Water management is vital for any foundry and this can be carried out by concentrating on two factors. They are efficiencies in the volume of water consumed and proper utilization of the heat present in water.
Balance in Water Usage and its Utilization:It is good to install water meters at sufficient places to measure the flow rate of water. If a foundry does not have water meter say for instance in case of small foundries which usually does not have water meter the best way to measure flow rate of water is to use estimates.
To state a simple way in this aspect is to use a stopwatch and measure the time it takes with water pressure in a five-gallon bucket. Measuring as above using estimates would help in coming out with exact numerical figures taken in actual. It is also essential to make note of temperature of water.
It is also essential to focus study in the direction of whether any wastage of water is there and if so is it possible to make efficient re-use of the same. If reusing is possible report should direct in detail about in what area it could be reused.
Also proper information of whether heat transfer from water is possible should also be projected. Measures must be taken to set the process for water conservation and for launching successfully with numerical figures and reports being available for the same. Then with the available reports one can easily convince the management for installation in water meter at needed places.This is very essential because a foundry has lot of pipes and joints and leakage at these pipes and joints in more than one place at the same time would add more wastage and add to additional wastage costs like electricity cost for operating the equipments associated with this.
While comparing energy cost with water cost, the former is always higher. However water cost can be accurately measured and projected and so proper steps for managing and conserving water should be taken by all in a foundry for efficient system management. Water management has several areas associated with it in a foundry. They are cooling water, portable water, domestic hot water, boiler feed water. All these areas in a foundry have to be concentrated for efficient water management.
In the process of cooling water steps are taken to cool the water which can the be re circulated in quenchers, air compressors and so on for usage in mould sand reclamation, induction furnace, or electric arc furnace cooling. While cooling of water proper care must be taken not to do under cooling or over cooling. This is because doing under cooling or over cooling results in repair of air compressor and thus adding costs. There are various ways in which heat could be extracted from water and used. One way for doing this is to use to use closed-loop chillers of mechanical water. It is essential to have good insulation mechanism in pipes and tanks having water to prevent heating loss.