Wastewater treatment

Industrial wastewater can contain a wide range of contaminants, depending on the production process and the raw materials used. Appropriate treatment may be required before this water can be discharged or reused.

PCA Water offers solutions for the treatment of industrial wastewater, tailored to the composition of the water, the applicable discharge conditions and the opportunities for reuse. This includes both individual treatment steps and complete wastewater treatment plants.

Our wastewater solutions

Vacuum evaporation and Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD)

Certain industrial wastewater streams contain high concentrations of dissolved salts, metals or other contaminants, which means that conventional wastewater treatment is not always suitable.

With vacuum evaporation, the wastewater can be separated into a distillate and a concentrated residual stream. Depending on its composition and quality, the distillate can be treated further for discharge or reuse, while the concentrate is disposed of separately or processed further.

Vacuum evaporation can also be part of a Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) concept, in which treatment aims to avoid liquid wastewater discharges. Additional treatment steps may be required for this.

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Physico-chemical treatment and heavy metal removal

Industrial wastewater can contain dissolved metals, suspended solids and other contaminants that are not, or not sufficiently, biodegradable. Physico-chemical treatment may be appropriate for such wastewater streams.

PCA Water offers solutions using techniques such as coagulation, flocculation, chemical precipitation and neutralisation to remove contaminants or reduce their concentration. The resulting flocs and precipitates can then be separated from the water by settling or filtration.

To further remove dissolved metals or achieve low residual concentrations, the treatment can be supplemented with, for example, ion exchange or other suitable techniques.

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PFAS treatment and specific contaminants

Some industrial wastewater streams contain substances that are difficult to remove, such as PFAS, for which targeted treatment may be necessary.

PCA Water investigates which treatment options are suitable based on the compounds present, their concentrations and the composition of the wastewater. Depending on the application, techniques such as activated carbon adsorption, specialised ion exchange resins or membrane filtration can be used.

Because removal efficiency can vary considerably depending on the substances present and the water matrix, laboratory and pilot trials can be carried out to assess the applicability of the chosen treatment.

Sludge dewatering

Biological and physico-chemical wastewater treatment produce sludge that must be processed further or disposed of. This sludge usually contains a large amount of water, which means its volume can be considerable.

PCA Water offers solutions for thickening and dewatering treatment sludge. Filter presses, screw presses and other mechanical dewatering techniques can be used for this, among others.

By lowering the water content of the sludge, the volume to be disposed of can be reduced. The choice of dewatering technique depends on the type of sludge, the quantity and the required dry solids content.

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Optimise your wastewater management and reduce discharge costs.

Would you like to drastically reduce your disposal costs, close your water loop or comply with stricter discharge standards? Our process engineers analyse your wastewater parameters and design a tailor-made installation.

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Frequently asked questions about wastewater treatment

Does PCA Water carry out laboratory and pilot tests on our wastewater in advance?

Absolutely. Particularly for complex wastewater streams or specific contaminants (such as heavy metals or PFAS), we test separation efficiencies and chemical dosages at laboratory or pilot scale.

How is the sludge problem addressed in wastewater treatment?

Untreated sludge consists of 95% to 99% water. PCA Water integrates mechanical sludge dewatering (such as a chamber filter press or centrifuge) directly into the overall system. This transforms liquid sludge into a compact, dry sludge cake, drastically reducing storage, transport and disposal costs.

Can PCA Water help us meet the new, strict PFAS discharge standards?

Yes. PCA Water analyses your specific wastewater stream and carries out pilot tests where necessary. Because the composition of PFAS contamination differs from site to site, we design a tailor-made combination of techniques (such as pre-filtration, activated carbon or ion exchange) to reliably meet the applicable standards.

When is a vacuum evaporator a better option than conventional physico-chemical treatment?

A vacuum evaporator is ideally suited if you want to reuse your water in a closed loop (Zero Liquid Discharge) or when discharge permits are limited. Whereas a conventional physico-chemical installation prepares a wastewater stream for discharge, an evaporator evaporates the water to recover up to 98% pure distillate. This delivers significant savings on costly rinse water streams or high disposal charges.

Proven results in wastewater treatment

Discover how we help industrial companies treat their wastewater efficiently, minimise the impact of their discharges and reuse valuable raw materials or water.

Automation

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PCA Water automates extrusion die cleaning at E-MAX

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PCA Water delivers sustainable water treatment with zero liquid discharge at SADEF

Sewage treatment work at Qatar state

Chemical

PCA installs a two-stage evaporator at Winsol

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