Economic evaluation of reverse osmosis application for reuse of cooling tower purge

Abstract

The environmental concern about the uncontrolled consumption of a finite natural resource, led to the accomplishment of this work, directed to the elaboration of an evaluation plan of the project of reuse of the blowdown water of cooling towers in industries, with a data manipulation tool of processes and costs associated with the operation of the specific plant to verify the feasibility of implementing the reverse osmosis equipment. This method of desalination of water is common in beverage industries, in places that have scarcity and where it is necessary to capture seawater to make it drinkable. This project is important for the purpose of reducing dependence on such a limited resource that is fresh water on the planet.Through the analysis and usage mechanism to include the feedback analysis design, it can identify the potentials of any resource to the operating equipment along with the cooling towers. With the example shown in this article, it was possible to predict the payback time of the project, according to the investment made and net profit identified.