Automotive News - August 11, 2008 - (Page 16i) INSIGHT AUGUST 11, 2008 • 16I WATER New processes save valuable resources continued from Page 16H for HVAC heat exchangers at Behr’s U.S. operations, says the company discovered it could locate plants in developing countries more easily because of the reduced water needs of the new process. “Behr was expanding all around the world, and we needed a very robust technology that we could place in all these locations, some of which are not as advanced as North America,” Wawzyniak says. The new process uses only about 13 tons of water, which can be condensed and recycled. That’s down 97 percent from former freshwater consumption levels. Behr Oxal also emits 93 percent less waterborne solid waste. That makes it suitable for locations without advanced pollution treatment capability or for places where good industrial water may be hard to find. placement for chemical degreasers. But the company had to pay waste haulers to take away thousands of gallons of oily, chemically fouled water for off-site treatment. So American Industrial developed its own processing system. It filters and heats the wastewater, condenses the vapor as purified water and returns it to the high-pressure cleaning line. The system has cut annual water loss to less than one ton from 100 tons and saves an estimated $5,000 per month, Lewis says. “There’s a logistical advantage to doing it in-house,” he says. “Water is heavy. It’s bulky. If you’re having to pay somebody else to take it away, with diesel at $5 a gallon, it’s going to be expensive.”c Water is pumped into a mixer bath at American Industrial Manufacturing Services. The company’s innovative water treatment system has eliminated the need for waste haulers to remove chemically fouled water for off-site treatment. Denso’s steam bath Bob Townsend, Denso’s environmental health and safety director for North America, based in suburban Detroit, says the company already has surpassed a 10-year goal of reducing water use by half, adjusted for production, by 2010. Den- Energy independence and cleaner air, by the bushel. With more than two million flex fuel systems already in service and a broad range of other proven alternative powertrain technology solutions, Continental helps make alternative fuels from a variety of sources a practical reality. For example, our modular flex fuel system provides long, trouble-free service, because it withstands the corrosive effects of E85 and biodiesel blends while handling ethanol’s higher flow rates. There are also innovative Continental hybrid vehicle technologies to help you achieve your green goals. Make sure Continental is on your team. Together, we can help America achieve energy independence and cleaner air. Continental Automotive Systems and Siemens VDO have now joined forces to create one, great Continental team. Call 248-393-5300 today. American Industrial’s processing system has cut annual water loss to less than one ton from 100 tons and saves an estimated $5,000 per month. so’s North American operations had cut use, adjusted for production, 58 percent by the end of the fiscal year that closed March 31, 2007. In Southern California, Denso’s remanufacturing operations have created a water-thrifty process to degrease and clean incoming parts. “I don’t know if you’ve ever had the joy of replacing a starter motor in your car. We wash all of those with water,” says Jim Lewis, executive vice president of American Industrial Manufacturing Services Inc. in Murrieta, Calif. Initially, the Denso unit had adopted an off-the-shelf high-pressure water-blasting system as a re- The weight of water Here are some of the points manufacturers have to keep in mind as they watch water use. Water itself isn’t expensive, but it costs a lot to use. Closed-loop systems get more use out of less water. Waterborne chemicals are getting milder, more recyclable. Plants that minimize water use are easier to build in low-cost, low-tech countries. www.continental-corporation.com ©2008 Continental http://www.continental-corporation.com http://www.continental-corporation.com
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