Posted by William Vander Plaats on Thu, Dec 31, 2009 @ 10:16 AM
As we end 2009 and the first decade of the new millennium, it is a good time to pause and reflect on the PAST and what we should be striving to improve in the YEAR ahead. Everyone seems to have a list containing an idea or two about how we can accomplish this, including energy and water efficiency gained from effective filtration systems to the advantages of drip irrigation and ways to accomplish more effective legionella prevention, etc.
So here is OUR list of the some of the Most Important Lists heading into the New Year. Trends we’d like to see continue and ideas we’d like to see embraced and adopted in 2010 and beyond. Perhaps by the end of 2010 these will help create a GREENER world with a more efficient use of water and energy resources for all of us.
1. Top 5 Reasons Why BLUE (water) Will Become The New Green In 2010
GREEN is the color of sustainability and energy efficiency, but BLUE is the color of water, and many recent reports seem to indicate it will be the most important color in 2010 and beyond.
a. Pacific Institute Report: Industrial Water Use and Potential Savings In Each Industry
b. 100 Ways To Conserve Water
c. Top 5 Ways To Save Water In The Home
d. Read How IBM Reduced Water Demand by 20% At One Location
e. Calculate Your Water Savings When Using Water Sense Products
2. Top 10 Energy-Monitoring Tools for the Home
Until convenient tools arrive for homeowners to monitor their energy use from inside the home, efforts to reduce energy consumption may be just wishful thinking. Perhaps one of the items on this list will help to lead the way.
3. Most Innovative Pumps and Systems Products of the Year
Pumps and Systems Magazine recently awarded their inaugural 2009 Innovation Awards, and the list of winners proves there is still plenty of room for improvement in pump efficiency and energy usage.
4. All 50 USA State Energy Codes for Residential and Commercial Buildings
View current building codes for each state in the USA and learn more about Federal and state codes and trends. All on one page on the Department of Energy website:
What is your list of Great Ideas for 2010? Do you have a list of most valuable tips for anyone in the building/cooling/irrigation/water-related industries?
Here is one of our favorite studies to share: Energy study by the Canadian Office of Energy Efficiency. Download it today!
Posted by William Vander Plaats on Tue, Nov 24, 2009 @ 12:05 PM
Sugar cane and sugar beets are the world’s two primary sources of sugar. Sugar cane is grown in over 100 countries around the world, with the top producers being Brazil and India. Sugar beets are primarily grown in the European Union, United States, and Russia. Both go through a multi-step production process of cutting, cleaning, screening and separating which is becoming increasingly more sophisticated in some countries. The Sugar Association has an informative Consumer Fact Sheet on the basic processes. Some of the same production processes are used in the production of ethanol and other biofuels as well. And the importance of effective filtration cannot be overstated, especially as these mills and refineries continue to search for ways to become more friendly to the environment and more sustainable.
And increasingly, centrifugal separators like LAKOS Separators are the perfect solution to handle some of these tasks. The main reasons include:
- Little or no water loss
- No moving parts to wear out or replace, keeping them virtually maintenance-free
- Low and steady system pressure drop
At the the Pujiltic Sugar Mill in Chiapas, Mexico, plant engineers worked with LAKOS to design a solid handling system that limits the eventual liquid loss to .08% in the pre-filtration process. 
Similar results have been experienced by many other sugar mills. With proper filtration, the main by-product of the milling process -- a fibrous material known as bagasse -- may be used for livestock feed, burned to provide heat, and is sometimes used in sugar mills to provide energy in such large amounts it can be sold to others. Bagasse may also serve as raw material for paper, cardboard, and other biodegradeable products.
By using centrifugal separators instead of some other forms of filtration, the sustainability and environmentally-friendliness of sugar mills is increased to its fullest potential. And isn’t that a goal we all want them to achieve?
Read more about recent LAKOS Filtration installations in sugar mills around the world in a NEW Application Bulletin. Download it today and see the many ways effective filtration can lead to "greener" sugar production.