Introduction
Mechanical Equipment Company, Inc. (MECO) is a global leader in engineering and manufacturing water purification solutions. Founded in 1928 and headquartered in the United States, MECO specializes in industrial water treatment and is a leader in the pharmaceutical market. When MECO leadership was looking to decrease water consumption at their Louisiana facility to help meet sustainability goals, a small chemical metering pump from Grundfos offered a solution.
The Opportunity
In 2022, Grundfos and MECO leadership held a workshop to review opportunities to improve operational efficiency and discuss how to accelerate progress toward achieving the group’s sustainability goals. One of the top priorities discussed was improving MECO’s RO process and decreasing the companies’ total water withdrawl. RO water treatment is used broadly across industries, including food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and semiconductor manufacturing. Acquiring and purifying water is energy-intensive, so the greater the permeate (treated water) recovery, the more cost-effective the operations. For companies operating where water is scarce, or demand is high, recovering more permeate makes their operations more environmentally and financially sustainable helping to future-proof their business models.
MECO accounts for 10% of Grundfos’ total water withdrawl, and MECO’s RO water operations represented 84% of MECO’s well water consumption. The primary use of this water is to clean and flush water-processing systems for customer acceptance testing and global distribution. The water is drawn from two wells that tap the aquifer below the facility in Mandeville, Louisiana. This water has a high silica content, which must be removed before the water can be used for any testing. RO membranes filter out the silica, and the permeate is piped to a storage tank. Rejected, silica-rich water is discharged as surface water.
Grundfos and MECO team members identified a solution to increase permeate recovery from 60% to 80% by adding an anti[1]scalent agent to the membrane through a SMART dosing pump. This would not only generate significant savings but also allow for an increase in energy efficiency during the process.
The Solution
Work began in late 2022 and took about 16 months, including installation and testing. The upgraded technology uses existing RO water membrane systems but required new piping, two Grundfos chemical injection pumps, and an antiscalant chemical approved by the the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. The pumps have an algorithm that enables the SMART Digital Dosing pump to provide the optimal amount of chemicals.
“Grundfos’s SMART Digital technology dispenses the optimal amount of chemicals based on the water condition, enabling our facility to maximize permeate recovery while saving on chemical costs”- Jason Domangue, Environmental, Health and Safety Supervisor, MECO.
Grundfos SMART Digital Dosing pumps automatically adjust the flow or pressure according to system changes. As a result, they can be used in diverse applications with varying levels of complexity. Built-in monitors and controls detect and correct errors within the pumps and connected pipes, identifying problems before they become larger, potentially dangerous issues that require costly repairs. This reduces the cost of maintenance and time spent troubleshooting. The upgraded RO unit works more efficiently, decreasing well water withdrawal from 273 m³ to 207 m³ daily – a 24% decrease. The project was also completed 70% below budget.
Additionally, the antiscalant chemical injection rejects a higher percentage of the silica and other minerals, allowing the RO membranes to remove the remaining silicate more efficiently. This increases the membranes’ longevity.
MECO improved the efficiency of existing RO operations by adding Grundfos technology and implementing new piping.
“We’re thrilled that our upgraded RO solution is decreasing well water consumption and enabling our company to operate more sustainably..”
Jason Domangue, Environmental, Health and Safety Supervisor, MECO
Results and Future Outlook
The MECO team estimates that they will save the equivalent of three Olympic-sized water pools annually while decreasing electricity consumption because the pumps run less. In addition, the anti-scaling technology is so effective that it has more than doubled the lifespan of the filter membranes. Before the injection pumps were installed, technicians had to change the membranes approximately twice a year. Two years after the installation, the membranes have not yet needed to be replaced.
Many companies may have RO technology that can be easily enhanced quickly with a modest investment. Facilities that upgrade their RO systems can reduce water withdrawal and achieve cost savings on electricity, chemical, and water costs.
These improvements can also help burnish companies’ reputations as sustainability leaders in the marketplace. Want to learn more? Contact your sales representative or visit our website to learn how a Grundfos solution can enhance your RO system, reduce water withdrawl, and increase operational efficiencies.
