Greg Wainhouse, UK Water Segment Manager for Bürkert, looks at water usage within the food and beverage sector, and the best practical method of continuous monitoring for various aspects of water quality as it enters the process.
Water is an essential element in the manufacture of food and drink, from washing produce to being the main ingredient, each application has different water quality requirements. Having access to reliable, up-to-date data on water quality parameters is an important step in improving productivity as well as the quality of the final food products.
Source monitoring
In most cases, water will be supplied by the local water authority, which has the responsibility to provide a service within certain parameters. However, demands on the treatment plants, seasonal changes and the age of the network can have a big influence, and this means variability in the quality of mains-supplied water.
It is possible for the local authority to be unaware of an ‘out-of-consent’ incident until it is reported by consumers, but for some industrial customers, this notification will have come far too late. Furthermore, water authorities are required to add sufficient levels of chlorine to reach the furthest points of the network. This means that those closest to the water treatment works may receive some free-chlorine, which can damage sensitive equipment such as reverse osmosis membranes for example.
Read the full article in the February issue of DPA.