The wastewater treatment equipment market was worth over $35 billion in 2015, and is expected to reach more than $55 billion by 2023. Increasing demands for water, alongside a trend in recycling and reusing this precious resource, are two reasons for the growth. End-user industries – power generation, pharmaceuticals, paper, oil & gas, food & beverage and general industrial – are also driving the water treatment industry.
A leading water filtration equipment manufacturer designed an advanced self-cleaning filtration system, but it needed an equally innovative pressure sensor solution to make it work. It’s not easy to accurately measure pressure in particle-laden, contaminated media. WIKA’s pressure experts worked closely with the OEM to come up with a custom solution that saves end users time and money.
The proposed filtration system required that technicians clean the filters at pre-determined intervals. There are two problems with this method, both of which come at a cost to the end user:
- If the filters weren’t too dirty, the workers would have wasted their time.
- If the filters were too dirty, the wastewater treatment system would have been working inefficiently for quite some time.
Challenge: Automating a Labor-Intensive System
A global manufacturer and supplier of advanced filtration technologies set out to address this fundamental problem with a game-changer: a self-cleaning filtration system. It would save end users money by eliminating the need for a technician to manually clean the filter. And by not letting the filters become too clogged, the system would ensure that the water treatment plant runs efficiently at all times.
To bring this device to life, however, the engineers needed a high-quality sensor that could monitor the differential pressure across inlet and outlet to accurately enact the filter’s self-cleaning mechanism. Standard pressure sensors did not work well, as they were not protected from the solids and particulates found in wastewater. Clogged sensors give inaccurate and/or erratic pressure readings, which activated the self-cleaning mechanism at incorrect times – enabling the cleaning mechanism when throughput was actually adequate and cleaning was not needed, or not enabling it when throughput was down.
The manufacturer needed a pressure sensor solution that is highly accurate, rugged, configurable, and enables remote monitoring. That’s when they contacted WIKA USA.
Very Informative post. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.
Hi wika.us webmaster, Your posts are always informative and up-to-date.
I read your blog post about pressure sensors in water filtration systems, and I found it to be a fascinating topic. It’s incredible to think about the technology that goes into ensuring the safety and quality of our water supply.
Your explanation of the importance of pressure sensors in water filtration systems was particularly informative. It’s fascinating to learn how pressure sensors can be used to monitor and regulate the flow of water through the filtration process, ensuring that the water is adequately filtered and safe for consumption.
I appreciated your description of the different types of pressure sensors that are commonly used in water filtration systems, such as differential pressure sensors and gauge pressure sensors. Your explanation of how each type of sensor works and the benefits of each was helpful in understanding the technology behind water filtration systems.
Your discussion of the potential problems that can occur in water filtration systems, such as clogging and blockages, was also insightful. It’s reassuring to know that pressure sensors can detect these issues and prompt maintenance or repairs before they lead to more significant problems.
Overall, I found your blog post to be a fascinating look at the technology behind water filtration systems and the critical role that pressure sensors play in ensuring the safety and quality of our water supply. Thank you for sharing your expertise on this important topic.
Hey Dave, thank you so much for taking the time to read our blog and comment. We are lucky to have very knowledgeable product managers here at WIKA. We hope you enjoy our other blogs too.