Containerized Industrial Water Treatment Systems: How They Work & Why They Matter

Not all industrial water treatment projects are able to accommodate the necessary construction time, infrastructure, and space of a conventional treatment plant. Another solution is a containerized system, which combines treatment technology in a small, mobile packaged system that can be deployed where treatment is required.

A Water Treatment Equipment Manufacturer or Water Treatment Equipment Supplier should not only consider the size of the equipment. The treatment method must be compatible with the nature, treatment goal, capacity, and location of the water source.

That's where modular design and Custom Water Treatment Equipment can be useful.

What Is a Containerized Industrial Water Treatment System?

A containerized water treatment system is a pre-engineered water treatment plant that is built inside a standard-sized shipping container. The main process equipment, piping, valves, instruments, and control systems are built into the container rather than building new treatment facilities on-site.

The method provides a compact and movable treatment unit. Some of the components of a system may include filtration, membrane separation, biochemical treatment, chemical dosing, pumps, and automated controls depending on the application.

Based on this modular approach, QILEE's containerized systems are developed for drinking water, purified water, high-purity water, process water and industrial wastewater treatment.

How Do Containerized Water Treatment Systems Work?

No specific sequence of treatments is applicable to all industrial applications. The process is chosen based on the properties of the incoming water and the desired quality of the outgoing water.

Pretreatment Removes the First Contaminants

The first treatment is used to condition the water for subsequent treatments. This can be mechanical screening, coagulation, flotation, sedimentation, filtration, or chemical treatment depending upon the application.

These stages can be combined with the container treatment system, prior to membrane treatment or disinfection, for purified water applications. This provides a more complete treatment train than if a single treatment method is used for all contaminants.

Membrane Treatment Provides Further Separation

When finer separation is needed, membrane processes are utilized. For achieving further water purification, ultrafiltration (UF) can be introduced or reverse osmosis (RO) for further purification of dissolved salts and other contaminants.

RO can be used with EDI for high purity applications. They can be used with various membrane configurations for brackish water, seawater, purified water and industrial process water applications.

Industrial Wastewater May Need Multiple Processes

The industrial wastewater may contain difficult pollutants such as suspended solids, oils, organic matter, heavy metals and other species. One technology approach may thus not be enough.

The treatment includes dissolved air flotation (DAF), chemical dosing, membrane bioreactor (MBR) treatment, tubular ultrafiltration, nanofiltration (NF), reverse osmosis or a combination of these methods, depending on the nature of the wastewater. The optimal mixture is determined depending on the pollutant, its concentration, discharge or reuse requirements.

Automation Helps Manage the Treatment Process

Intelligent control can also be implemented in containerized systems. Process monitoring and automatic control can be achieved using PLC or HMI systems and some systems support remote monitoring.

This translates to the treatment process, equipment operation and monitoring items being integrated into one system instead of having to implement a control setup for each treatment stage.

Why Do Industries Use Containerized Water Treatment Systems?

There is one main benefit, flexibility. Plants can also be shipped in a modular (containerized) format to sites where site-built treatment facilities are problematic or impractical.

The pre-assembled format can also help to minimize the on-site installation and civil work. According to QILEE, its containerized systems are “plug-and-play” for swift deployment, relocation, reuse and adaptability to project needs.

These attributes are especially beneficial for out-of-the-way industrial sites, temporary applications, emergency usage, and sites with limited space.

Containerized vs. Conventional Water Treatment Systems

There are two methods that serve different project needs. A large-scale permanent system might be more appropriate if the requirements demand a lot of civil construction, whereas if mobility, compact installation, or rapid deployment is required, a modular containerized system may be more appropriate.

What Should You Check When Choosing a Water Treatment Equipment Supplier?

The first step is to know the water that should be treated. Equipment selection is affected by raw water quality, the nature and characteristics of the pollutants, flow rate, the desired raw water quality, and the purpose for which the water will be used.

Site conditions are also crucial. Before the treatment system is selected, available space, access for transportation, installation requirements, power supply, and future expansion should be taken into consideration.

It is also good practice to look for a supplier that is able to offer an integrated process instead of isolated equipment. A modular system can combine multiple treatment stages and design a treatment system that is tailored to the specific application.

When is Custom Water Treatment Equipment Needed?

Not all industrial water problems can be solved with a standard treatment package. The characteristics of wastewater from a pharmaceutical factory are very different from those of wastewater from a metallurgy or printing and dyeing factory.

The treatment stages can be combined based on the specific water characteristics by using customization. Various combinations of chemical treatment, DAF, MBR, TMBR, NF and RO can be employed for industrial wastewater. The modular units can also be taken down, put together, or upgraded as per the changing needs.

This is especially important for projects with unusual contaminants or discharge requirements, or when water is already being reused or the capacity needs are evolving.

Where Are Containerized Treatment Systems Used?

Containerized systems can not only be used for one water-treatment need, but for multiple.

Common applications include:

• Drinking water treatment
• Purified water production
• High-purity water production
• Industrial process water
• Industrial wastewater treatment
• Municipal wastewater treatment
• Remote water treatment
• Water reuse and recycling
• Emergency or temporary treatment

Industrial wastewater applications are within the chemical industry, food and beverage industry, metallurgy, pharmaceutical industry and printing and dyeing industry.

Conclusion

Containerized industrial water treatment systems combine several treatment processes and/or supporting equipment into a single, easily transportable unit. They are valued for their integrated design, portability, process flexibility, and adaptability of treatment stages to varying water quality demands.

When customers are considering a water treatment equipment manufacturer, they should first consider the problem to be solved instead of the equipment to be purchased. A water treatment equipment supplier must be able to match the treatment process to water quality, capacity, site conditions, and final water quality.

QILEE offers containerized solutions for purified water, high-purity water, process water, and industrial wastewater applications, offering modular configurations that can be customized to project needs.