Containerized Water Treatment Systems Process: A Step-by-Step Guide

Containerized water treatment systems integrate multiple stages of the treatment process into a small, portable system. Rather than building each component of a treatment plant at the project site, pre-construction assembly and testing of the equipment can be done. This can create deployment possibilities where mobility, project timeline, or installation space is important

It will come in handy for buyers to know what the process is like before they select a water treatment equipment manufacturer or supplier. The right design depends on the water source, the capacity desired, the use of the water, and the quality of treated water. These factors will dictate what technologies must be combined to provide a treatment solution.

QILEE also offers modular containerized solutions for drinking water, purified water, high purity water, process water, and wastewater applications, tailored to the needs of specific projects.

What Are Containerized Water Treatment Systems?

A water treatment system is contained in a shipping container or enclosures. The main equipment is grouped together in a single package as opposed to having separate treatment units throughout a larger facility.

Its treatment process depends on its application. A purified-water system may use screening, coagulation, flotation, sedimentation, filtration and disinfection. Other applications might be based on membrane technologies like ultrafiltration (UF) or reverse osmosis (RO).

The container provides the structure; the treatment equipment and treatment sequence determine the treatment of the water.

How Does a Containerized Water Treatment System Work?

1. Assess the Raw Water

The first step in the process is to understand the incoming water into the system.

Water source can be surface water, brackish water, seawater, wastewater, or industrial process water. Different treatment methods can be used for each source. Thus, the information on the raw water is used to decide on the stages of treatment.

2. Determine the Required Capacity

The next step would be to determine the amount of water the system needs to treat.

Size of treatment capacity should be determined by the actual water demand, not just by picking a container size first.

3. Select the Treatment Technologies

Once the water source and capacity is determined, the proper treatment technologies can be linked in a process train.

Mechanical screening, coagulation, flotation, sedimentation, filtration and disinfection are examples of treatment methods used for purified water applications. If membrane separation is needed, UF or RO can be added to the system.

For instance, a UF+RO system is ultrafiltration followed by reverse osmosis. This is not a standard purification process since the membrane stages are an integral part of the process.

The idea is to have each step of the treatment do a particular job and assist the subsequent steps.

4. Integrate the Equipment

When the process is defined, the equipment required is placed inside the container.

This can range from filtration units, membrane equipment, pumps, valves, control systems and more depending on the application. All piping and connections are installed to allow water to flow in the desired order through the treatment stages.

This integration makes several components into a single mobile treatment package.

5. Add Controls and Monitoring

An arrangement for controlling a containerized system is also needed.

Equipment management and operation is possible using PLC and HMI touchscreen controls. In addition, depending on the system configuration, remote monitoring will also be possible (GPRS, 4G, IoT). The control system to be used should be appropriate to the project.

6. Complete Factory Assembly and Testing

One of the key advantages of containerized treatment is the ability to integrate the equipment prior to delivery.

Before the equipment, controls, and connections are moved to the project site, there is an opportunity to perform factory testing.

7. Transport, Install, and Commission

The unit is then moved to the installation site, where it is set up and tested.

Installation will involve installation of a treatment package to the necessary site services and infrastructure. It depends on the system design and application.

Once the system is commissioned, it is ready for operation. Equipment and controls can be checked under operating conditions prior to the treatment program.

Containerized Water Treatment Process at a Glance

Choosing a Water Treatment Equipment Manufacturer:

When selecting a water treatment equipment manufacturer, many factors come into play. The manufacturer needs to comprehend the function of the treatment stages and how the entire system is supposed to function.

As you're looking around the options, look to the suppliers that can offer you:

• Process and system design
• Integrated treatment equipment
• Appropriate control systems
• Manufacture, assembly, and testing at the factory level.
• Installation and commissioning support.
• Provide record and operator training (if necessary)

Water source information, water required, application, and treated water target are also important to provide to the supplier.

QILEE system and equipment range encompasses containerized water treatment systems, membrane systems, chemical treatment equipment, and integrated solutions.

When to Use Custom Water Treatment Equipment?

While the standard treatment designs are appropriate for many projects, these may not be right for others. The choice of water source and use may dictate the type of treatment technologies necessary.

A wastewater treatment system, for example, will have different requirements from a high-purity water system. Likewise, membrane processes may be needed for brackish-water treatment that are not needed in another application.

Customization may refer to the treatment process, equipment combination, capacity, container configuration, or controls.

Treatment should always start with the actual water and the desired treated water quality. With those requirements understood, the treatment equipment can be set up based on those requirements.

Before making an order, what should the buyers do?

The right information on the project can help make equipment selection a lot easier. Buyers should prepare:

• The available water-quality information and raw-water source information.
• Required treatment capacity
• The purpose of the treated water to be used.
• Goal or result that is wanted to be achieved when a process is performed.
• Available installation conditions
• Their level of automation that is required.
• Installing and commissioning specifications

This allows the supplier to have a better foundation for the treatment process and equipment configuration for recommendation.

Conclusion

The process of the containerized water treatment systems is logical, namely: Evaluation of the raw water, Design water treatment capacity, Selection of water treatment technologies, Integration of water treatment equipment, Addition of controls, water treatment factory testing, water treatment installation, and commissioning.

The key for project owners is to consider the overall treatment process, not just the size of a container or the individual pieces in it. A good water treatment equipment supplier should be able to match the treatment configuration to the water source and project needs. If a standard system is not the right fit, custom water treatment equipment might be able to give a better solution.