Desalitech Provides ZLD Solution For Manufacturing Application In China

High efficiency water treatment playing critical role in compliance with new regulations

Desalitech announced recently that it was awarded a contract by Novelis, the world leader in rolled aluminum products, to supply a high efficiency ultrapure water treatment system for a production facility in Changzhou, China to help comply with a local ordinance requiring zero-liquid discharge (ZLD) for applicable process wastewaters. The Desalitech ReFlex reverse osmosis system will reduce wastewater generation by over 70% compared to what a traditional reverse osmosis system would generate, minimizing brine flow to and the cost of the downstream evaporator.

As freshwater resources across the globe are depleted, industries are being forced to evaluate and manage their water resources accordingly. China has set a high bar for water sustainability, regulating that new industrial facilities cannot discharge wastewater and must maintain ZLD operation. The Changzhou plant, is Novelis’ first aluminum automotive sheet manufacturing facility in China, is meeting this requirement with its new ZLD wastewater treatment installation.

The Novelis facility provides customers in China and abroad with high-quality automotive sheet for use in lightweight structures and body panels. Water is utilized in multiple processes throughout the manufacturing plant, producing wastewater streams that are collected and treated with biological, chemical and membrane filtration followed by reverse osmosis. The 2-pass ReFlex reverse osmosis system is designed to operate at 90% recovery on the first pass and 95% recovery on the second pass, sending the permeate to an ultrapure process water and to cooling towers.

This water-saving initiative not only meets the Chinese discharge ordinance, it aligns with Novelis’ sustainability strategy to reduce water use in their manufacturing processes. Novelis’s new ReFlex reverse osmosis system is guaranteed to operate at the maximum recovery relative to the feed source, significantly reducing water consumption and wastewater generation compared to how a traditional reverse osmosis system would operate on the same water. The ReFlex systems will also require up to 35% less energy to operate and provide greater resistance to the fouling and scaling that typically plague RO systems in wastewater applications.

About Desalitech
Desalitech provides high efficiency water treatment for industrial, agricultural and wastewater reuse and concentration applications. Our next-generation ReFlex Reverse Osmosis products feature patented CCD technology – a highly efficient, reliable and flexible water treatment platform. The CCD process typically reduces waste by 50 to 75 percent and energy consumption by up to 35 percent, saving significant operating costs. Desalitech is proud to be headquartered in Newton, MA and manufactures its products in the USA.

About Novelis
Novelis is the global leader in rolled aluminum products and the largest recycler of aluminum in the world. Their premium product focus, industry-leading innovation, proven manufacturing excellence and unmatched global footprint serve a growing marketplace, while their commitment to an aggressive 80% recycled content goal distinguishes Novelis as a world leader in sustainable manufacturing.