Process Water Filtration for PVC Manufacturer, UK
Country
UK
Application
Cooling Water
Water source
Process Water
Filtration solution
23 x 4” Galaxy external source
Background
One of the UK’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of PVC windows and doors expanded production and required an increase in their cooling water. Epwin Window Systems is located in Telford Shropshire, United Kingdom. The Telford extrusions site, which is also the headquarters of the company, was set to increase production capacity by 40%. They decided to invest in a new extrusion hall of up to 24 extrusion lines, more than doubling the number of lines to a total of 41. The Telford site’s existing extrusion hall has a cooling water system in place, which chills the process water to the required temperature, ensuring the plastic profile is cooled correctly in the cooling baths on each extrusion line.
Challenge
In 2016, Amiad UK supplied Telford with a filtration system of 23 x 4” Galaxy external source filters providing water filtration down to 20 micron to meet the company’s request for an improved surface finish for their product. The existing filter design incorporated a water recovery system consisting of a storage tank complete with interlocking level controls linked to the main Galaxy filter control panel, followed by an automatic paper conveyor filter. The water recovery system reduces the need for municipal water / softened make up water and decreases the chemical treatment required to maintain a healthy chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) level for disinfection.
Solution
The success of the previous 23 x 4” Galaxy filter system and operational support provided through Amiad’s service and maintenance team meant that the site engineers were keen to replicate the positive results with the new cooling water filtration system, which included: • 18 x 4” Galaxy external source 20 micron filter • 2 x 8” Brushaway semi-automatic 130 micron screen filters fitted on bypass lines to enable maintenance • 5 x TAF 750 automatic 50 micron screen safety filters for critical extrusion lines • 2 x automatic stainless-steel paper band filters for backwash water recovery • Amiad PLC control board with HMI and pneumatic solenoid panel
Results
Following the installation works, Amiad UK service engineers commissioned the cooling water filtration system. The filters have now been running for the last 12 months providing the site with high quality cooling water which helps ensure the factory’s product quality is maintained. The benefits provided to the extrusion site include • Protection of the heat Exchanger • Reduced factory downtime • Improved product quality • Reduced use of treatment chemicals • Reduced water consumption
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