How Wastewater Heat Recovery Can Help Facilities Reduce Energy Costs
When you think about wastewater in manufacturing and other different industries, it is usually seen as just another byproduct that just needs to be somewhat treated and then gotten rid of. But in many facilities, that wastewater may still be carrying usable heat when it leaves the building, process, or treatment system. When that heat is ignored, the facility may be losing energy that it already paid to create.
That is where wastewater heat recovery becomes an important opportunity. Instead of letting warm wastewater or processed water leave the system without being used, facilities may be able to capture that heat and reuse it elsewhere. For facilities looking to lower the cost of their water and energy, this can be a smart way to improve efficiency without having to start from scratch.
Why Wastewater Can Carry Usable Heat
Water holds heat well, which means wastewater can carry thermal energy after it has been used in a facility. In many facilities, warm water is used for cleaning, sanitation, production, treatment, or process needs. Once that water leaves the system, the heat often leaves with it. Without heat recovery from wastewater, the facility may continue paying to heat new water or support other systems while useful heat is being wasted. This is what makes wastewater energy recovery worth evaluating.
How Wastewater Heat Recovery Works
Wastewater heat recovery works by capturing thermal energy from wastewater or processed water before that heat is lost. In many cases, the recovered heat can be transferred and reused to support another part of the facility. How this works depends on your specific facility, especially details like the temperature of your building’s water, the volume of flow, and what the reclaimed heat is going to be used for.
The main idea is simple. If your facility is already creating warm wastewater, there may be an opportunity to use that heat instead of letting it leave the operation.
Ways That Recovered Wastewater Heat Can Be Used
Recovered heat from wastewater can potentially support several facility needs. It can be used to preheat incoming water, reduce boiler demand, support internal hot water, supplement space heating, or assist with heating other building processes
These opportunities are especially valuable in facilities with consistent water use and steady heating demand. For example, a manufacturing facility might use warm process water throughout production to rinse and clean components before they are put together. A commercial laundry operation has lots of need for warm water when washing and cleaning uniforms or other articles of clothing. Or, a wastewater treatment plant may have ongoing hot water flows tied to treatment and pumping systems.
Not every opportunity will look the same, but the goal of thermal energy recovery is consistent.
What Types Of Facilities May Benefit From Wastewater Heat Recovery?
Facilities with regular water use, heated water demand, or warm process discharge may benefit from evaluating wastewater heat recovery. This can include food production facilities, manufacturing operations, commercial laundries, hospitals, campuses, municipal systems, and wastewater treatment plants.
The strongest opportunities often exist where water flow is steady, wastewater carries usable heat, and the facility has another place where that heat can be put to work. In those cases, recovering heat from wastewater processes may help improve efficiency and lower overall utility demand.
How To Know If Wastewater Heat Recovery Makes Sense
The best way to know whether your facility can recover heat from wastewater is to know how your water, energy, and facility systems are all working together at the moment. A Level 1 energy audit can help you get a baseline of their performance and see what improvements are worth pursuing. This assessment gives your team a clearer picture of current energy use, system performance, and possible areas of waste. From there, Quandel Energy Solutions can help determine whether wastewater heat recovery, utility reduction, electricity reduction, energy consulting, or another strategy should be explored in more detail.
Talk To Quandel About Wastewater Heat Recovery And Energy Reduction Opportunities
If your facility is trying to lower utility costs, the answer may already be moving through your building or process systems. Wastewater and process water can sometimes carry usable heat that is easy to overlook without a complete facility assessment.
Quandel Energy Solutions helps facilities identify energy cost reduction opportunities and determine which improvements can create the most practical value. Whether your facility needs a Level 1 energy audit, deeper energy consulting, or help implementing utility reduction strategies, our team can help you take the right next step.
Contact Quandel Energy Solutions to learn whether wastewater heat recovery or another energy reduction strategy could help your facility reduce energy costs and improve overall performance.
