CEST2025

Water scarcity poses a significant challenge to industrial sustainability, particularly in water-intensive sectors like the chemical industry, which accounts for approximately 22% of global freshwater consumption. This study investigates the potential of Water Pinch Analysis (WPA) to optimize water use and promote circularity in a chemical production facility in Türkiye, The methodology involved a detailed assessment of the facility’s water consumption and wastewater generation across four key processes. Water quality parameters (COD, pH, conductivity) and flow rates were analyzed to identify source-sink mapping opportunities using WPA. The facility’s water demand totaled 9.6 m³/day, with wastewater COD levels ranging from 280 to 1030 mg/L, significantly exceeding the inlet quality requirements. Consequently, WPA results indicated a 0% recovery rate, with all demands met by freshwater, due to high contaminant levels and stringent process requirements. The findings highlight the limitations of direct WPA application in chemical plants with high water quality constraints. However, integrating advanced treatment technologies such as reverse osmosis (RO) and membrane bioreactors (MBR) could enable water recovery by reducing COD and conductivity to acceptable levels. The study also proposes on-site treatment of demineralization and cooling tower effluents (2800 m³/day) for reuse, potentially saving over 1 million m³ of water annually. These strategies not only reduce freshwater dependency but also lower operational costs and environmental impact, supporting circular water management. This research provides a practical framework for chemical facilities to enhance water efficiency, offering insights into the integration of WPA with advanced treatment solutions for sustainable industrial water management.