The new energy efficient wastewater system avoids nearly 80 tons per year of CO2 emissions, and realizes annual savings of US$160,000 in water and energy use charges. This reduction forms part of GE’s overall ecomagination commitment to reduce its water footprint by 20% in 2012.
The water savings at the GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) site were a result of reusing wastewater effluent with ZeeWeed membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology as a make-up water source to operate cooling towers, which would otherwise withdraw raw water obtained from local groundwater wells to accomplish the same.
“Given the water scarcity issues we have been facing in the region, we were pleased to find an economical way to meet the growing needs of our company while conserving the area’s fresh water supplies, “said Lori Butler, GEH general manager. “This project significantly reduced the physical footprint of the treatment system at the plant, while doubling the capacity of the wastewater system.”
The GEH site draws groundwater from wells for use on the site and generates an estimated 50,000 to 65,000 gallons of wastewater per day. The wastewater is treated by the MBR system and ultraviolet light is used for final disinfection. The treated wastewater effluent is then directed to the facility’s cooling towers, an integral component of the campus heating, ventilating and cooling (HVAC) system, where it is re-used as make-up water, thereby eliminating the use of groundwater for this purpose.