Saving water saving money

October 2013 System Integration & Control Systems Design

KIT Wassertechnik of Switzerland develops environmentally friendly water utilisation systems for a wide range of applications. The company places particular importance on the use of rain and spring water and the recycling and treatment of water, especially process water. For many years KIT has used components from Eaton to control its plants. This is also the case in one of its latest projects, a plant for a car wash centre in which the water is completely reconditioned and the water loss replenished with rain water. Part of the installation includes an illuminated fountain that serves as an ornamental feature in the grounds of the wash centre.

Challenges

“Our client wanted a water conserving and environmentally friendly solution for its new car showrooms and connected car wash, which would also reuse the waste water produced during operation,” says Roland Graf, CEO of KIT Wassertechnik. “They also wanted a fountain system as a special feature of the new building which was required to run at night with a precisely controllable variety of colours.”

Solution

The core of the installation is a central localised, multi-stage water treatment plant. From here the water is pumped to the car wash and the fountain and to the consumers of the car showroom several hundred metres away. “Rain water and the waste water returning from the plant is first collected in the raw water storage tank,” explains Graf. “This raw water is cleaned using filters and kept in a storage water tank with a capacity of 7500 litres. The 100 000 litres of rain water is stored in two additional tanks and used to compensate for the water lost via the car wash centre.

The stored water is also enough to run the installation on its own during periods of drought. “Replenishment with fresh water is really only necessary occasionally,” says Graf. “The system is also impressive in terms of the financial investment, the plant paid for itself in three and a half years through the saving in fresh water.”

Water treatment is a complex process that requires permanent water analysis and process control to be reproducible. KIT chose to use eight Eaton easy819 control relays that are interconnected at distances up to 300 m. The simple and inexpensive networking capability and expandability of the easy800 system made it possible to create an impressive decentralised control system. “Several devices are connected to easy618 expansion modules via easyLink, so that we are able to operate over 250 I/O points,” explains Graf. “The extensive fountain system at the entrance to the car wash is really eye-catching. Three more easy819 control relays provide a delightful water display for visitors. As soon as it gets dark, these trigger the fountains to change colours. For this we use the easy806 with SmartWire-DT, because we needed analog outputs for automating the LED dimmers. We have complete freedom to program the colour changes as we like and can generate a precise 0 – 10 V control signal that enables a slow and precisely defined colour change.”

Results

Ecology and economy were key criteria for the end-user. The solution supplies a perfect symbiosis as it puts less strain on the environment and on cash flow. “Our customer is very satisfied and the installation is totally reliable. Eaton technology is making a decisive contribution here. In all the years we have never had a report of a failure in any of our projects,” concludes Roland.

For more information contact Mark Strydom, Eaton Information Response Service, South Africa, +27 (0)11 824 7400, [email protected], www.eaton.com

Further reading:

Understanding the role of AI in generative engineering design
System Integration & Control Systems Design
When a design engineer sets out to design a new part, component, or assembly, the intent is to meet the design requirements for fit, form and function, and also incorporate a certain degree of innovation and elegance to the overall design. There is no reason to re-invent the wheel by introducing a new design.

Read more...

---

PCS stays up so you don’t have to
PCS Global System Integration & Control Systems Design
Maybe it’s time to look at a solution that stays online 99,99999% of the time so you don’t have to. This the world of Stratus computer platforms, tailor-made for your critical applications.

Read more...

---

Four ways the global parts shortage has led to innovation and openness
System Integration & Control Systems Design
For those who use automation parts, the unpredictable nature of the supply chain is one of the biggest problems faced today. The shortfall has impacted every industry, but automation components have been especially affected.

Read more...

---

Iritron’s year of consolidation
Iritron Editor's Choice System Integration & Control Systems Design
Despite the multiple challenges faced by businesses in South Africa, the buoyancy of the technology sector worldwide has produced some green shoots for automation specialist, Iritron.

Read more...

---

Five edge opportunities for SIs to maximise revenue in 2024
Editor's Choice System Integration & Control Systems Design
System integrators continue to face the challenge of doing more with less – supporting complex operations, while meeting production schedules with limited resources, and innovating to increase efficiency, maximise safety and reduce risk.

Read more...

---

Condition monitoring in a forging press retrofit
Beckhoff Automation System Integration & Control Systems Design
Significantly increased vibration on machines can result in many forms of negative impacts such as reduced system performance or damage to the machine and foundation. Using the example of retrofitting a forging press with a maximum press force of 2000 tons, Wölfel Engineering explains how efficiently the process was tailored and implemented with PC-based control and measurement technology from Beckhoff.

Read more...

---

System integration in the digital age
System Integration & Control Systems Design
To meet the challenges of an increasingly competitive marketplace, many manufacturers (end users) must focus on their core competencies and outsource the rest to experts.

Read more...

---

Choosing a system integrator
Editor's Choice System Integration & Control Systems Design
Automation is an essential part of manufacturing today. Whatever the size, an upgrade or migration project can be complex, and the risks can be high. This is where system integrators (SIs) can help. They can bring together complex subsystems or components of a larger system and make them operate as a whole.

Read more...

---

Iritron awarded international contract for furnace control
Iritron System Integration & Control Systems Design
Iritron has been awarded two international, multimillion-Rand furnace drying projects. The company has extensive expertise in furnace drying control systems, and provides solutions in the fields of electrical, instrumentation, control systems, and decision support systems.

Read more...

---

Capitalise on risks by turning them into opportunities for growth
Iritron System Integration & Control Systems Design
In spite of the challenges facing the global and local economy, systems integration expert, Iritron remains optimistic for the year ahead, and believes that there are significant opportunities to be found during a challenging economic climate.

Read more...

---