Water filtration is important in various fields, but no matter how much general information we have about filtration, the difference becomes possible only thanks to the specialist’s point of view. It is precisely for this fact that we have invited chemical engineer Erion Bardhi to this blog to share with us his several years of professional experience in the field of water filtration in another dimension, the industrial one.
- Erion, how important is water in industry?
–I would say more than important it is essential, because in industry water is vital for production processes. The field in which the use has the most direct effect is the food industry, more specifically in the alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage production industry, it is suggested to use filtered and treated water both from the physico-chemical and microbiological side.
- What are the filtration standards in the industry? What filters or filtration systems are suggested?
–Every factory or production company must be equipped with a set of standards that affect the aggregate plan and directly with the production of products or services. This would be achieved through CE certified systems and through filters certified by European and American standards. These filters must be of food grade and microbiologically safe, such as chlorination dosing systems or ozone treatment systems that operate with automatic control systems. Then the treatment of physico-chemical parameters is equally important through sand or sediment filters that would be optimal in this case, and they are the ones that also serve to eliminate particles and physical impurities. These particles range from 130 microns to 1 micron. Hardness removal filters are unique because they not only soften water but also remove iron, manganese, organic matter and ammonia. In such cases a multitasking buffer should be provided.
- To some extent, we understood something about filtration in the food industry… but can you tell us what happens in heavy industry?
–Undoubtedly, reverse osmosis makes it possible to have clean water suitable from the physico-chemical point of view for the production of beverages. With osmosis, the desired output water parameters are obtained by using appropriate membranes and using additional options with bypass, which allows to play with the output parameters according to the technological process requirement.
- To some extent, we understood something about filtration in the food industry… but can you tell us what happens in heavy industry?
–In heavy industry, for the pretreatment of metals it is suggested that water with a conductivity of less than 30 µs/cm will have to use osmosis for sure, and it would also be ideal in this case to use a deionizer which would allow a almost 0 conductivity.
-In the glass processing industry, for example, it is practically the same but the limit value is 80 µs/cm while all manufacturers aim for a value close to 0 through water treatment equipment in order to maximize product quality.
- What are you passionate about in this profession?
-Through water treatment equipment, we are a link in the production process of every factory, and an integral part of the quality of every product. The passion which is directly related to the Albanian produced product is therefore both with the consumer and with the professional. It should also be mentioned that it is a job that every day has new challenges and this is a key factor for daily motivation.
23 Oct, 2021