The filtration of wastewater in industrial, mining and construction industries is a huge consideration in the modern world. Not only is it important from an environmental point of view, but it’s also crucial in maintaining equipment longevity. When we talk about wastewater filtration, we refer to any process that removes solids, oils, or chemicals from water, with a view to re-using that water safely and hygienically.\

There are several different methods used for wastewater filtration depending on the industry, scale, and application. Let’s take a deeper look at wastewater filtration.

Why is wastewater filtration important?

Firstly, the removal of particles and contaminants from wastewater is an environmental issue. There are considerable costs associated with the disposal of contaminants, which is why the more you clean up your water in-house, the lower your operating costs will be. There are regulations around what can be used for landfill, which is why you need systems in place to ensure wastewater is suitable for sewerage, and your solids being suitable for landfill.

From an economic point of view, businesses want to cut costs wherever possible. The ability to safely re-use water without damage to tools and equipment is another reason wastewater filtration is crucial.

Saving money with recycled water

Fluid recycling has many benefits in an industrial setting. Obviously, you’ll save money on the disposal, transport and treatment of water if you can handle these tasks yourself. But from a more operational view, there are several reasons to recycle fluids.

• Reusing coolant and working fluids saves money on materials
• Increased tool life
• Reduction of maintenance on machinery
• Improved product quality
• Lower disposal costs
• Lower water usage costs

While not strictly related to wastewater filtration, the process of recycling your working fluids effectively can save plenty of money. Lower operational costs mean higher profitability.

Paper bed filters

One of the easiest ways to manage wastewater is with a paper bed filter. Their popularity lies in the almost non-existent human interaction needed to run them. Gravity does most of the work for you. Disposable filter material rolls are used to create a barrier and remove solids from the water flowing through.

Vacuum filtration systems

Vacuum filtration systems are also extremely effective in water filtration and sludge management. They work similar to paper bed filters, however, there is more focus on treating the solid waste that’s captured (known as sludge). Water flows through the system, and a vacuum draws air from beneath the conveyor belt. The disposable filtration media captures the solids, which turn into a cake. Air passes through the cake, aided by the vacuum, which dries it before the cake is discharged into a bin for removal.

Why sludge dewatering is important

Once you’ve filtered your water, the end result is water that you can either reuse or send to sewerage, free of contaminants. However, during this process there’s a lot of solid waste collected, known as sludge. While your filtration systems do a great job in separating solids from water, those solids need to go somewhere.

To dispose of wet sludge is inconvenient and also costly. Businesses can avoid these additional costs by using important sludge dewatering systems. In extremely simple terms, these systems dry out the solids you remove from your water, making them easier to dispose of.

Ultimately, by getting your wastewater filtration systems right, you save money, save the environment, and improve your profitability in the process.

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