Processvatten

Processvatten, also referred to as process water, is water used directly in an industrial production process for cooling, heating, dilution, cleaning, rinsing, or conveying materials. It is distinct from potable water and from process wastewater, and may be treated and reused within the production system or discharged under regulatory control.

Common applications include cooling water for heat exchangers and cooling towers, boiler feedwater requiring relatively high purity, wash and rinse waters in manufacturing lines, and process water for chemical or pharmaceutical steps. The quality requirements depend on the application: cooling systems tolerate higher levels of microorganisms and salts than boiler feedwater, which must be free of minerals and impurities that cause scaling or corrosion.

Quality and treatment needs vary, but typical concerns include temperature, pH, hardness, dissolved solids, silica, boron, and microbial content. Treatment trains may include filtration, sedimentation, softening, ion exchange, reverse osmosis or electro-deionization, demineralization, and disinfection. In many plants, processvatten is circulated in closed-loop systems to minimize freshwater intake and reduce effluent.

Environmental and regulatory aspects are important. Processvatten management aims to prevent contamination of surface and groundwater, control salinity and nutrient loads, and comply with permits and water-quality standards. Discharge streams may require pretreatment or treatment before release, in line with national and regional regulations.

Monitoring and control are essential to maintain performance and compliance. Typical measures include online conductivity or total dissolved solids, turbidity, pH, temperature, TOC, and microbial indicators, along with routine sampling and auditing of treatment equipment.