Has Fracking Gone 'Green'?

There are few topics more controversial these days than hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"). While the debate rages on as to whether fracking poses a risk to water quality, a new desalination technique addresses two other environmental concerns: water scarcity and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Developed by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC), the breakthrough technology uses excess carbon dioxide created in the fracking process to desalinate the process water, making it available for water reuse. It also generates chemicals — hydrochloric acid and carbonate salts — that are valuable for many industrial applications.

Accurate Oxygen Monitoring In MEG Injection Solutions For Closed-Loop Gas Condensate Pipelines

Accurate monitoring of oxygen levels in Monoethylene Glycol (MEG) injection solutions is crucial for gas condensate pipelines in the oil and gas industry.

Electrocoagulation Provides Economical Solution For Produced Water To Oil & Gas Companies

Oil and natural gas are considered valuable resources all across the globe. The number of products made from these two materials is impressive and our lives would be very different without them. Production of these products begins with locating the underground sources of crude oil. These deep well sources are then mined to extract the oil and gas materials. Afterward, these raw materials are sent to refineries to be converted into the petrochemical and gas products that we use nearly every day. Therefore, produced water treatment & management is an integral part of oil & gas company operations.

Forward Osmosis: How It Works, And Why It's Important

Is this innovative desalination technique ready to topple incumbent technologies? An industry expert explains the benefits and potential of forward osmosis.

City Of St. Cloud Relies On Thermal Flow Meters For Digester Biofuel Co-Gen Power Process

The City of St. Cloud, Minnesota, straddles the Mississippi River near the center of the state a little more than 65 miles north of the twin cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul. The city’s forward thinking staff began looking for sustainable green energy solutions in 2003. After planning and initiating a series of projects over several years, the site is today producing renewable energy with a 20 kW rooftop solar array, a 220 kW solar array and biofuels electricity generation.

A New Approach To Early Biofilm Detection

To assist industrial operators in managing and preventing biofilm, Italian start-up ALVIM Srl created a monitoring system that provides early warning detection of bacterial biofilm growing on pipelines, tanks, heat exchangers, RO membranes, and other equipment.

SMART Digital Dosing Pumps Help Craft Brewer Focus On Water Quality

Consistency is paramount in brewing operations. Careful attention to water quality control ensures every beer tastes the same everywhere it’s distributed. This is especially true for MadTree Brewing, Ohio’s first canned craft brewer. Since the company’s inception in 2013, reverse osmosis (RO) has been used for all its process water

Microbiologist Develops Improved Technology For Poultry Food Safety

One Friday evening in the spring of 2019, Abhi Upadhyay, assistant professor of food microbiology and safety in the Department of Animal Science, found himself watching a video showing microbubbles for pet care and grooming. He started thinking about using this technology for food safety and spent the weekend researching its potential, current state of the field and appropriate grant opportunities.

Here's How Wastewater Facilities Could Tackle Food Waste, Generate Energy, And Slash Emissions

Most Australian food waste ends up in landfill. Rotting in the absence of oxygen produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. While some facilities capture this “landfill gas” to produce energy, or burn it off to release carbon dioxide instead, it’s a major contributor to climate change. Valuable resources such as water and nutrients are also wasted.

Translating Aeration Efficiency Into Dollars

The hardest aspects of comparing efficiencies among submerged aeration technologies are the many variables in capital expense (CAPEX), operating expense (OPEX), and complexity of wastewater makeup. Instead, consider comparing the physics of different aeration technologies and the relative costs associated with them. Here are five major categories for evaluating industrial wastewater aeration efficiency.

Cooling Water Intake Decisions Are Heating Up

Now that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued its rule for cooling water intakes under Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act, the race is on for more than 600 power plants and manufacturing facilities to comply.  Right now, there is probably no better example in the water industry of how carefully choosing among compliance options can lead to millions of dollars in cost savings.

A New Approach To Early Biofilm Detection

To assist industrial operators in managing and preventing biofilm, Italian start-up ALVIM Srl created a monitoring system that provides early warning detection of bacterial biofilm growing on pipelines, tanks, heat exchangers, RO membranes, and other equipment.

City Of St. Cloud Relies On Thermal Flow Meters For Digester Biofuel Co-Gen Power Process

The City of St. Cloud, Minnesota, straddles the Mississippi River near the center of the state a little more than 65 miles north of the twin cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul. The city’s forward thinking staff began looking for sustainable green energy solutions in 2003. After planning and initiating a series of projects over several years, the site is today producing renewable energy with a 20 kW rooftop solar array, a 220 kW solar array and biofuels electricity generation.

Boiler Feed Water Pump Local Instrumentation — Necessity Or Nuisance?

Anyone remember the old cars of the 1950s and 1960s? They all pretty much came equipped with an ammeter, an oil pressure gauge, a water temperature gauge, as well as a speedometer and a fuel level gauge. 

Protecting Power Station Performance With Gap-Free Conductivity Monitoring Data

For some instruments, downtime is necessary while service operations are undertaken. Swan Analytical Instruments has developed technology for power and industrial water/steam monitoring systems to enable uninterrupted operation.

Reducing Wastewater Hauling Through An Advanced Membrane Treatment Technology Hauling wastewater is one of the most expensive and least sustainable means of managing wastewater, significantly impacting the environment through carbon emissions, and drastically increasing operational costs. As industries strive to meet environmental and economic goals, finding sustainable wastewater treatment methods is needed — now more than ever.

Industrial Water Treatment For Inorganic Contaminants: Chemical Treatment Processes

Potential water treatment processes for inorganic contaminants can be grouped into three categories: physical, chemical, and biological. This article will describe five chemical treatment technologies that may be considered.

Are Micropollutants A Threat To Biosolids?

Micropollutants like PPCPs are known to pass through waterways and contaminate the environment. Some wonder what threat they pose as they find their way into biosolids and, eventually, into our soil.

How Is California Affected By The Clean Water Act Mess?

Just when we thought the jurisdictional and regulatory issues concerning the federal Clean Water Act and the resulting implications could not get more complicated, recent developments have put that possibility to rest.

GeoSpray® 49″ Brick Sewer Rehab In Los Angeles

Los Angeles Sanitation collects, cleans, and recycles solid and liquid waste generated by residential, commercial and industrial users in the city of Los Angeles and surrounding communities. The system serves over four million residents. The Bureau of Engineering for the Department of Public Works is responsible for maintaining the sewer and stormwater systems owned by the city. Over the last several decades, the city has worked to rehabilitate and replace much of its aging sanitary sewer system. As the progress continues, the city is now doing more work on the larger diameter piping structures in its system. These larger diameter rehabilitations are significantly more costly than the smaller diameter repairs and many of the systems employed by the city are significantly budget constrained.

Has Fracking Gone 'Green'?

There are few topics more controversial these days than hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"). While the debate rages on as to whether fracking poses a risk to water quality, a new desalination technique addresses two other environmental concerns: water scarcity and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Developed by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC), the breakthrough technology uses excess carbon dioxide created in the fracking process to desalinate the process water, making it available for water reuse. It also generates chemicals — hydrochloric acid and carbonate salts — that are valuable for many industrial applications.

Cooling Water Intake Decisions Are Heating Up

Now that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued its rule for cooling water intakes under Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act, the race is on for more than 600 power plants and manufacturing facilities to comply.  Right now, there is probably no better example in the water industry of how carefully choosing among compliance options can lead to millions of dollars in cost savings.

Lime Slakers Restoration In Dallas, TX Leads To Almost $1M Saved Compared To New Systems

Since opening in 1930, the Bachman Water Treatment Plant in Dallas has increased its processing capacity from 30 million gallons per day to 150 million gallons per day, with the latest upgrade in 2007.

Gravity Meets Groundwater Monitoring

Water reserves deep below the Earth’s surface can be seen from outer space, thanks to satellites, the law of gravity, and some smart people who connected the dots.

Riviera Utilities WWTP Upgrades To State-Of-The-Art Aerobic Granular Sludge Technology

Instead of taking the traditional approach of adding an additional oxidation ditch to increase treatment capacity, Riviera Utilities had the desire to “future-proof” the plant and prepare to meet more stringent effluent requirements.