Keeping the Beer Flowing with Reverse Osmosis

Breweries need power to produce their products, and power plants need consistent, high-quality water to operate effectively. Since source water varies based on location, water chemistry, and time of year, a power station for a major brewer in North America turned to Dow Water & Process Solutions and Consolidated Water Solutions to deliver a means to a flavorful, robust and satisfying end.

After seven years operating effectively with a two-pass reverse osmosis (RO) system, Consolidated and Dow worked with the power company to evaluate system alternatives for a next-generation configuration. To help further reduce the energy required to treat boiler feed make-up water, and meet the brewery’s electrical energy and process steam requirements, the plant reconfigured and upgraded its water treatment system with DOW FILMTEC ECO Reverse Osmosis Elements. Since the integration of FILMTEC ECO technology, the water treatment system has reduced its energy by 10-20 percent, and improved peak flow performance.

“Collaborating with Consolidated on this unique project has been a great opportunity to improve the operational capacity of energy production utilising next-generation reverse osmosis technology,” said Craig Granlund, Senior Account Manager, Dow Water & Process Solutions. “The significant improvement in efficiency will help the power plant improve system performance, while at the same time reducing the brewery’s environmental footprint.”

Due to the highly-variable and seasonally-tempered nature of the power station’s source water, a combination of mountain and snow run-off, the plant requires a treatment technology that functions effectively across various temperatures and pressures. Since incorporating FILMTEC ECO RO Elements into the system, the plant has been able to reduce energy and operational costs because the pressure vessel is able to function optimally at 50-60 psi, lower pressure than previously met.

The winter months add additional concern, as the source water reaches colder temperatures (45°F), requiring the system to operate at a higher pressure, which utilises more energy. FILMTEC ECO RO Elements are able to handle high feed water rates, and hit peak water flow times in winter with reduced pipe pressure and reduced fouling in the RO system, requiring less cleaning to restore productivity. The cost of cleaning, downtime and lost system performance can be significant, so reduced fouling is key to reducing costs while providing reliable power to the brewery for operations.

“We are proud that our system is better equipped to provide reliable energy to our customer, ensuring the delivery and longstanding tradition of one of the most popular beers in America,” said Duane Miller, president of Consolidated Water Solutions. “FILMTEC ECO technology has helped our power customer obtain value-added cost savings, which we did not find in other top industry-grade membranes.”

Power plants rely on a steady stream of water to convert heat energy into electrical energy to drive the turbines that run the electric generators. To accomplish this, the plants require high-quality feedwater to operate their boiler and cooling system. The treatment of boiler feedwater is extremely critical, as problems can result from the use of untreated water in extreme pressure and temperature environments, including lower efficiency, overheating, damage, and the need for frequent cleaning. Since 95 percent of water used in plant operations can be reused, it is vital that both the feedwater and recycled steams are effectively treated to prevent scale and corrosion in the steam water circuit.

Recognising the perilous state of water demand, DOW FILMTEC ECO RO Elements’ unique configuration offers the possibility of higher rejection of salts at significantly reduced operating pressures, helping deliver up to 40 percent better water purification while using up to 30 percent less energy, potentially resulting in up to 19 percent lower operating costs.