System for recovering and managing water resources

Abstract

A system is described, for recovering and managing water resources in dairy production plants, comprising means for recovering drinking water and means for recovering water from condensate.

Description

[0001] SYSTEM FOR RECOVERING AND MANAGING WATER RESOURCES

[0002] The present invention relates to a system for the recovery and management of water resources , in particular for production plants with signi ficant use of process water such as , for example , dairy product production plants .

[0003] Currently, there are production plants in operation that require signi ficant use of process water .

[0004] For example , one of such cases i s represented by dairy product manufacturing plants .

[0005] Indeed, in dairy production plants , the use of large quantities of process water is a fundamental component of the production cycle . Traditionally, the water needs of these plants are met primarily through wells that tap into underground aqui fers . This approach, although well-established, has a signi ficant environmental impact in terms of the exploitation of natural water resources .

[0006] The high water consumption in these industrial settings poses several challenges . First , excessive withdrawal from groundwater can lead to the depletion of natural water reserves over time, with potential repercussions on the local ecosystem. Furthermore, water supplies from wells are subject to seasonal variations and may be insufficient during periods of drought, jeopardizing production continuity. Another critical aspect concerns the management of wastewater generated by the production process, which requires purification treatments before discharge, resulting in significant operational and environmental costs.

[0007] Furthermore, the discontinuity between water consumption peaks, linked to specific steps of the production process such as industrial washing, and the constant availability of water from wells represents a further inefficiency of the traditional system. This asynchrony limits the possibilities for optimizing water use and can lead to waste during periods of lower demand.

[0008] The Applicant therefore understood that it was necessary to propose a water resource recovery and management system that overcomes one or more of these problems.

[0009] Documents US-A1-2011 / 308618, US-A1-2003 / 168182 and CN-A-115 517 294 disclose systems according to the prior art .

[0010] Obj ect of the present invention is therefore providing a water resource recovery and management system that allows for a signi ficant reduction in water withdrawal from aqui fers , optimi zing the use of water resources within the production plant and reducing the environmental impact .

[0011] Another obj ect of the present invention is providing a water resource recovery and management system that allows for the recovery of rainwater, thereby making use of an otherwise untapped natural resource , further increasing the overall water ef ficiency of the system .

[0012] Another obj ect of the present invention i s providing a water resource recovery and management system that allows for optimal management of recovered water flows , compensating for variations in water supply and demand during the production process .

[0013] Another obj ect of the present invention is providing a water resource recovery and management system that allows for the best use of puri fied wastewater, trans forming it into a valuable resource for the plant .

[0014] Another obj ect of the present invention is providing a water resource recovery and management system that allows for the ef fective management of peaks in demand and supply o f drinking water, ensuring a constant supply to the production process .

[0015] Another obj ect of the present invention is providing a water resource recovery and management system that allows the recovery and reuse of water resulting from the milk evaporation process , further reducing the need for process water .

[0016] Another obj ect of the present invention i s providing a water resource recovery and management system that allows for the ef ficient management of collected rainwater, ensuring the hydraulic invariance of the soil and providing an additional water reserve for the establishment .

[0017] Another obj ect of the present invention i s providing a water resource recovery and management system that allows for the automated management of the entire water resource recovery and management process , maximi zing and optimi zing its ef ficiency and reducing process water waste .

[0018] The above and other obj ects and advantages o f the invention, as will result from the following description, are achieved with a water resources recovery and management system such as described in claim 1 . Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variants of the present invention form the subj ect matter of the dependent claims .

[0019] It is understood that all attached claims form an integral part of this speci fication .

[0020] It will be immediately obvious that countless variations and modi fications can be made to what is described ( for example relating to shape , dimensions , arrangements and parts with equivalent functionality) without departing from the scope of the invention as appears from the appended claims .

[0021] The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments , provided by way o f example and not by way of limitation .

[0022] This description therefore re fers to a water resource recovery and management system, in particular for dairy production plants with signi ficant use of process water .

[0023] The system according to the present invention comprises means for recovering drinking water, means for recovering water from condensate and possibly means for recovering rainwater .

[0024] The drinking water recovery systems can be positioned downstream of a puri fication plant . The system according to the present invention also includes means for accumulating and redistributing the recovered water .

[0025] In some embodiments , the storage and redistribution means include storage tanks for drinking water, serbatoi for condensate water and retention tanks for rainwater .

[0026] The system may further comprise process ing and control means for the automatic management of the various components of the system according to the present invention, and in particular for providing automatic management of the operation of said means for recovering drinking water and / or means for recovering water from condensate and / or means for recovering rainwater and / or means for accumulation and redistribution .

[0027] This integrated approach to water resource recovery and management can signi ficantly reduce groundwater withdrawals . In some implementations , the system can optimi ze water use within the production facility, compensating for fluctuations in supply and demand during the production process .

[0028] In some cases , adopting this system can reduce the plant environmental impact by reducing the use of natural water resources and reusing water that would otherwise be discharged . Rainwater harvesting can also help ensure soil hydraulic stability in the event of expansion of the production facility .

[0029] As mentioned, the water resource recovery and management system according to the present invention refers in particular to production plants with signi ficant use of process water, such as dairy production plants , with the aim of reducing or eliminating the need to withdraw water from aqui fers through wells , implementing instead an integrated system for the recovery, recirculation and distribution of water within the plant .

[0030] The system therefore aims to meet the plant water needs using various sources of recovered water, such as : potable water produced by a water puri f ication plant ( drinking water plant ) ; condensate water resulting from the milk evaporation process rainwater .

[0031] These recovered water flows are integrated into a single management and distribution system, with the aim of maximi zing reuse and minimi zing waste . The system according to this invention therefore takes into account the di f ferent water needs of the production process , such as industrial washing, technical water for various uses , and sanitary water for civil use .

[0032] A key aspect of the system is managing the imbalance between the constant production of recovered water and the facility intermittent needs . Thi s is addressed through the implementation of appropriate storage and redistribution systems , which allow for balancing production and consumption .

[0033] The system is therefore designed to adapt to variations in production and to integrate di f ferent sources of recovered water, of fering a flexible and scalable solution for the sustainable management of water resources in production facilities .

[0034] The water resource recovery and management system according to the present invention includes means for recovering drinking water, placed, for example , downstream of at least one water puri fication plant . These water puri fication plants may include a puri fication process consisting of a series of treatment stages . In some aspects , the puri fication process includes pre- f iltration stages and an ultrafiltration stage . The puri fication process may also include a reverse osmosis stage in the puri fication process . In some cases , the puri fication process also includes a final reminerali zation stage of the treated water .

[0035] The system according to the present invention also includes means for recovering water from condensate . These means may include at least one system for treating the condensate obtained from the milk evaporation process . The condensate may be obtained through one or more spray towers and treated by a reverse osmosis process to allow its reuse as potable water for industrial use . Reverse osmosis can reduce COD ( Chemical Oxygen Demand) of the condensate entering the membranes .

[0036] In some designs , the reverse osmosis-treated water is then passed through a UV treatment system . This UV treatment can provide further water puri fication .

[0037] One or more storage tanks for treated water may be provided . In some cases , these tanks are made of fiberglass . The water stored in these tanks can be collected for distribution to factory services and production line washing systems .

[0038] The amount of condensate produced daily can be proportional to the milk powder production . This allows condensate water recovery to be adapted to the plant actual production needs .

[0039] The system according to the present invention may also include means for recovering rainwater, to ensure the hydraulic invariance of the soil .

[0040] In some cases , the system according to the present invention provides for the reuse of collected rainwater to reduce the facility overall water requirement . To this end, the rainwater can be treated in dedicated puri fication systems to produce technical water, such as softened water or process water . These puri fication systems may include filters , membranes , or other devices to remove impurities and make the rainwater suitable for industrial use .

[0041] Integrating rainwater recovery systems with other systems in the present invention can increase overall water reuse capacity, even in the face of increased production . Recovered and treated rainwater can be used to of fset process losses or to supplement water supplies during periods of increased demand .

[0042] The system according to the present invention may also include various means for storing and redistributing water from the drinking water recovery system, and / or from condensate water recovery system, and / or from rainwater recovery system . For example , such storage and redistribution means include one or more buf fer tanks for storing and redistributing the drinking water from the drinking water recovery system . These buf fer tanks allow for managing the mismatch between the constant production of drinking water and the plant intermittent demand, characteri zed by peaks in consumption during certain steps of the production process .

[0043] For example , such storage and redistribution facilities include one or more tanks for storing and redistributing condensate water from condensate water recovery facilities . The spray towers mentioned above can be used in the milk powder production process and allow the condensate water resulting from milk evaporation to be recovered and reused .

[0044] For example , such storage and redistribution systems include one or more retention tanks for the storage and redistribution of rainwater from rainwater harvesting systems . These retention tanks can be si zed to ensure soil hydraulic stability in the event of facility expansion and allow for rainwater collection and reuse , contributing to the reduction of overall water demand .

[0045] The various storage and redistribution methods can be integrated into an automated management system that synchroni zes the availability, production, and consumption of recovered water, optimi zing the use of water resources within the facility .

[0046] The system according to the present invention may also comprise processing and control means for the automatic management of the integrated operation of the various water recovery and distribution components , and in particular for the automatic management of the operation of the means for recovering drinking water and / or the means for recovering water from condensate and / or the means for recovering rainwater and / or the means for accumulation and redistribution .

[0047] These process ing and control tool s may include advanced management systems that can provide intelligent synchroni zation between the availability, production, and consumption of recovered water resources .

[0048] The processing and control systems can monitor in real time the water levels in the various storage tanks , the incoming and outgoing flow rates from the various recovery systems, and the instantaneous consumption of the plant users. Based on this data, the system can automatically adjust the operation of the recovery systems and the distribution of water to the various users, optimizing the use of available water resources.

[0049] In some cases, processing and control systems can implement predictive algorithms to anticipate consumption peaks and manage water storage and distribution accordingly. The system can also dynamically adapt to production fluctuations, increasing or decreasing water recovery and recirculation based on the facility actual needs.

[0050] Processing and control systems can also prioritize the use of different sources of recovered water (potable, condensate, rainwater) based on their availability and the specific needs of production processes. This can maximize water reuse and minimize withdrawal from external sources such as wells.

[0051] The system according to the present invention therefore integrates and synchronizes the various flows of recovered water to optimize the plant's overall water efficiency. In some aspects, an advanced management system coordinates the availability, production, and consumption of recovered water from the various systems. This system can monitor in real time the levels in the storage tanks, the production rates of the recovery systems, and the water demand of the production processes. Based on this data, the system can dynamically adjust the operation of the recovery systems and water distribution to maximize reuse and minimize waste.

[0052] In some cases, the system prioritizes the use of reclaimed water over well water, drawing from the latter only when necessary to supplement the supply. The system can also predict peak demand based on production and washing schedules, preemptively storing reclaimed water in buffer tanks. During periods of low demand, excess water can be stored for future use.

[0053] In some configurations, the system can balance use between different reclaimed water sources. For example, it can alternate between drinking water and condensate water, based on availability and specific process needs. This flexible approach allows for optimal use of all reclaimed water resources, adapting to fluctuations in production and consumption. The system according to the present invention could also integrate rainwater collected in retention basins , treating and distributing it when available to further reduce dependence on groundwater . In some aspects , the system according to the present invention could provide for the use of rainwater for speci fic purposes , such as the production of technical water or cooling, thus optimi zing the allocation of water resources based on their quality and availability .

[0054] The water resource recovery and management system described can therefore signi f icantly reduce water withdrawal from wells . By reusing water recovered from various production processes and treating rainwater, the plant can meet a large portion of its water needs without having to draw from underground aqui fers . This circular approach to water use allows for the preservation of natural water resources and the reduction of the environmental impact of production .

[0055] The combination of di f ferent recovery systems— puri fied water puri fication, condensate treatment , and rainwater harvesting— maximi zes the amount of reusable water within the facility .

[0056] Due to this integrated system, the plant can aim to eliminate well withdrawals , even in the face of increased production . Indeed, as production capacity increases , the flow of recoverable water from the various processes increases proportionally . The automated management system also optimi zes the use o f available water resources by synchroni zing production, storage , and consumption of recovered water .

[0057] In addition to water savings , the system brings benefits to the plant overall environmental sustainability . Reducing groundwater withdrawals contributes to the conservation of local water resources . Reusing rainwater allows for sustainable management of surface runof f , reducing hydrogeological risks . The circular approach to water use translates into a smaller water footprint for the entire production process .

[0058] The water resource recovery and management system can be modi fied and adapted in various ways , while remaining within the scope of the invention . For example , the means for recovering drinking water may include various filtration and treatment technologies , such as ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, or chemical treatments , depending on the speci fic needs of the facility . Condensate water recovery systems can be integrated with additional cooling systems to optimi ze process ef ficiency . In some cases , additional treatments such as UV disinfection or ozonation can be added .

[0059] For rainwater harvesting, retention tanks can be equipped with pre- f iltration systems to remove any debris . In some implementations , the collected rainwater can be used directly for non-potable purposes , such as irrigation or industrial cooling .

[0060] Storage and redistribution systems can include tanks of various capacities and materials , such as stainless steel or composites , depending on the volumes to be handled and local regulations . In some cases , real-time water quality monitoring systems can be implemented in the tanks .

[0061] The processing and control systems can incorporate arti ficial intelligence algorithms to optimi ze water flow management based on historical consumption and production data . In some configurations , the system can be integrated with the municipal water network to manage peak demand or emergency situations .

[0062] The system can be scaled to accommodate facilities of various si zes , from small artisanal production facilities to large industrial plants. In some cases, additional modules can be implemented for heat recovery or wastewater treatment specific to the production process.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . Water resource recovery and management system in dairy production plants , comprising means for recovering drinking water and means for recovering water from condensate , wherein said means for recovering drinking water are placed downstream of at least one water puri fication plant , and wherein said means for recovering water from condensate comprise at least one system for treating condensate obtained by a milk evaporation process .2 . System according to the preceding claim, characteri zed in that it includes means for recovering rainwater .3 . System according to claim 2 , characteri zed in that it comprises means for accumulating and redistributing water coming from said means for recovering drinking water, and / or said means for recovering water from condensate and / or said means for recovering rainwater .4 . System according to claim 3 , characteri zed in that said accumulation and redistribution means comprise one or more storage tanks for the accumulation and redistribution of drinking watercoming from said drinking water recovery means .5 . System according to claim 3 , characteri zed in that said accumulation and redistribution means comprise one or more tanks for the accumulation and redistribution of condensate water coming from said means for recovering water from condensate .6 . System according to claim 3 , characteri zed in that said accumulation and redistribution means comprise one or more lamination tanks provided for the accumulation and redistribution of rainwater coming from said means for recovering rainwater .7 . System according to any of the preceding claims , characteri zed in that it comprises processing and control means for the automatic management of the operation o f said means for recovering drinking water and / or means for recovering water from condensate and / or means for recovering rainwater and / or means for accumulation and redistribution .