Filtration Facts

Twitter and Facebook Are New Tools For Farmers

The tools and equipment for a successful farming operation have always changed with the times. Fields once cultivated with a horse and plow are now handled by air-conditioned tractors in many areas. Hand written accounting systems are now processed by computers. Plans for the placement of irrigation systems were once scratched in the dirt or on paper, and now they may use GPS and field-mapping software for proper design. It should be no surprise to find that farmers have embraced the Internet for news and information gathering, as well as this relatively new tool called "social media."

CNN reports that a 2007 census by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows high-speed Internet access doubled on U.S. farms between 2005 and 2007, jumping from 13 percent to 27 percent. That is still less than the general U.S. population, but it's growing faster. According to government statistics, 55 percent of U.S. farms had Internet access in 2007 compared with 62 percent of homes in the U.S. overall. And social media activities are growing quickly in popularity as a communications and marketing tool. A recent American Farm Bureau Federation survey (pg.4) of farmers and ranchers ages 18-35 indicates that among the 92 percent who use computers, 46 percent regularly use social media.

Social Media Defined
Social media can be defined as "social interaction and communication through web-based techniques and media." It includes Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, blogs, and many others. While Facebook is the fastest growing website in terms of total visitors, having recently passed Yahoo at #3 overall (behind only Google and Microsoft), the mobile nature of today's farmer seems to have made Twitter their most preferred social media tool. Farmers, like the small group in California, use their smart phones to make Twitter entries throughout the day. They use Twitter to answer questions and break stereotypes of what life is really like on a farm, and the daily challenges of today's farmer.

Websites serving the agribusiness community like AgWired are utilizing social media tools to extend their reach and provide more timely information to its followers. The United States Department of Agriculture even has a separate section of its website dedicated to Social Media and Resources and a very active Twitter account (@USDAgov). Others are using social media to raise the level of awareness of farm issues to the general population. In 2009, Mike Haley, who raises crops and purebred Simmental cattle near West Salem, OH, demonstrated the power of Twitter for farmers. To raise awareness and support of America's dairy families, he asked everyone who uses Twitter to create "tweets" using the keyword #moo on a certain day (in Twitter lingo, the # sign preceding a phrase is known as a "hash tag"). Word of this request spread among farmers and Twitter users. For that particular day, the keyword #moo became one of the most popular terms on Twitter -- on a day when 15 million tweets were made. 

How Is It Used?
So besides debunking farm myths and raising awareness of farm issues, what is everyone Tweeting and Facebooking about? Some of it is just about farm life, and the daily challenges of that profession. Some of it is problem solving, and requesting input from others regarding how to handle certain situations. Such as those asked at the AgTalkForum, a moderated forum covering questions and answers on a variety of farm topics, claiming to have over 14,000 registered users. There are questions about using computers on the farm, including opinions from end users regarding which farm management software program might be the most appropriate. There is also a section on "Crop Talk" where visitors can share techniques about planting or fertilizing or irrigation equipment, like sand media tanks. Or ask questions like "If I have sand in my water well, how do I prevent it from damaging my submersible or turbine pumps that irrigate my crops?"

What about you? Do you see other ways social media and the Internet can improve life on the farm? Leave us your thoughts in the Comments area below.

Or why not jump a bit deeper into social media yourself! Just click on the icons on this page to follow LAKOS on Twitter, Facebook, or by subscribing to our RSS feed.

Social media is here, and it's time to get on board.

 

Water Conservation Still Not A High Priority In Some Areas

There is a long way to go in the efforts to make the best use of water -- one of our most precious resources. Education about how water is presently used is a key first step. Knowing exactly how much water is used for a given process and what the alternative methods might be is the focus of many water studies conducted over the past few years. But even with that knowledge, there are still conflicting interests in many cities, companies, and individuals.

Even in a water-conscious state like California, there are conflicting priorities. The CBS television show "60 Minutes" recently produced several segments about the drought in California and the nation's dwindling water supplies, pointing out the fact that Americans average using 150 gallons of water per day, compared to the 40 gallons of water per day used in the U.K. and 13 gallons per day used in some of the worlds poorest countries. Yet the message has not been completely received by some. And an unusually wet winter in California and across the U.S. seems to have slowed some of the focus on conservation, as hopes rise higher the drought will end soon.

Take the area of Southern California. A major metropolitan region built in a desert. But through water supplies obtained from outside the region, it is able to support a growing population with a high standard of living. Yet water conservation does not always appear to be the highest priority among its residents. Particularly in the city of Orange, California, where city laws require at least 40% of homeowner yards to be covered with some sort of growing vegetation. One particular family in Orange claims to have reduced their annual water usage from about 300,000 gallons in 2007 to less than 60,000 in 2009 through creative landscaping, yet are being sued by the city for the lack of live plants and ground cover in their yard. Water conservation does not appear to be as important as other factors in Orange.

In other parts of the world like Punjab, India, the costs to convert from traditional flood irrigation methods to more water-saving methods is a real challenge. Sprinkler irrigation has been growing approximately 25% a year since the 1980s. Thanks to government subsidies, drip irrigation is growing rapidly as well. Replacing flood irrigation with either sprinklers or drip has huge water conservation benefits for everyone. And making the most of every drop is something that deserves more of our attention.

Filtration -- when installed properly and with the right solution for a given situation -- can be an extremely effective way to conserve water. Whether it be:

 

• Reducing blowdown water used through cooling tower filtration, or 
• Using a high efficiency sand media filter to prevent clogged nozzles in drip irrigation emitters, or simply 
• Reducing water waste caught in barrier filters by using any type of centrifugal separator 

Effective filtration can stretch a drop or gallon of water further, and typically with reduced energy consumption as well.

How about large industrial companies, which use water for a variety of processes? A company which makes steel shelving units now uses high pressure nozzles and a LAKOS Separator to clean the finished product and remove cast iron particles. Similar to the way a system can be installed to keep a cooling tower basin clean, this system reduces wastewater and minimizes overall water usage.

Want to learn more? Download our Parts Washing Case Study.

Filtration Makes Traditional Energy Sources Like Coal More Efficient

The search for alternative sources of energy continues in earnest around the world, so that dependence on petroleum and other fossil fuels can be reduced. In the meantime, however, the abundance of coal and the ongoing development of “clean coal” technologies and other innovative processing techniques make coal a viable energy source for many years to come. Ensuring those processes are operating as efficiently and environmentally friendly as possible is a goal we can all embrace.

There are four main types of coal (anthracite, bituminous, subbituminous, and lignite) and it is mined around the world in slightly different ways. China is the world’s top coal producing country, followed by the U.S. and Australia. The world’s first "clean coal" power plant went online in Germany in 2008.

 But no matter which type or the location, there are 3 basic steps in the coal mining process: 

1. Mining, crushing, and separation/filtration
   
2. Transportation and storage
   
3. Processing and converting
   

It doesn't matter if the removal is accomplished through surface mining or deep mining, but the separation and filtration can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Innovative techniques like those being developed in Australia and Japan as well as other coal producing countries often involve more efficient handling and disposition of coal slurry. Avoiding events like the Kingston Fossil Plant disaster of 2008 and making the most efficient use of energy and water is the ultimate goal. Slurry is often transported outside a facility through pumps that must remain free of clogging to operate at maximum efficiency. Effective industrial water filtration to provide pump protection in these cases is critical.

The coal processing plant in one Northern Appalachian (USA) coal field uses high pressure piston pumps to pump gland water into centrifugal slurry pumps and out of the system. The local lake water is used as the source, but the water has to be cleaned of dirt and other solids before entering the piston pumps or premature pump failure would result. Industrial water filters are designed with this type of application in mind. Different solutions hab been tried, but none worked very well until a LAKOS Centrifugal Separator was installed. The results was an annual savings of $32,000 in preventative pump repairs. The LAKOS Separator paid for itself in 4 months!

Want to learn more?

Download the Coal Plant Case Study and read the details.

Industrial Water Filters Used For Water Reclaim and Re-Use

The United Nations estimates that by 2025 over half the world's population will live in water-stressed or water scarce countries. In February, 2009 the Wall Street Journal reported that water managers in 36 U.S. states anticipate water shortages by 2013. At the same time the water depleted Sun Belt and Western U.S. looks for ways to cope with dwindling water supplies. How desperate are they to find a solution? In 2008 Georgia lawmakers tried, unsuccessfully, to move the state's border north so that Georgia could claim part of the Tennessee River!

At the corporate level, implementing water reuse/recycling strategies may be the more practical answer as companies grapple with their "water footprint." As with other forms of sustainability, the possibilities for reclaim are huge. For example, Pepsi claims to have saved 6 billion gallons of water between 2006 and 2007 due to smarter water use and equipment in their operations. On the extreme side, Global Water Intelligence recently reported the lofty goal of Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) in which no liquid waste leaves the boundary of a facility.

Regardless of size, nearly every industrial manufacturing plant -- from petroleum to lima beans -- has some opportunity to water reclaim. The driving forces behind these efforts are the same:

1. Increasing worldwide water scarcity.
2. Increasing pressure to become more environmentally responsible.
3. Increasing water and sewage costs. In the United States, municipal water rates have increased an average of 27% in the past 5 years alone.

Regardless of industry, customized water treatment and/or filtration systems must be in place for companies to even begin to realize their water reclaim goals. Sometimes the solutions are simpler (and more beneficial) than a manufacturer anticipates. A case-in-point is Gerawan Foods, Inc. of Sanger, California.

Garawan Foods processes up to 12 million pounds of lima beans a year. Washing these beans takes a LARGE amount of water, and had been producing a lot of sewage - pushing the limit on the towns' guidelines for volume and silt content. Even worse was the fact the pre-washing stage was forcing visible silt under the bean's skin, causing significant amounts of beans to be rejected for quality reasons.

A simple solution using three LAKOS centrifugal separators allowed Garawan foods to completely recycle the bean washing water, resulting in a dramatic reduction in sewage and operating costs. Furthermore, the company cut several hours of manpower a day during the wash season and totally eliminated quality control rejection due to silt in the beans. For Garawan Foods, an effective water reuse strategy supported by an equally effective filtration system was quite literally worth beans!

Want to learn more? Read the entire Case Study of the Garawan Foods filtration system.

Photo by: druclimb

Healthcare Filtration Prevents Legionella, Saves Energy and Water

One sector of building construction that continues to thrive in a shaky economy is healthcare. Both in terms of new construction and facility improvements, investment in healthcare infrastructure continues to grow, and energy savings and sustainability are being adopted to an increasing degree. Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas recently became the first healthcare facility in the world to achieve a LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Platinum Certification by the U.S. Green Business Council (USGBC). This is despite the fact that most believe it is more difficult to cost effectively implement LEED design techniques in a healthcare environment than most other facilities. As changes in patient treatment and industry standards drive equipment needs, room size, and overall hospital layout, facilities are remodeled or torn down and rebuilt. Energy and water/air handling demands are high.

Energy Used In Hospital HVAC Systems
Healthcare organizations spend more than $5 billion each year on energy to care for patients, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration. The Consortium for Energy Efficiency reports that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems comprise approximately 45% of a typical healthcare facility's energy use. Keeping those HVAC systems operating as efficiently as possible is one of the most important ways to reduce energy use. Effective cooling tower filtration can help to accomplish this.

Water Use In Hospitals
Healthcare accounts for 7% of the commercial and institutional water used in the U.S., according to a recent study co-sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the American Water Works Association (AWWA). Of that water, the largest percentage (31%) is used by the cooling/heating system. Making sure that water is not wasted is a key to overall facility water savings and sustainability. Once again, effective filtration can help to reach this goal.

Filtration Is Part of The Solution
Proper filtration of an HVAC system can help a hospital achieve its energy savings and sustainability goals while also reducing water waste. It can also help reduce the risk of Legionnaire's Disease and other health hazards. Not to mention reducing the risk of employee injury which could occur during manual basin cleaning.

Read a recent Case Study illustrating how a large healthcare facility in Indiana used cooilng tower basin filtration to meet these challenges.

 

Water Conservation And Pump Filtration Showcased At World Ag Expo

The world's largest agricultural equipment exposition opens next week in the heart of California (Tulare), a battleground for water rights. World Ag Expo -- formerly known as the Tulare Farm Show -- will feature many products and varied opinions claiming to be the best way to make the most efficient use of water. As the demand for water tightens due to population growth and other factors, the challenge to determine the wisest use of that water gets even more difficult. Not just in California, but everywhere.

Everyone appears to be getting into the water conservation movement, from homeowners to farmers, who have always considered water a vital and precious resource. Agricultural use of water is immense, and in the United States the use of water for irrigation is the single largest use in the non-commercial and non-residential sectors. Farm equipment and machinery used to aid in conserving water while still maximizing crop yield can be a big part of the long-term solution. This includes a water handling and delivery system consisting of pumps, irrigation systems, and a combination of filtration techniques and systems to keep everything else operating at its highest efficiency.

Two of the most common water problems on the farm which can be easily fixed with an effective filtration system include:

• Sand in a water well

• Sand in drip emitter irrigation system 

Each of these -- if not corrected or prevented -- will lead to water waste and higher energy usage, as the pumps and valves and other components of the water system are adversely affected by the sand and other solids.

But there are solutions. Solutions to prevent any short-term or long-term drop in water efficiency.

Want to learn more? Download our Water Well Sand Prevention Brochure and read how to keep sand in a water well from damaging your pumps. And see how you can save water and energy at the same time. 

 

Industrial Filtration In Steel Mills Reduces Waste And Saves Water

Few process industries require clean water more than the steel industry. Whether it be an integrated steel mill, mini-mill, cold rolling, plate mill, or other, the need to keep the water free of dirt, scale, and other solids has a large effect on the efficiency of the mill. This leads to less scrap and a reduction in water use. Not to mention other benefits as well.

The Arcelor-Mittal steel plant in Burns Harbor, Indiana, is a perfect example of the many ways in which industrial water filtration can keep descaling pumps, heat exchangers, and other components of the process cooling system operating efficiently. Formerly owned by Bethlehem Steel, this is one of the largest steel mills in the world.  A few of the many ways in which centrifugal separators are used for filtration at this facility include:

• Keeping the coolant water rollers clean on the plate leveler
• Protecting the rollers on the heating bed
• Preventing scale build-up and damage to the descaling pumps
• Preventing the need for manual heat exchanger cleaning
• Nozzle cleaning
• Many others, including 25 different centrifugal separators operating in the mill at one time

As their 40-year millwright veteran Joe Saiken puts it, “The great thing about a LAKOS Separator is that you put one in and then you forget about it. They keep our systems running without a hitch and with no downtime.” Arcelor-Mittal utilizes LAKOS filtration in several other locations as well, including steel mills in Lazaro Cardenas (Mexico) and the Saldanha plant in South Africa.  Our Case Study AB-210 provides details how the effective use of industrial water filters helped these mills solve problems and save money.

The Burns Harbor example is unique only because of its size. Other steel mills have experienced similar results. California Steel in Fontana, POSCO steel in Korea, and the Lukens Steel Company in Pennsylvania are just three other steel mills which have turned to LAKOS filtration to minimize waste, prevent heat exchanger fouling, and prevent other process problems.

Would you like more details about the TYPE and SIZE of particles removed by centrifugal separators in steel production, and see a more complete list of installations around the world?

Download the Steel and Primary Metals Filtration Guide today !

LAKOS Separators To Highlight Water Conservation At AHR Expo

Sustainability, energy savings and water conservation will be three of the main topics at next week's annual AHR Exposition in Orlando, Florida. Sponsored by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) the expo is the largest HVAC show in North America. With travel budgets cut in a tight economy, and many of the technical sessions being offered via "LIVE" webcast for the first time, many expect the attendance at the show to be lower than previous years. But interest in industry topics has never been higher.

"Water conservation and energy savings are becoming more important every day," says Allyn Troisi, an Application Engineer for LAKOS Separators and Filtration Systems. "And in HVAC systems, the cooling tower itself and how efficiently it uses energy and water has become an area of greater focus." As both an ASHRAE member serving on several technical committees relating to cooling towers and water use, and a LEED Accredited Professional (AP), Troisi sees increased efforts by both organizations to create new and improved standards that will help facilitate greater water and energy savings into the future. "There are methods and best practices that can really help increase efficiencies which in turn will lead to greater energy and water saving," adds Troisi.

In fact, of those companies planning to exhibit at the exposition, 62% say they will be announcing a new product at the show. Of those products, 45% claim to increase energy efficiency, according to the Ashrae Journal. And due out later this month is ASHRAE standard 189.1-2009, a new Standard for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings. Developed by ASHRAE, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), the standard covers site sustainability, energy efficiency, and other ways in which a building impacts the environment.

Effective filtration is one way to make more efficient use of water in an HVAC system. Using a centrifugal separator, there are no moving parts to wear out or replace, minimal water loss, and a low and steady pressure drop. LAKOS will be exhibiting at the expo (booth 3230) and will highlight healthcare filtration, preventing Legionella, and our new Cooling Tower Energy and Water Savings Calculator.

Wish to learn more about filtration solutions for HVAC applications?
Download our HVAC Engineering Catalog, containing solutions and installation information (and case studies) for a wide range of HVAC systems.

Hotel HVAC Filtration Provides More Efficient Comfort Cooling

A recent report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicates that hotels and restaurants account for approximately 15% of all commercial water use in the U.S. today. And of that 15%, the water used for cooling and heating accounts for about 11% (see chart). That is a tremendous amount of water.

In addition, the amount of energy used to pump that water can be very large. In fact, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are often the largest electricity users in hotels, accounting for 30% or more of total costs.

So by making sure the HVAC system is operating efficiently, hotel managers can lower the costs of hotel operation by minimizing both water AND energy usage. Filtration can help to accomplish that, and the amount of savings to be expected can be determined by using an Energy and Water Savings Calculator.

Specific Filtration Solutions

The specific ways in which filtration can typically improve the total system efficiency include:

• Cooling tower basin cleaning
• Preventing heat exchanger fouling

Through either method, proper filtration can prevent the accumulation of dirt and other solids. And that keeps all the system components operating at their highest efficiency.

Poor choices for filtration (such as having no filtration at all) can lead to a variety of problems for building owners as well as guests, up to and including death from things such as Legionnaire's Disease.

On the other hand, the benefits of effective filtration include:

• Legionella prevention
• Energy efficiency
• Conservation of water (being "GREEN")

Energy managers for large hotel chains have learned from experience that the expense to retrofit an existing installation will often pay for itself in a short amount of time. Just by making sure the heat exchanger is operating at its highest efficiency, hotels can realize huge energy savings. A large number of prominent hotels have chosen LAKOS Filtration Systems to make their comfort cooling as efficient as possible

Recent Case Study: The Hilton Garden Inn Hotel near Chicago's O'Hare Airport is an excellent example how a properly selected retrofit filtration system can pay for itself very quickly. After years of disappointing results, a new system was put in place using improved installation techniques and energy-saving centrifugal separators. A little bit of filtration was good, but a well-designed and correctly sized filtration system was even better.

Want to learn more? Download the complete Hilton Garden Hotel Case Study and read more about how an effective filtration system helped them save energy and conserve water.

 

Sediment Filters Play Important Role In Huge Water Project

As water supplies tighten around the world, everyone must be more creative in thinking of ways to make the most of this precious resource. The City and County water works of Santa Fe in New Mexico came up with a unique idea back in the late 1990's, and their dream finally took early steps to become a reality in 2009. Not surprisingly, a key component of the solution is an industrial water filtration system which uses centrifugal separators to efficiently remove sand from water.

The Buckman Direct Diversion Project

Due for completion in 2011, the Buckman Direct Diversion project (BDD) takes water directly from the Rio Grande River so it can be used for domestic use in Sante Fe. For years the amount of rainfall in the area has been dropping and the water table now rests hundreds of feet lower, leading Santa Fe city and county planners to consider alternate sources of water to support population growth. When completed, the BDD will include a sediment removal facility to return sand to the Rio Grande, 11 miles of underground raw water pipeline to convey the water to a lifting station with booster pumps to move the water uphill, a treatment plant with capacity to filter 15 million gallons of water per day, and two new booster stations to deliver treated water to city and county customers.

Separators Used For Filtration

To keep the other components of this elaborate water pumping system operating efficiently, a total of nine (9) LAKOS centrifugal separators are being used to remove the sand so it can be returned to the Rio Grande. LAKOS Separators were the choice because they feature:

• no moving parts to wear out or replace
• minimal water loss, and a
  
• low and steady pressure loss

Want to learn more? Download the complete Buckman Direct Diversion Project article.