Evaluation of Industrial Cooling Systems Using Reclaimed Municipal Wastewater

Abstract

Evaluation of industrial cooling systems using reclaimed municipal wastewater was made. For an industry, three major conditions which can dictate considerations of water reuse for industrial cooling systems are: 1) scarcity of freshwater supplies, 2) public policy which encourages wastewater reuse, and 3) lower costs than those incurred with freshwater supplies. Several external treatment alternatives are available for the recirculating, evaporative cooling tower operation using reclaimed municipal wastewater (lime clarification, alum precipitation, and/or ion exchange). Internal chemical treatment of cooling tower makeup water is a component common to both freshwater and reclaimed water supplies. In spite of the higher costs of industrial cooling systems using reclaimed municipal wastewater, several conditions encouraging adaptation of wastewater reuse systems for cooling were identified and discussed.