Glass and paper

In glass processing, cooling water can carry emulsions as well as glass fines. This wastewater requires treatment. Alongside separating and absorbing fine glass particles, the emulsion must be broken so that its contaminants can also be captured and flocculated.

In paper production, process water contains fibres and, when recycled material is used, inks. These streams also contain emulsions that must be broken and flocculated.

Emulsion breakers and flocculants are widely used to clean these streams. As the systems are often closed circuits, sulphate free products with low chloride content may be used.

The circulating water must continue to meet the required parameters, with pH and conductivity maintained within specified limits.

These applications use closed water circuits because circulation rates are high and reuse is desirable. Chemicals can be dosed in line, and the resulting flocs separated using a lamella separator or flotation unit, for example.