When it comes to preventing water contamination from industrial activities, there’s a lot more than meets the eye. Industrial wastewater has long been flowing into our rivers and oceans without any restrictions or regulations for decades. A burning, yet neglected issue is the water contamination with industrial waste. For years, toxic industrial wastage has been polluting and contaminating fresh water sources everywhere – causing an increase in death rates and lack of access to clean drinking water.
Do You Want to Prevent Water Contamination?
What’s worse, is that even after so many years of neglecting this growing environmental hazard by authorities all over the world; only recently have governments started cracking down on companies responsible for dumping hazardous pollutants into public waterways.
From persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as DDT, dioxin, lead etc., emerging contaminants like endocrine disruptors (EDCs), heavy metals like arsenic, mercury, radioactive elements and microplastics—what makes matters worse here is these substances leaching out through sewage drains are entering new sources thereby leading to severe irreversible damage. Not just in terms of harm done directly but also indirectly via secondary or bioaccumulation process if left unchecked.
In short whereas each toxic element might enter source of freshwater individually; accumulation level after several chemical reactions could be exceptionally dangerous – making prevention important to preserve current and future generations health and livelihood.
Have You Think About Industrial Waste Effects on Water?
It is a seldom-recognized reality that industrial waste can find its way into our water systems, resulting in serious contamination of the supply. The water ingression is about countless potential environmental and health issues for those who are exposed to it eventually.
Industrial waste, in all terms, is a real and dangerous concern for many years now, but exactly how does this waste get into our water bodies in the first place? What effects does it have on our environment and already declining human health? And importantly, how can we prevent water contamination further from occurring? Seemingly harmless everyday practices may contribute to shoddy industrial processes that release contaminants into streams, rivers, and lakes — all with regularity few know about. Here are the industrial effects on water you know about:
Water Pollution: Chemicals, oils, sludge, heavy metals, and toxic waste can damage the quality of the water.
Eutrophication: Continuous discharge of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus from industrial waste causes an excessive growth of algae and aquatic plants in water bodies.
Thermal Pollution: Some industries discharge heated water into water bodies, causing a sudden change in the temperature.
Impact on Aquatic Life: The discharge of industrial waste disrupts the biological systems of aquatic organisms.
Health Impacts: Humans who drink or bathe in contaminated water can suffer from various health issues, ranging from skin diseases to severe illnesses such as cancer.
Biodiversity Loss: Prolonged exposure to industrial waste decreases biodiversity.
Groundwater Contamination: If not properly managed, industrial waste can seep into the ground, contaminating the groundwater.
Economic Impacts: Costs of cleaning up polluted water are often high, and there’s also the economic loss related to declines in fishing, tourism, and other industries.
Choose What You Can Do
It’s 2023 and the earth is suffering from industrial pollution more than ever. By now, we all know how to reduce plastic waste and recycle properly, but what about the silent killer – water contamination? So, will preventative measures we could take to prevent it help or not? Water ingression via industrial waste is very real and can have devastating effects on our aquatic ecosystems. If you need some other help related to Industrial water contamination then you can contact our Micro-lube team for help and guidance.
Water contamination is usually known as the scourge of any machine. The eternal battle continues between lubricant techniciansin the wet process industries such as paper and pulp. The competition between outdoor machine applications such as construction and mining and frequent machine washdowns like food processing never seems to come to an end. However, water contamination hazards are not only limited to these industries. They affect all kinds of plants and industries.
Both oil and machines are affected by water. Water promotes the oxidation of lubricants base oil and releases additives that attract water. Later, the water settles towards the bottom of the sump. Water hydrolyzes additives which affect the performance of machines. In some cases, this hydrolysis can produce highly corrosive by-products.
Resultantly, lubricants degraded by water cannot lubricate and protect the machine efficiently. This inefficiency can lead to severe wear and tear.
Read More: What Causes Lubrication Failure?
Water Induced Wear Mechanisms
Common water-induced wear mechanisms include:
Rust And Corrosion
For the production of iron oxides, water attacks steel and iron surfaces. Water binds with the acids in the oil to boost its potential to attack ferrous and non-ferrous metals. As a result, the surfaces deteriorate rapidly in the presence of rust and corrosion, which invite abrasive particles.
Rust is also abrasive. Abrasion exposes fresh nascent metal that deteriorates rapidly in water and acids.
Vaporous Cavitation
If vapor pressure reaches low-pressure points of the machine, such as the suction line at the pump, then vapor bubbles expand.
Vapor bubbles need exposure to high pressure suddenly, such as in the load zone of a journal bearing. The water bubbles contract at high pressure and go back to the liquid state.
Consequently, water droplets impact parts of the machine with force in the form of needle-like micro-jets. This damages the machine and causes erosion and localized surface fatigue. Water contamination also gives the oil the ability to entrain air and increase gaseous contamination.
Film Strength Loss
With elastohydrodynamic (EHD) contacts, the pitch line of gear tooth, and rolling bearing, the strength of lubricating film increases. The increase in the film is due to the viscosity of the oil, which increases with pressure. However, water does not possess the same property. The viscosity of water remains constant and drops slightly with the increase in pressure.
Accordingly, the addition of contaminants in water increases contact fatigue and surface-to-surface contact. In high-pressure zones, tribo-chemical reactions cause blisters and embrittlement.
Managing Water Contamination
One of the most effective ways to prevent water contamination is to keep water out from the oil. Water makes its way into reservoirs or sumps where machines interface with the environment.
Tips to keep oil void of water are as follows:
Mange new oil efficiently
Use high-quality shaft and wipe seals
Avoid sprays with high pressure in areas near seals if possible
Maintain heating/cooling and steam water system seals
Gravity Separation
Water has a higher specific gravity than hydraulic fluids. Due to its high gravity, it settles down at the bottom of the reservoir. The effectiveness of gravity separation improves by using a cone-shaped tank and increasing the fluid temperature. However, gravity separation is not capable of removing dissolved water completely.
Centrifugal Separation
The spinning of fluid can magnify the difference between the specific gravity of water and the fluid. Centrifugal separation removes free water more rapidly than a gravity separator. Moreover, centrifugal separators can remove emulsion water based on the relative strength of centrifugal force and the emulsion of the separator.
However, centrifugal separators cannot remove dissolved water.
Vacuum Distillation
This technique can remove emulsified, free and dissolved water. Vacuum distillation units work by effectively boiling water at 150 to 160° and distributing oil over a large surface. Vacuum distillation also removes solvents, fuels, and refrigerants. However, additive vaporization can occur with this technique.
Conclusion
Water contamination can become a severe threat to machines. Machines can become vulnerable to deterioration due to the contamination of water. You should try to keep water away from the oil of your machines. So, technicians should be requested to remove water from the machines.
About Micro-Lube
Micro-Lubeis a full-service conveyor lubrication company with international experience and a genuine commitment to professional, affordable, and personalized service to our diverse customers.
Our staff has over ten years of “hands-on” experience in storage, conveyor, and chain lubrication which has earned our customers’ confidence in our products and services.Contact us herefor more information.