Industrial Wastewater Evaporators Reduce Hazards Associated With Wastewater Storage

The recent dam break at a BHP Billiton owned iron ore mine in Brazil, which resulted in fatalities, highlights the hazards of storing large volumes of industrial wastewater while it is undergoing treatment. However, industrial wastewater treatment equipment that is specifically designed to reduce the hazards associated with storing industrial wastewater is available on the market in the form of industrial wastewater evaporators. Wastewater evaporators offer a cost effective alternative to treating wastewater with chemicals (or hauling offsite for disposal at a wastewater treatment facility). Instead, they pump water up from the storage pond and spray it into the air where it is readily evaporated into clean water vapor. Because the water is continually being evaporated, wastewater storage volumes are substantially reduced.

Floating Industrial Wastewater Evaporators

Floating industrial wastewater evaporators, as the name implies, float on the surface of a wastewater treatment dam, sucking up water from the pond and spraying into an airborne plume. However, when choosing a floating wastewater evaporator one must consider the environmental conditions that it will be operating in. For example, if conditions are typically very windy, an evaporator must be able to shut down to prevent drift outside of the containment area. A wastewater evaporator that emits a spray plume close to the pond surface will be more efficient in windy conditions, as the spray is more likely to fall back into the treatment pond rather than onto surrounding areas. Another important factor to consider is how easy is it for an operator to move the wastewater evaporator to another position on the pond in response to a change in wind direction. As evaporation rates are not only influenced by relative humidity and ambient temperature, but also wind speed and direction, this will ensure the most efficient evaporation rates.

Land-based Industrial Wastewater Evaporators

Land-based industrial wastewater evaporators are positioned on the shores of the pond, where they pump water from the pond and spray water back onto the surface of the pond. The Land Shark Wastewater Evaporation Unit can be mounted on wheels or onto a float, offering the flexibility to be used as either a full mobile land-based or floating evaporator. With an airflow speed in excess of 100 mph and a water flow rate of 110 GPM, this wastewater evaporator is specifically designed for use on large ponds. It produces a large spray plume that allows the water droplets to remain airborne over the pond for a longer period, which improves evaporation rates. The Land Shark Wastewater Evaporation Unit has a heavy duty robust construction specially designed for use on oil fields, and has a durable rubberized powder coating for better protection against the elements. Other features include: automated PLC wind speed control, and a direction control system that can rotate 360 degrees.

Applications for Wastewater Evaporators

Wastewater evaporators can be used in a wide range of industrial wastewater treatment scenarios, including:

• Industrial wastewater treatment ponds
• Wastewater treatment from mining operations
• Leachate ponds
• Cannery treatment ponds
• Paper mill treatment ponds