Sabine Pass, a large LNG refinery in the U.S., required a membrane desalination solution to cater to its extensive process water needs in order to produce a large amount of liquefied natural gas for export.

Water is one of the world's most critical natural resources, but too many people take it for granted, raising awareness of its importance — and complexities — is too often left out of public discourse. My recent visit to a few engineering colleges as a STEM ambassador made me realize that many engineering programs are offered today than when I went to school.

A major oil refinery’s plant team ran into challenging issues when they attempted to optimize their large primary boiler system, which initially perplexed the plant’s process engineers. After extensive study, it was determined there was a problem controlling the boiler’s burner air-to-fuel mixture ratio.

Each year, the oil and gas industry produces more than 800 billion gallons of wastewater. Coupling the massive volumes of wastewater generated over the life of the well and the millions of gallons of water needed to hydraulically fracture each well, it’s easy to see that oil and gas exploration and production is just as much a water issue as it is an energy issue.

Last year was full of twists and turns for the drinking water and wastewater treatment industries. What can 2017’s biggest stories tell us about what’s to come this year?

A microbrewer’s expertise is in brewing, not engineering. Discover how you can get the most out of production lines without the costs associated with hiring outside engineers or experts.

Dairy Crest Davidshow Creamery in Camelford, England is the largest cheddar cheese manufacturer in the UK.

Under pressure to avoid using Southern California’s endangered groundwater supply, Nestlé has announced plans to convert a Modesto milk factory into a “zero water” facility capable of extracting water from the materials it manufactures and reusing it for industrial processes.

Although industry only accounts for 20% of water consumption globally (vs. 70% for agriculture and 10% for domestic consumption), most multinational industrial companies are now focused on ensuring they provide effective environmental management wherever they are in the world.  

When a major pork producer sought cost-effective pumping solutions to one of its Kansas facility's wastewater systems, the search led to the installation of a Smith & Loveless above-grade pump station.

Sabine Pass, a large LNG refinery in the U.S., required a membrane desalination solution to cater to its extensive process water needs in order to produce a large amount of liquefied natural gas for export.

Are you prepared to keep services up and running if the grid goes down?

This paper shows how the four pillars of operator effectiveness lead operators to greater awareness, faster response and better decisions.

Water’s high heat capacity, high thermal conductivity, and historically low cost make it popular for process heat exchange. Power plants, especially those for liquid cooling applications, withdraw a large fraction of the total demand for water necessary for agriculture, industry, recreation, hygiene, drinking, and wildlife.  By Kevin J. Farrell and Vijay Sathyamurthi, Heat Transfer Research, Inc., College Station, Texas USA

With large parts of the country facing drought conditions, including California, Massachusetts, and Alabama, small communities and cities alike are facing increased water-energy nexus pressures.

Sabine Pass, a large LNG refinery in the U.S., required a membrane desalination solution to cater to its extensive process water needs in order to produce a large amount of liquefied natural gas for export.

Biofouling in cooling towers is undesirable because it can reduce heat transfer efficiency, restrict water flow, and accelerate corrosion rates. Of even greater concern is the fact that pathogen growth in cooling towers can lead to disease transmission. Given the favorable growth environment of a cooling tower, these microorganisms can reproduce, proliferate and form complex biofilm communities. Legionella bacteria, which cause Legionnaires’ disease, are one of the greatest concerns from a public health standpoint because infections are often lethal and cooling towers are the most frequently reported non-potable water source of Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks (Llewellyn 2017).

As ultrapure water becomes increasingly indispensable, new technologies redefine industrial standards, fostering resilience and competitiveness in a rapidly evolving global market.

A market expert shines a light on the bright spots and trouble spots for industrial water reuse, revealing who should consider the practice and why.

Recycling is generally considered a positive thing, except when the sidestream discharge from the dewatering of anaerobic digested sludge can recycle up to 40 percent of the total nitrogen or ammonia load in the original flow back to the head of the wastewater treatment stream. Deammonification technology using anaerobic ammonium oxidation/anammox bacteria offers a cost-effective way to break that vicious cycle and meet regulatory discharge limits.

EPA scientists are leading a multi-phase project to evaluate the ability of non-targeted analysis laboratory methods to consistently and correctly identify unknown chemicals in samples. EPA’s Non-Targeted Analysis Collaborative Trial (ENTACT) was formed in late 2015 and includes nearly 30 academic, government, and industry groups. Non-targeted analysis involves analyzing water, soil and other types of samples to identify unknown chemicals that may be present, without having a preconceived idea of what chemicals may be in the samples.

AMPAC faced a critical challenge with acetone management. The high acetone levels in the effluent from its chemical processing operations required an effective industrial wastewater treatment solution to meet environmental regulations and ensure safe discharge.

A microbrewer’s expertise is in brewing, not engineering. Discover how you can get the most out of production lines without the costs associated with hiring outside engineers or experts.

Cleaning tannery effluent is an energy-intense process. The Curtidor Industrial Park (PIC) has found a way to keep energy usage and costs down while reducing pollution in the Riachuelo River.