CHALLENGE
In industrial operations, a significant quantity of product can be lost into the waste stream. The reason for the product loss can vary from leaky or faulty valves, to vessels overflowing, or to operator errors. Washing processes also create unavoidable product loss. Most of these losses are not large spills and it may take a while for the operators to detect them. In fact, frequent small losses can account for more than 50% of total losses.
SOLUTION
An opportunity for significant cost savings can be achieved through real-time organics monitoring in the effluent leaving the plant’s production processes. Spikes in organic loads reaching the water treatment system are directly correlated to product loss. Our real-time sensors can provide response times as short as 8 seconds, which allows for rapid corrective action to minimize product loss. Unlike TOC analyzers, Real Tech’s UV/Vis absorbance based detection method provides qualitative data in addition to quantitative data by characterizing organics while detecting the total concentration. This qualitative information can help with determining which product is being lost into the wastewater treatment stream.
RESULTS
- Identifies process upsets enabling rapid corrective action
- Ensures that wastewater treatment system is not unnecessarily overloaded
- Improves operational control and cost savings
- Affordable enough to place in multiple locations
- Easily integrates into SCADA systems