Project overview
Client: Advachem
Location: Hautrage, Belgium (Nimy-Blaton-Péronnes Canal Basin)
Industry: Chemistry (Tailor-Made Chemistry)
Date: September 2025
Key results
Operating cost savings (OPEX)
The plan enables cost reduction compared to using the municipal water supply.
Rapid return on
investment (ROI)
An estimated return on investment of less than three years for the canal water treatment system.
Water Net Zero
Approach
The project ensures water supply security, reduces Advachem's water footprint, and follows a circular approach.
The challenge
Advachem had set the strategic objective of achieving water sobriety, requiring sustainable and economical alternatives to municipal water used for their critical processes.
The main challenge was to be able to use water from the Basin canal, which is a locally available resource, for:
Production of demineralised water (RO - Reverse Osmosis) for boilers (steam).
Makeup water for cooling circuits (Cooling Water - CW).
The situation required:
A treatment solution capable of transforming surface water (canal) into industrial-quality water.
A system design that manages the risks of corrosion and scaling in internal circuits, particularly related to chlorides (a critical parameter for 304 stainless steel).
A cost-benefit analysis between total osmosis (Scenario 1) and partial osmosis (Scenario 2) for the supply.
Our solution
Revalio studied two membrane separation treatment scenarios to condition the canal water, guaranteeing the necessary quality for industrial uses.
The general treatment plan for canal water is based on:
Primary Filtration (Ultrafiltration - UF): Removal of suspended solids (SS) and turbidity, an essential step to protect downstream membranes.
Final Treatment (Reverse Osmosis - RO): Production of very high-purity water for boilers.
The two scenarios analysed for process optimisation were:
Scenario 1: All canal water (after UF) is directed to reverse osmosis units (RO). Reduces chemical usage but increases energy consumption related to osmosis.
Scenario 2: Only water intended for steam production undergoes reverse osmosis. Cooling water is only filtered (UF), then sent directly to cooling circuits. Less investment in RO capacity, but requires an enhanced chemical program to control chlorides (Concentration Factor < 2.5).
Phase I Study Conclusion: Both scenarios present globally comparable cost structures, with a slight advantage for Scenario 1 in terms of operating costs (fewer chemicals). Scenario 2 has the advantage of not requiring an increase in reverse osmosis capacity despite increased production.
System architecture
The implemented solution is a Canal (Basin) water valorisation system, designed to substitute municipal water with a local source, treated according to the site's critical end uses (steam production and cooling).
The system is based on dual-stage treatment and flow separation after pretreatment.
Canal Water Pretreatment (Ultrafiltration - UF): Raw water pumped from the basin undergoes a first filtration stage. Ultrafiltration (UF) is used to remove particulate load and Suspended Solids (SS), thus protecting downstream equipment and cooling circuits.
Flow Separation (Scenario 2): The ultrafiltered water is then divided into two flows according to the required purity level:
Flow 1 (Process/Steam Water): This flow is directed to Reverse Osmosis units (RO) for advanced demineralisation. This step is crucial for producing very high-purity water, avoiding scaling and boiler problems in the steam production circuit.
Flow 2 (Cooling Water): This filtered flow (UF) is sent directly to cooling circuits. For this use, complete demineralisation is not necessary, but the composition must be strictly controlled.
This architecture optimises operating costs by treating with osmosis what is strictly necessary, while guaranteeing the water quality required for each use.
Technical deep dive
For the Geeks
The heart of the strategy lies in the difference in water quality required by industrial applications:
Steam Production: Requires very high purity water (low salinity/hardness) to avoid scale formation and corrosion. Only Reverse Osmosis can guarantee this quality.
Cooling Circuits: Requires water free of particles (ensured by UF) and with controlled salinity. The major technical challenge is the concentration of salts in the closed circuit.
The Critical Parameter: Chlorides
The limiting parameter for using filtered canal water in cooling circuits is the Chloride concentration.
Risk: Excessive chloride concentration promotes pitting corrosion, particularly on 304 stainless steel used in installations.
Operational Constraint: The study determined that the concentration factor (ratio between salt concentration in the circuit and inlet concentration) must be maintained below 2.5 to ensure equipment safety.
The Scenario, therefore, requires an enhanced chemical program and close operational monitoring to manage the risks of scaling and biofouling, and thus maintain the chloride concentration factor below the critical threshold.
Economic Analysis and Sustainability
The canal water valorisation strategy (Scenario 2) offers a dual advantage:
Return on Investment (ROI): The ROI is estimated at less than three years, highlighting the rapid profitability of the investment through municipal water substitution.
Technical Efficiency: Scenario 2 allows for no increase in reverse osmosis capacity despite potential future production increases, as only water intended for steam is directed there, thus optimising the initial investment.
Although the operating costs of both scenarios are comparable, Scenario 2 offers investment flexibility and resilience to production growth.
The impact
Advachem has transformed its vulnerability into a strategic advantage. By committing to this project, the company gains operational autonomy by securing its water supply source, essential to its critical production processes (steam and cooling). This proactive approach not only ensures a substantial reduction in operating costs (OPEX) through an estimated return on investment of less than three years but also strengthens Advachem's position as an environmentally committed company, reducing its water footprint and realising its "Water Net Zero" vision. Advachem can now focus on its core business, tailor-made chemistry, with the certainty of reliable, local, and sustainable water management.
Metric | Value |
System type (Phase I) | Ultrafiltration (UF) and Reverse Osmosis (RO) |
Treated water objective | Demineralized water (Boilers) and cooling water |
Critical parameter to control | Chlorides (Cl⁻) |
Max concentration factor (Scenario 2) | <2.5 (to prevent 304 Stainless Steel corrosion) |
Estimated total cost (OPEX) | Scenario 1 and 2 are globally comparable (slight advantage S1) |
Return on investment (ROI) | < 3 years |
Project reference | Basin Water Valorization - Phase I Study |
Facing similar challenges?
If your company is confronted with challenges of securing water supply, rising municipal water costs, or implementing circular strategies, Revalio designs custom solutions for engineering and implementation.