High-quality rinsing water treatment in one step: Rabas Protec achieves wastewater-free production

The solution

Vacuum distillation has established itself as the most economical solution for treating a wide variety of industrial wastewater. Especially when a high treatment quality is required, these systems offer an advantage over membrane systems or chemical-physical treatment methods, which leave a high level of residual contamination in the treated water. This is not the case with the energy-saving evaporation of wastewater under vacuum: the rising water vapour is free of contamination and can be reused - condensed as a clean distillate - in production processes.

Rabas Protec became aware of the VACUDEST vacuum distillation systems from H2O GmbH in Steinen, southern Germany, through internet research. "We were surprised by the promised quality of the distillate - we wanted to see it live."

A reference visit to the ammunition manufacturer Nexter in La Chapelle Saint Ursin followed. "During the on-site installation, we were particularly impressed by the cleanliness and automation of the operation," says Emmanuel Perdereau, Development & Investment Manager SAS SOFIRA at Rabas Protec. In addition, thanks to the good processing quality of the VACUDEST, Nexter was able to achieve scrap-free production without any post-treatment steps. "This is also what we wanted for our production."

The decision in favour of H2O and its VACUDEST was made primarily because of the high distillate quality, which had previously been confirmed in H2O's own laboratory in the application centre for wastewater-free production. This is made possible by innovative technologies such as the Clearcat condensation stage. With it, Rabas protec achieves an almost oil-free distillate. The COD - the value for organic pollution in the water - has been significantly improved.

The conductivity value in the distillate was also a decisive argument in favour of the VACUDEST. By means of the Destcontrol technology, which can be integrated as a module into the VACUDEST system, the distillate achieves a stable pH value. Reactions that cause fluctuating pH values in the distillate with conventional evaporator systems are avoided.

This quality of the distillate gives Rabas protec more security for the production operation of its surface treatment plant. "We achieve savings in the operation and monitoring of our wastewater treatment," says Emmanuel Perdereau. The new wastewater treatment system also has other economic advantages: Energy consumption has decreased thanks to better energy recovery. The company is also happy about the time saved: "The operating costs are much lower because the system is fully automatic. And there are fewer checks and monitoring to optimise our means of production."

The H2O project management also received much praise from Rabas protec. It ensured the correct execution of the project within the schedule. Stéphane Guillotin, general director of SOFIRA, even wrote an email about it: "I would like to thank you for your professionalism and availability on behalf of the SOFIRA Group companies. We thank you for your commitment! It has become so rare that I wanted to write this to you."

Conclusion? Rabas Projet would choose H2O's systems again: "Such professional management deserves praise. All departments are extremely responsive and respond as accurately as possible to the needs of the customers. This is a service we want from all our suppliers and subcontractors. We can recommend H2O with full conviction. Because thanks to them, we can fully concentrate on our production."