A process integration approach to industrial water conservation: a case study for an Indian starch industry

A case study for water using network of a Starch industry in the state of Gujarat, India, is undertaken with an aim to reduce demineralised water and freshwater flow rates and consequently the wastewater flow rate. The problem was identified as a multi contaminant, reuse and recycle problem. The freshwater consumption and demineralised water consumption were 100 t/h and 51 t/h respectively before modification and the network was dealing with three major contaminants such as total organic content, total dissolved solids and total suspended solids. A program was developed in MATLAB for analysis using Water Pinch. The improved water using network designed for the present work consumed less demineralised and freshwater. The reductions are of the tune of 28% and 64.38% for demineralised and fresh water respectively. Due to alteration in piping, there will be a saving of 406 026 INR per year, which will be utilized for development of efficient environment policy for the company. The entire concept had been implemented on plant level on 1st February-2009 and the reductions are of the tune of 25% and 60% for demineralised and fresh water respectively.