productivity. In the field, this is usually measured by the number of times the cleaner bath is "turned over" within a given period of time. When the flux has dropped below a designated level (this will be an arbitrary value, depending upon the site), the process tank will usually be shipped off for disposal (either as hazardous or non-hazardous waste, depending upon the contaminant content). The closed loop system for the rinse section is more extensive. Because the rinsed part must be left as clean as possible, the rinse water must likewise be free of contaminants. While few places spend extensive time and money on this, the closed loop rinse water configuration is well-established and results in the production of highly purified rinse water. Depending upon the particular requirements, this configuration can be modified to reduce capital costs.
Potential Methods of "Closing the Loop"
Since the recycle design of aqueous cleaning systems relies on effective ways to separate the contaminant from the aqueous detergent, the differences in methods depend upon how separation is accomplished. Both physical techniques and chemical techniques are important in the design of closed-loop systems. The first consideration is to optimize the actual cleaning system. After this, the contaminants (oils, greases, etc.) can be physically separated from the aqueous phase. The contaminants separated will usually contain residues of the cleaners and surfactants from the cleaning solution. Some methods for accomplishing the separation are vacuum distillation, sedimentation of insoluble contaminants, reverse osmosis and membrane filtration, although it is important to note these methods have widely varying price tags associated with the processes, which may make one method more likely than another. The Illinois Hazardous Waste Research and Information Center (HWRIC) has helped dozens of companies implement membrane filtration. This alternative offers the advantage of being able to function as a "kidney" for the aqueous cleaning system by removing contaminants from the cleaning solution without taking the solution out of the process.
Membrane Filtration Technology
Periodic replacement of the bath creates a waste disposal problem. Current disposal options for spent aqueous cleaning solutions include hauling off-site, incineration on- or off-site, direct discharge (to a publicly owned treatment works) or pretreatment prior to discharge. Depending on the physical characteristics of the bath solution, the life of the bath can be further extended by skimming contaminants off the top, settling heavier fractions to the bottom, or filtering out suspended species.
In removing contaminants from the cleaner bath, the useful life of the cleaner is extended and the quantity of waste disposed is minimized. Although the aqueous degreasers do not carry all the risks and liabilities associated with the disposal of waste organic solvent cleaners, there are important concerns which must be weighed before an aqueous cleaning system with closed looping is adopted. Cleaning efficacy is paramount (i.e., the parts must be as clean as necessary), and discussions on this topic are abundant. Secondly, available methods for removing contaminants from the cleaner baths must be examined. Finally, economics must be examined.
Membrane filtration is a technology using filters capable of separating contaminants from clean detergent. The crux of the technology lies in the ability of these filters to separate molecules on the basis of differences in their sizes, shapes and charges. Membrane filtration is actually numerous techniques, including nanofiltration, multiple membrane filtration, reverse osmosis, microfiltration and ultrafiltration. Basically, the names refer to different-sized pores in the membrane filters.
While simple in concept, successful implementation of membrane filtration hinges upon selection of the right filter material and on choosing operating conditions to minimize the plugging of the filters. The case studies included in the next section illustrate the benefits resulting from successful implementation of a membrane filtration system.
Economic Considerations
Total capital costs and operating costs have been estimated for a variety of closed-loop systems. The initial costs to make the switch may seem large. However, close-looping an aqueous cleaning system can result in money saved, improved quality, increased productivity and dramatically reduced waste chemical generation.
From discussions with industry, D'Ruiz estimated costs for four typical aqueous cleaning systems. These systems include varying degrees of recycling. While the volume is reduced over non-closed-looped systems, disposal costs are included for systems where baths must eventually be dumped and the waste water must be treated as a hazardous waste. Depending upon the capacity and complexity of the aqueous cleaning system, capital costs alone may exceed $200,000. Operating costs are comparable to those of a similar sized vapor degreaser.
The table notes some of the major costs associated with a switch to closed-loop aqueous cleaning. By evaluating all the costs (both obvious and hidden), a company may decide that the promise of long-term profits outweigh the short-term costs of switching to a closed-loop system. Incorporation of a closed-loop system brought savings to those companies profiled here and the payback from investment for those companies was within two years.
The return on investment (ROI) will vary among technologies and will depend upon the contaminant-content to be dumped. The economic factors which must be considered prior to switching to a new technology are varied and involve numerous cost/benefit scenarios, which will not be discussed here. This article is designed to point out some factors that have not often been considered.
Case Study #1
R. B. White, a metal fabricator in Bloomington, IL, had been using a phosphatizing/degreasing bath at its facility for more than four-and-a-half years. Extended use resulted in the buildup of dirt and oil in the bath, compromising product quality. The bath had to be dumped every three or four months, with the replacement process requiring a full day of lost production time, and disposal costs approaching $15,000 a year. HWRIC engineers and chemists discovered that the dump water contained less than one percent oil and grease. The remaining 99 percent was composed of valuable chemicals and water. Center staff reasoned that if a method could be found to separate the valuable chemicals from contaminants, both chemical and disposal costs would be drastically reduced. After the highly encouraging study results, a full scale system was installed at a cost of $12,000. R. B. White has since operated the system for more than four-and-a-half years without dumping the bath, and has dramatically cut its chemical consumption. The company projects more than $200,000 in savings over the next 10 years.
Case Study #2
Radio Flyer manufactures children's wagons at its facility in Chicago, IL. The company contacted HWRIC engineers regarding a waste problem associated with degreasing the wagons prior to painting operations. The degreasing operation resulted in discharging approximately 6,000 gallons of spent solution to the sanitary sewer every two weeks. HWRIC staff conducted a site assessment of the facility and determined that incorporating an ultrafiltration system into the degreasing process might significantly extend the life of the solution, reducing waste discharges.
The filtration unit was effective at maintaining contaminant levels at less than 0.02 percent over the monitored period. Based on these results, Radio Flyer chose to install a permanent ultrafiltration system as an in-process recycling technique. Radio Flyer anticipates more than $50,000 in savings each year from the reduction in chemical use and waste disposal costs. Additionally, the waste volumes from dumping the degreasing tanks will be lowered by approximately 75 percent.
Case Study #3
Eco Finish manufactures various metal parts using stamping forming processes at its facility in Montgomery, IL. Metal shaped parts are cleaned, phosphatized and painted prior to shipment to the customer. The cleaning/phosphatizing operations at the plant generated a waste water that had to be disposed. HWRIC designed and installed a closed-loop system using ultrafiltration membranes to continuously recycle the cleaning solution.
Implementation of ultrafiltration has resulted in significant cost savings and waste water reduction. It enabled Eco Finish to continue operating at its facility, since it is not connected to municipal sewer facilities and had no practical and economical means of disposing its spent degreasing/phosphatizing solution.
Case Study #4
Harris Corporation's Broadcast division is located in Quincy, IL, and manufactures radio and television communications systems and equipment. The company successfully reduced raw materials cost and minimized its hazardous waste generation through a phased replacement of a vapor degreasing system with an aqueous cleaning system combined with a closed-loop ultrafiltration system. In January, 1996, the vapor de-greasing tank was removed and the aqueous cleaning system was in-stalled. Allowing for total costs, the company projects a payback period of 1.7 years (on an initial capital investment of $142,700) and a projected 10 year savings of more than $500,000.
Case Study #5
Superior Plating, Inc. in Minneapolis compared the paybacks for the replacement of a 1,1,2-trichloroethylene vapor degreaser with an immersion aqueous cleaning system. The line originally cleaned 15,500 sq. ft. of plated surface per week. Without cleaning solution recovery, the payback period for the aqueous cleaning equipment based on operating savings ($13,288/yr.) was 1.13 years. When a cleaner recovery system incorporating a ceramic filter was installed, the annual operating savings increased to $26,719. The payback period for the total system (immersion tank and recycler) became 1.35 years.
Pollution Elimination
The current practice of closed-loop aqueous cleaning does not eliminate the problem of a waste stream. It instead allows for reducing the quantity of waste disposed by continuously reusing the cleaning chemicals and reducing the volume of the non-hazardous component of the waste stream. The reality of the future in cleaning is that all contamination will be removed from a cleaned part. This contamination, itself, in the end, will be transformed into the simple chemicals of water, carbon dioxide and/or the basic elements.
Conclusion
Initial motivation for considering - or for adopting - a closed-loop system would include regulatory benefits, fees or elimination of hazardous waste. Finding a system which offers the best ROI may not necessarily result in implementing a closed-loop system. Size, contaminants and cleaning demands might lead to options aside from closed-looping. However, this article's focus was on closed-loop aqueous cleaning.
Closed-loop aqueous cleaning is a proven technology, found to be effective at reducing waste volumes by both concentrating the sludge accumulated in the cleaning process and extending the life of the cleaner bath by an average of seven to 10 times. By incorporating closed-loop aqueous cleaning to reduce chemical use and waste generation, companies will position themselves at the forefront of both cleaning technology and current government regulations.
The next goal to pursue involves how to completely recover the water used in the cleaning and to produce zero waste (total closed-loop). While this is not yet a reality, it can be viewed as the ultimate vision of the cleaning process.
References
- Fava, J.S.; Page, A. "Application of Product Life-Cycle Assessment to Product Stewardship and Pollution Prevention Programs," Wat. Sci. Tech, 1992, 26, 275-287.
- Jenkins, R.W. "Closing the Loop on Aqueous Cleaning at Hamilton Standard," Precision Cleaning, Nov. 1995, 18-22.
- Technology Update, Nov. 1994, The Hazardous Waste Research and Information Center.
- The Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute "Closed Loop Aqueous Cleaning," 1995, Tech. Report 29.
- Lindsey, T.C.; Ocker, A.G.; Miller, G.D. "Recovery of an Aqueous Iron Phosphating/Degreasing Bath by Ultrafiltration," J. Air & Waste Manage. Assoc. 1994, 44, 697-701.
- Bailey, P.A. "The Treatment of Waste Emulsified Oils by Ultrafiltration: Proceedings of the Filtration Society," Filtration and Separation, Jan/Feb 1977, 47.
- Quitmeyer, J. "Aqueous Cleaners Challenge Chlorinated Solvents," Pollution Engineering 1991, 23, 88.
- Nelson, W.M. "The Key to Successful Aqueous Cleaning is...Water," Precision Cleaning, April 1996, 30-34.
- D'Ruiz, D.D. "Aqueous Cleaning as an Alternative to CFC and Chlorinated Solvent-Based Cleaning," Park Ridge, NJ: Noyes Publications, 1991, pp. 62-71.
- Karrs, S.L. and McMonagle, M. "An Examination of Paybacks for an Aqueous Cleaner Recovery Unit," Metal Finishing, September 1993, 91, 45-50.
- HWRIC, "Harris Corporation: The Road to Continuous Improvement, 1993-1996."
- Karrs, S.L. and McMonagle, M. "An Examination of Paybacks for an Aqueous Cleaner Recovery Unit," Metal Finishing, September 1993, 91, 45-50.
- Seelig, S.S. "Cleaning and Drying in the 21st Century," Metal Finishing, March 1996, 20-23.
About the AuthorWilliam M. Nelson received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from The Johns Hopkins University. After spending numerous years in academia, Dr. Nelson is currently an alternative process chemist for the Hazardous Waste Research and Information Center, where his research focuses on the design of chemical processes which lead to pollution prevention. He is a member of the American Chemical Society, American Society for Photobiology, American Association for the Advancement of Science and the International Ozone Association. He may be reached at (217) 333-8940, by fax at (217) 333-8944 or via e-mail at billn@hwric.hazard.uiuc.edu Copyright 1999, Witter Publishing Corporation · 84 Park Avenue, Flemington, NJ 08822 · Phone: 908-788-0343· Close |
|
|
back to top | |
|