NEWS RELEASE                                                                                                    MARCH 2015

U.S. Industrial Plants Spend $18 Billion/Yr. for Liquid/Water Flow Control and Treatment

Industry in the U.S. is expanding due to the rising economy.  The heavy industrial sector is showing high growth due to the low cost of energy. Annual purchases of liquid (including water and process fluids) flow control and treatment products and services will exceed $18 billion/yr. 

Activities at more than 20,000 plants are tracked by McIlvaine in Industrial Water: Plants and Projects. These plants are segmented into 100 industry categories. A few industries discharge more than 2,000 million gallons /day of wastewater.  

                                      Wastewater Discharge and Cooling Flow In MGD

(ranked by wastewater discharge   quantity)

Sic # Industry Wastewater Cooling Total
3312 Steel 9,200 7,400 16,600
2911 Refining 8,100 7,800 15,900
3253 Aluminum,   sheet, plate and foil 7,200 4 7,204
1021 Copper   ores 3,500 9 3,509
2611 Pulp   mills 2,330 5,100 7,430
2621 Paper   mills 1,800 11,000 12,800
2673 Nitrogenous   fertilizers 1,680 800 2,480

The intake water quantity is slightly larger than the water discharged.  The largest investment in flow and treatment is due to the recirculation of liquids for process and cooling purposes. This can amount to more than 5,000 MGD in a number of industries.

There are more than 1,000 large industrial boilers with substantial treatment systems to purify the water needed for steam generation.  Most of these have closed loops with condensate return.  A number of smaller industrial boilers also utilize water for steam production but recirculate less water and, therefore, need less purification to avoid concentrating contaminants.

Plant expansions requiring liquid flow and treatment equipment are chronicled with continuing updates. 

For more information on Industrial Water: Plants and Projects, click on:

http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/databases/27-water/883-n033