From Challenge To Opportunity: Technological Innovation And Restructuring Of Water Treatment Industry

From Challenge to Opportunity: Technological Innovation and Restructuring of Water Treatment Industry

Introduction

With the rapid development of urbanization, the problems of water resource shortage and water pollution have become increasingly prominent, while the traditional municipal and industrial water treatment methods seem to have been unable to meet the current demand. The field of municipal water and industrial water treatment in China is facing considerable pressure. How to improve productivity under limited resources and achieve a dual balance between environmental protection and resource utilization? Has the traditional thinking and technology of the water treatment industry become a shackle to the development of the industry? At the same time, technologies such as smart water, digital twins and resource recovery are in the ascendant, and many cities and enterprises place high hopes on them. However, this path is not smooth: high investment, hard to assess actual results, and even differences in technological fitness have made many enterprises hesitate in front of the wave of "innovation".

In this reform of water treatment industry, which technologies and strategies can really be implemented? What path can meet the actual needs of China's water industry? The water industry international carnival and the industry annual grand ceremony on December 5-6 will bring three major issues of water environment protection and sustainable development, new quality productivity municipal water treatment innovation technology and annual progress of industrial water treatment technology, analyze the industry dilemma and technical opportunities from a new perspective, and provide concrete solutions and value guidance for the future of the water treatment industry.

　 1、 Productivity revolution of municipal water treatment: from technology driven to systematic upgrading

In the municipal water treatment industry, "improving quality and efficiency" is the core task at present and in the future. As an important part of urban infrastructure, municipal water treatment should not only meet the growing demand for sewage treatment, but also shoulder the responsibility of resource recovery and energy conservation, further promoting the balance between ecological benefits and economic benefits. From the perspective of high-efficient water treatment, resource recovery and energy substitution, the following in-depth analysis is made on how the municipal water treatment system can promote productivity and lay a foundation for the long-term development of China's water industry.

1. Strategic value of high-efficiency water treatment technology

China's municipal water treatment industry has long been challenged by large scale, high energy consumption and limited treatment effect. The main goal of traditional water treatment mode is "up to standard discharge". In recent years, technological breakthroughs have made it possible to improve treatment efficiency, and also brought higher productivity to the industry.

Taking membrane bioreactor (MBR) as an example, this technology has been widely promoted and applied in China, especially in sewage treatment in large cities, which shows better removal effect and water quality stability. It is estimated that by 2027, the market size is expected to exceed 30 billion yuan, with a compound annual growth rate of about 14.5%. Membrane technology can not only improve the treatment capacity in limited space, but also reduce the generation of sludge to a certain extent, contributing to the improvement of the overall operating efficiency of the water plant. At the same time, the intelligent control system based on data drive is gradually applied in water treatment facilities. The system can control all links in the water quality treatment process in real time, optimize the operation energy efficiency, and enable the water plant to achieve efficient and stable treatment effect under low energy consumption. This intelligent control mode not only improves the refined management of water treatment in the technical level, but also promotes the digital and automatic transformation of the water industry from the strategic level.

2. Market application of resource recovery technology

In China's municipal water treatment industry, the application of resource recovery is still in the initial exploration stage, but its prospects are broad. Urban sewage contains rich nitrogen, phosphorus and other recyclable substances. The recovery of these resources not only brings new value-added opportunities for water treatment plants, but also provides sustainable resource support for agriculture, industry and other fields.

In recent years, anaerobic sludge digestion technology has been widely used in some parts of China. Through anaerobic fermentation, sludge can be converted into biogas to supply energy for water plants, and even enter the urban energy supply system. At the same time, the application of phosphate recovery technology in some sewage treatment plants in China has also begun to achieve initial results. Through specific chemical and biological processes, phosphorus in sewage can be extracted for agricultural fertilizer production. The application of these technologies not only provides a value-added way for municipal sewage treatment, but also alleviates the problem of resource shortage to a certain extent, thus improving the strategic position of municipal water treatment.

3. Application prospect of alternative energy technologies in China's municipal water treatment

With the proposal of the "double carbon" goal, China's municipal water treatment industry has accelerated the application of alternative energy technologies to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. As one of the more representative energy alternative technologies, anaerobic sludge digestion has been implemented as a pilot project in many provinces and cities in China. Through anaerobic digestion, the organic matter in the sludge is decomposed and the generated biogas is used for energy supply, realizing the "waste to treasure" of sludge treatment and improving the energy self-sufficiency rate of the water plant.

In addition to anaerobic digestion, sewage heat recovery technology has been gradually promoted in China in recent years. By installing a heat exchange system in the sewage pipe network, the heat in the sewage can be used for heating and domestic hot water supply, especially for winter heating in northern areas. This technology not only reduces energy consumption, but also opens up new application scenarios for sewage treatment, further improving the energy efficiency of water plants. With the further maturity of alternative energy technologies, China's municipal water treatment industry is expected to gradually build an integrated operation mode of "water treatment energy cycle", which will promote the industry to move towards low-carbon and efficient development.

4. Future of new quality productivity: municipal water treatment system driven by innovation

The future of municipal water treatment is to achieve a more efficient, intelligent and sustainable productivity model. In the process of improving new quality productivity, China's municipal water industry needs systematic innovation in technology and management to achieve the comprehensive goal of resource recycling, energy self-sufficiency and efficiency improvement. The key lies in how to combine high-efficient treatment technology, resource recovery and alternative energy technology to form a comprehensive treatment system with advanced technology and controllable cost.

From the strategic perspective, to promote the new quality productivity of municipal water treatment, it is necessary to overcome the cost barriers and large-scale promotion challenges in technology application. For example, although membrane bioreactor technology has significant advantages in sewage treatment efficiency, it usually undertakes long-term and high load operation tasks, and long-term operation and maintenance costs are still obstacles to large-scale promotion and use. The key to the next step is to reduce the cost of such efficient treatment technology and make it more popularized nationwide through localization and scale effect.

Through the integration of high-efficiency technology, resource recovery and alternative energy, China's municipal water treatment industry will gradually realize new quality productivity in the future. This not only improves the operation and environmental benefits of the industry, but also provides a solid foundation for promoting the construction of ecological civilization and the sustainable development of the city.

　　 2、 Innovation breakthrough of industrial water treatment: breaking the technical bottleneck of highly difficult wastewater

In the field of industrial water treatment in China, complex water quality, difficult treatment, high energy consumption and other issues have long restricted the development of the industry. With the continuous improvement of environmental protection requirements, how to achieve efficient treatment and resource utilization through technological innovation has become the key to promote the development of the industry. Innovative technologies in the field of industrial water treatment not only help solve difficult wastewater treatment problems, but also provide support for enterprises to reduce costs and increase efficiency and realize green transformation. With the continuous progress of technology, a series of new methods are helping enterprises deal with these "difficulties" more efficiently, while reducing costs and improving resource utilization. From special wastewater treatment technology to intelligent monitoring management, the breakthrough road of industrial water treatment is becoming clearer.

1. Solution to "difficult and complicated problems": progress in efficient wastewater treatment technology

Industrial wastewater usually contains high concentrations of pollutants and refractory organics, such as phenol compounds in the petrochemical industry, antibiotic fermentation residue in the pharmaceutical industry, etc. The treatment of such wastewater has long been a problem for the industry. In this context, China has gradually introduced a variety of technologies such as special efficient biodegradation technology, physical and chemical treatment methods to meet the needs of special industrial wastewater treatment.

For example, ANAMMOX technology shows high application potential in treating high ammonia nitrogen wastewater. This technology decomposes ammonia nitrogen under anaerobic conditions through specific bacteria, which not only reduces external energy consumption, but also generates harmless gas, which is more environmentally friendly and economical than traditional chemical treatment. This technology has been put into use in many domestic petrochemical and pharmaceutical enterprises, and the application effect is remarkable. In addition, the high concentration pollution of phenol, which is common in chemical wastewater, has also been gradually solved by special biodegradation technologies in recent years, such as special microorganisms with strong tolerance and new biofilm reactors, which achieve efficient decomposition through biotechnology to meet the safety discharge standards.

2. Intelligent system: real-time monitoring and adaptive management

With the increasing complexity of industrial wastewater treatment process, real-time monitoring and dynamic adjustment of treatment process become the key to improve the treatment efficiency of enterprises. In recent years, the intelligent monitoring system based on artificial intelligence has received extensive attention in the field of industrial wastewater treatment. Through the combination of Internet of Things and sensor technology, real-time monitoring of wastewater treatment process has been achieved.

For example, the dynamic detection of microbial community during wastewater treatment can reflect the change trend of water quality, thus helping enterprises regulate the treatment process. In view of the change of microbial activity in the biochemical treatment process, the intelligent system can timely adjust the dosage and treatment temperature through data analysis, so that the wastewater treatment effect can reach a better level. The promotion of this technology can not only reduce the processing cost and improve the processing efficiency, but also realize the automation of the processing process and reduce the dependence on manpower. At present, some heavy pollution industries, such as metallurgy and pharmaceutical industry, have applied AI based intelligent control systems to make wastewater treatment more efficient and environmentally friendly, and accumulated valuable practical experience.

3. Sewage "special forces": new ideas for treatment of high salt wastewater

High salinity wastewater is another challenge in industrial water treatment. Especially in petrochemical, pharmaceutical and other industries, the salt content in wastewater is high, and traditional biological treatment methods are often difficult to work. For this reason, some enterprises have introduced low consumption electrochemical desalination technology, and gradually found a breakthrough in the treatment of high salt wastewater. For example, a chemical enterprise uses chemical desalting and ultra micro bubble technology to separate high concentration salts in wastewater, and accelerate pollutant degradation through the efficient decomposition of ultra micro bubbles. This treatment process can not only effectively remove salt, but also significantly reduce energy consumption. Compared with the traditional evaporation method, the treatment cost is reduced by more than 40%.

In addition, the introduction of ultra micro bubble technology makes wastewater treatment no longer rely on a large amount of energy, reducing the operating costs of enterprises. The innovation of this new technology in the treatment of high salt wastewater has made more enterprises see the hope of solving problems, and has explored a more cost-effective path for industrial wastewater treatment.

4. New trend of water purification: systematic development from intelligence to regional agglomeration

The current water purification technology is moving towards intelligent, regional agglomeration and systematic development, improving the convenience and efficiency of household water purification. In terms of intelligence, many water purification equipment are equipped with real-time monitoring systems, which can automatically detect the water quality and adjust the filtering intensity as needed to ensure stable water quality, reduce the frequency of maintenance and filter element replacement, and improve the user experience. In terms of regional agglomeration, the industrial park represented by Zhejiang has gathered many types of enterprises such as water purifiers, filter elements, membrane materials, etc., forming an integrated supply chain, which not only reduces production costs, but also accelerates the iteration of new products. Regional agglomeration further promotes technology collaboration and resource sharing. Especially in Zhejiang, Guangdong and other places, water treatment equipment manufacturers and technology suppliers are concentrated. By sharing resources and reducing transportation costs, regional agglomeration is helping enterprises significantly improve cost-effectiveness. Systematic development is reflected in the whole house water purification scheme, which integrates various purification technologies to provide multi-dimensional water quality guarantee for drinking, bathing, cleaning and other water use scenarios. These trends not only optimize the domestic water use experience, but also help energy conservation and environmental protection, making water purification technology truly integrated into modern life.

The promotion and application of these cutting-edge technologies will not only meet the dual needs of enterprises for wastewater treatment efficiency and cost, but also promote industry standardization and technical level. Facing the increasingly complex situation of industrial wastewater discharge, how to control costs and improve resource utilization based on technological innovation will become the competitive advantage of leading enterprises in the industry.

　　 3、 Water environment protection and sustainable development

With the acceleration of China's urbanization process, the construction of the municipal water system has basically entered the stock stage. How to improve efficiency, reduce pollution and achieve sustainable utilization of water resources in the existing system has become a key issue in the field of municipal water affairs and water environment protection. The rapid development of smart water technology and the application of digital twins and other cutting-edge technologies have brought unprecedented opportunities for the improvement of quality and efficiency of water systems, sewage recycling, rainwater and flood management and other fields. The following is an analysis of the sustainable path of China's water industry in water environment protection from three aspects: smart water and resilient urban construction.

1. Wastewater recycling and optimization of water circulation system

With the increasing shortage of water resources in China, wastewater recycling has become an important means to achieve sustainable water resources management. After in-depth treatment, urban sewage can be used in industrial production, landscape irrigation, greening and other scenarios, which can not only effectively alleviate the pressure on water resources, but also provide a new business model and economic benefits for sewage treatment plants.

In recent years, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and other cities have gradually promoted sewage recycling and established a number of sewage recycling water plants to provide renewable water support for industrial parks, ecological wetlands and other areas. In this process, the improvement of advanced treatment technology has played a key role. Through reverse osmosis membrane treatment, activated carbon filtration and other means, the trace pollutants in the sewage are further removed to ensure the safety and applicability of the reclaimed water. In addition, the reclaimed water can also be transported to various demand points through the urban pipe network to form a complete urban water circulation system. With the gradual improvement of policies and the continuous maturity of technology, sewage recycling will become an important part of urban water resources management in China, and a key link in building a water-saving society.

2. Application of smart water and digital twin technology

Relying on the Internet of Things, big data, artificial intelligence and other technologies, smart water can realize the whole process monitoring and management of the water system, and improve the overall operating efficiency of the system. On the basis of intelligent water affairs, digital twin technology further breaks through the traditional water affairs management mode, and realizes the predictive management and optimal control of the system by building a virtual model synchronized with the real water affairs system.

In China, several cities have begun to pilot the application of digital twin technology. Combined with real-time monitoring and simulation analysis, the water system can predict the pipeline pressure, pipeline damage and other hidden dangers in advance, so as to prevent problems before they happen. For example, in cities with severely aged pipe networks, the smart water system can grasp the operation status of pipe networks in real time through big data analysis, arrange maintenance plans in advance, and prevent economic and environmental losses caused by sudden leakage. In addition, the digital twin technology also provides reliable support for water quality monitoring, flow prediction and other links, enabling water managers to adjust treatment parameters during system operation to ensure water quality stability. Through the application of smart water and digital twin technology, China's municipal water industry is moving towards a new era of accurate and intelligent management.

3. Construction of sponge city and resilient city

Facing the challenges of climate change and increasing extreme weather, Chinese cities need to incorporate more efficient storm flood management strategies into their drainage systems to cope with frequent urban waterlogging. As one of the solutions, sponge city aims to manage urban rainwater through natural infiltration, retention and accumulation, reduce surface runoff and waterlogging risks, and thus realize the natural recycling of water resources.

In the pilot projects of several cities, the construction of sponge cities provides buffer space for rainwater by infiltrating pavement, sunken green space, ecological wetlands and other facilities, and detains part of rainwater that was directly discharged into rivers, so as to realize the "self-sufficiency" of urban water. This mode not only reduces the cost of storm flood management, but also realizes the rational allocation of water resources by collecting and purifying rainwater. At the same time, the concept of a resilient city enables the city to maintain a stable drainage capacity when extreme weather comes by strengthening the adaptability of the drainage system. In recent years, China's major cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai, have begun to adopt the design concept of resilient cities, combining the optimization of water systems with urban planning, and improving their ability to cope with extreme weather events.

Smart water, sewage recycling and the construction of resilient cities constitute the three core paths of China's water environment protection. With the in-depth promotion of smart water, the efficient management of water system and the recycling of water resources are gradually realized. The future water environment protection will gradually shift from the past pollution control to the mode of combining pollution prevention, resource management and system optimization, forming the whole process management from water source to water environment.

In this process, the smart water system not only improves the efficiency and accuracy of management, but also enhances the crisis response capability of the water industry. At the same time, the promotion of sewage recycling technology and sponge city construction will provide more diversified solutions for the sustainable development of China's water resources. Through systematic innovation and practice, China's water industry is gradually forming a sustainable path of water environment protection, improving the city's comprehensive anti risk ability, and laying a solid foundation for the construction of ecological civilization.

　　 epilogue

In the innovation and transformation of water treatment industry, what we may really need to ask is: what is the value of technology? Water treatment is not only to solve the problem of water, but also to explore how to turn limited resources into endless possibilities. This change reminds us that technology is not an end, but a means - a cornerstone for enterprises to seek long-term development, but also a bridge to serve human beings and the environment. Behind every technology landing and efficiency improvement is a response to the essence of business: how to find a more viable balance between responsibility and profit, resources and growth.

This is why the in-depth exchange of the industry is particularly important - in the joint discussion, find out the direction of innovation, learn development experience, and form new opportunities for cooperation. From December 5 to 6, 2024, the Water Industry International Carnival and the Industry Annual Grand Ceremony will be held in Shanghai Fuyue Hotel. This event will bring together many enterprises such as DuPont, Kangtai, IoSmiths, Bintel, Weile, Hyderner, Grundfos, Boyi, Qingdao Haier Strauss, Hangzhou Water Treatment Technology Research and Development Center, etc. Participants can not only understand new technologies and trends in depth, but also find more possibilities for cooperation and development through face-to-face exchanges.

On such an industry platform, the collision of ideas, the exchange of technologies and the discussion of cooperation will become an important force to promote the water treatment industry to a new height. We look forward to meeting with every fellow traveler who cares about the future of the industry at the grand event to jointly write a new chapter in the development of the industry.

Shanghai Horui Exhibition Service (Group) Co., Ltd. (referred to as Horui Group)

As a host organization with rich experience in planning and organizing professional brand exhibitions at home and abroad, Horui Group has been adhering to the spirit of craftsmanship, focusing on the B2B field and building an international environmental trade platform for more than ten years.

At present, Horui Group sponsors or participates in organizing more than 20 exhibitions and industry activities at home and abroad every year. The core business scope includes water purification, environmental protection water treatment, membrane and industrial water treatment, environmental protection comprehensive treatment, fluid machinery, environmental monitoring, indoor living environment, comfort system, low-carbon building and other industry related exhibitions based on the Chinese market, overseas cooperation exhibition projects and B2B e-commerce.