WATER AUDIT & WATER CONSERVATION STUDY IN A PETROCHEMICAL PLANT

A..Shajahan
Deputy Director (Environment), National Productivity Council, Chennai

1.1 Water Supply, Treatment & Usage Areas

Water supplied by Municipal authorities stored in raw water reservoirs in the

other plant is pumped periodically and stored in two raw reservoirs of size 65.1 m x 9 m
x 4 m and stored in fire water reservoirs of size 65.1 m x 41 m x 4 m and 65.1 m x 38.8
m x 4 m for firefighting through a fire hydrant system. Raw water is treated in a water
treatment plant consisting of Pressure Filter (PSF), Activated Carbon Filter (ACF) and
D.M plant for various uses in the plant. The schematic diagram of the water distribution
system is shown below.

MUNICIPAL WATER FROM OTHER PLANT

FIRE WATER RAW WATER

RESERVOIR RESERVOIR

PRESSURE
SAND FILTER
A

ACTIVATED
CARBON FILTER
B

D.M PLANT

C
Water use Areas
A.
- Eyewash fountain /emergency shower

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- Backwashing of Pressure sand filter
B.
- Cooling tower make-up
- Plant service water
- Process
- Milk of lime preparation
- Cooling of pump seals
- Flare area

C.
- Boiler
- HCl absorption in the production process
- other uses

1.2 Preparation of a water balance

The water use in various areas in the this plant was evaluated using:

a) Reading of existing flow meters at the following locations:

- Feed to water treatment plant of this plant

- Drinking water to this plant from other plant
- Boiler Feed Water
- DM Water Storage tank
- Eyewash fountain & emergency shower water supply tank

b) Rise/Fall of water level in reservoirs

The monitoring was carried out on a continuous 24 hr basis for two different days. The
accuracy of the principal flow meters at the feed to PSF was checked as follows :

i) Feed to PSF was measured by noting depth measurements in the raw water
reservoir and by blocking of all inflows and other outflows. Readings were taken
on a continuous basis for two full days. The variation between flow meters and
the measured values was 6.5 % on one occasion and 25 % on the other.

ii) Cooling tower make-up was stopped for few hours and the measurement of fall
in water level in the cooling tower sump during the same period was carried out to
arrive at the evaporation and windage losses. Cooling tower blowdown was
measured on several occasions to determine the flow rate.

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Total water consumption (including domestic) = 2900 m3/d
Total water consumption (excluding domestic) = 2770 m3/d
Specific water consumption (including domestic) = 91.1 m3/T
Specific water consumption (excluding domestic) = 87 m3/T

The water use distribution in various areas is given in Figure 2.0.

Prevailing Practice

The water use for domestic and other purposes is about 130 m 3/d . Excluding water use
for gardening of 20 m3/d, the domestic water use is about 110 m 3/d amounting to 620
litres /person which is very much higher than the norm of 50 litres / person. Running taps
& leaks in t oilest, washbasins and urinals have been observed.

Recommendations

The water use practices in the various water use points have to be looked into and
suitable water conservation options have to be evolved.

- Press type flushing valves & taps for urinals , toilets and washbasins

- Worker Education

- Periodic Check for leaks and their repair

1.3 Study of Water Distribution and Treatment

1.3.1. Water Pumping

Prevailing Practice

Raw water from the other plant is pumped (8 to 10 hours per day) to this plant by a
incurring a cost of Rs.2,34,000 annually towards electricity. Raw water from reservoirs is
pumped to the WTP by a pump designed for a flow of 350 m3/hr for where as the
average water consumption rate is 120 m 3/hr (based on 2900 m3/d). The maximum

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water consumption rate is the same for all water uses except during backwashing of
PSF and ACF. During backwashing of PSF and ACF, additional flow rate of 110 m3/hr
and 60 m3/hr is required respectively for 10 minutes only. Taking this and all other
situations necessitating higher water flow rate to the WTP into consideration, the raw
water pump is required to operate at a flow rate of 140 m 3/hr. In the case of higher
demand for water during PSF and ACF backwashing or any other emergency
requirement, the stand-by pumps can also be put into service.
Recommendations
i) Raw water pumping cost can be saved by providing interconnection between the feed
line from municipalwater to other plant and the water line from other plant to this plant
just after the water meter provided by municipal authority with provision and operation of
suitable valves.

Ii) Raw water pump designed for a flow rate of 350 m 3/hr can be modified to operate at
a flow rate of 140 m3/hr. This could be achieved by switching over to a lower capacity
(HP) motor and by change of impeller. This would result in substantial savings in
electrical power.

1.3.2. PSF Operation

Prevailing Practice
The pressure filters (PSF) and the actived carbon filter (ACF)are back washed when the
pressure drop reaches the set value. The backwash water is discharged into the storm
water drain.
Recommendations
These discharges contain only suspended solids and can be routed back to the raw
water reservoir. This can result in saving in water of about 50 m 3/d amounting to a
saving of Rs.4,55,000 annually.

3. D.M PLANT OPERATION

Prevailing Practices

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To review the operating practices, the total design ionic load and the total ionic load of
the raw water used now was worked out. The present ionic load is only 58% of the
design ionic load. But the regeneration is carried out after processing of 400 m 3 which
is much earlier than even the recommended quantity of 490 m3 to 535 m3 between
regeneration by the designer. Inspite of the difference in designed output between
successive regenerations for the different columns, all the columns are regenerated
after processing of 400 m3. Hence the regeneration of the resins is carried out much
prior to their reaching the regeneration level. This is resulting in higher regeneration
frequencies than the required ones leading to excessive use of regenerants, water and
energy. This not only has led to higher pollution load (TDS load) but also has led to
increased D.M. water production cost. D.M. water costing and cost of regeneration are
given in Table 1.0 and 2.0 respectively. The design and present characteristics of the
raw water are given in Table 3.0. Reduction in cost of production of D.M water based on
the present characteristics of the raw water are given as follows :
(i) S AC

Quantity of water that can be processed between successive regeneration

= ( 590 / 282 ) x 535 = 1119 m3

Hence cost of SAC water = 27.99 + 3820.7 / 1119

= 31.40 Rs. / m3
(ii) WBA

Quantity of water that can be processed between successive regeneration

= ( 640 / 317 ) x 535= 1080 m3

Hence cost of WBA water = 31.40 + 5594.42 / 1080

= 36.58 Rs. / m3

(iii) SBA

Quantity of water that can be processed between successive regeneration

= ( 640 / 317 ) x 490 = 989 m3

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 Hence cost of SBA water = 36.58 + 7952.52 / 989

= 45.27 Rs. / m3

Annual Savings

For 300 working days per annum and 450 m 3 /d the annual savings
would be = ( 72.03 - 45.27 ) * 450 * 300

= 36,12,600 Rs. / annum.

Recommendations
However periodically (once in a week / fortnight) ionic load of the raw water can be
calculated after analysis of the raw water characteristics for additional parameters which
are required for calculating the ionic load. Based on this ionic load, the regeneration
frequency can be worked out and practised.

TABLE NO. 3 DESIGN AND PRESENT CHARACTERISTICS OF RAW WATER & ITS
IMPACT ON D.M. PLANT OPERATION

CHARACTERISTICS DESIGN PRESENT

VALUE(PPM) VALUES(PPM)

T.D.S 750-800 404

Total hardness 330 104

M.Alkalinity (as CaCO3) 240 174

Total Alkalinity (as CaCO3) 240 201

Chlorides 300 72

Sulphates 50 36

EMA 350 108

Silica 50 35
Total CATION 590 282
Total ANION 640 317

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 PRESENT (DESIGN) & PROPOSED THROUGHPUT BETWEEN SUCCESSIVE
REGENERATION

COLUMN THROUGHPUT BETWEEN SUCCESSIVE

REGENERATION (m3)

PRESENT DESIGN PROPOSED

SAC 400 535 1119

WBA 400 535 1080

SBA 400 490 989

1.4 Study of Cooling Tower operating practices

Prevailing Practice
As cooling tower is a major source of consumption of water, the operating practices
were studied. Blowdown is carried out in the cooling tower if the TDS, Silica and other
parameters exceed the prescribed value. It is reported that it takes upto 8 hours after
sampling to get the results from the otheroratory to take necessary action such as

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starting and stopping the blowdown operations, etc. This is resulting in exceeding the
prescribed operating parameters and wastage of water for a substantial period.

Recommendations
1. To commence and stop cooling tower blowdown operations, either on-line
instruments can be installed or field instruments can be used to facilitate quick corrective
action.

2. Cooling tower blow-down can been used for MOL preparation. If this recycling of
water (60 m3/d) is practised throughout the year, an amount of Rs.5,04,000 can be
saved annually towards the cost of raw water and treatment of raw water. Besides this,
saving in water cess and reduction in effluent quantity along with its associated benefits
can also be effected.

1.5 Process water use

Prevailing Practice
During the operation of this plant at 50 % or less than 50 % of the installed capacity,
one of the two columns will be in productive operation. The other column is fed with
steam (3 T/hr) and water (10 m3/hr) to avoid corrosion.
Recommendations
These streams contribute about 312 m 3/d of effluent which is not polluted and this can
be reused by routing it to fire water or raw water reservoir. This would result in a saving
of Rs.7800 per day during operation of this plant at 50 % of its capacity. By reusing
these streams, the heat load to the cooling tower in ETP would also come down.

The above water conservation measures besides effecting saving on cost of raw water
and its treatment , it would also result in reduction in effluent quantity along with its
associated benefits like reduction in water cess, reduction in pumping & handling costs,
etc.