Sea Link opts for the wastewater free production of the future

Total recycling of wastewater containing mold release agents from the aluminium and magnesium die-casting process

Sea Link International, a Tier 2 manufacturer that specializes in the development of complex components for the automotive lighting industry opened in October 2016 its new die cast facility in Kunshan. Looking for a sustainable and economical solution for its wastewater Sea Link opted for an H2O vacuum distillation system. Operation Manager Elmir Beca was involved in this project from the beginning and its major booster. He talks about his experience in this interview.

Mr Beca, what was your driver for choosing ZLD for your production?

The die-casting process generates wastewater. When we started production, we very quickly found out that the disposal situation in Kunshan is not that easy. There are only a few disposal companies and the price for the disposal of wastewater is very high. As production ramped up steadily, the costs and the safety of disposal became a major issue. Sea Link is a company committed to high environmental standards with a strong focus on sustainability. So I was looking for a technology, which would be able to treat our kind of wastewater and at the same time, would have the advantage of recycling. I came across H2O, which is literally located next door to us and offer exactly the technology I was looking for.

So what did the design for the new system actually look like?

Basically we collect all our wastewater in an underground buffer tank. From there it is pumped to the VACUDEST evaporator system. The evaporator separates the emulsions into a clean distillate and a residue, the so-called concentrate. The concentrate is only a fraction of the original wastewater amount. The distillate quality is so high, that we can use it internally as process water. The whole system runs fully automatically and requires only little maintenance.

Did the design work out for you?

Our goal was to minimize disposal costs and recycle our wastewater. We achieved 100 % of our goals.

Where do you see the advantages of the evaporation technology?

The H2O evaporator has a few patented features that enable a very high distillate quality. For us it was important to have a distillate free of hydrocarbons for our washing process. The H2O Clearcat technology ensures that we get an oil-free distillate.

By avoiding discharge into the sewerage system, the need for inspection visits by government institutions is also eliminated. On the other hand, it was also very important for us to get the least possible amount of residue from the evaporator for disposal.  Currently we have only 2 % residue of the original wastewater volume. This saves us a lot of costs. Of course, another advantage is the high degree of automation in comparison with a chemical/physical treatment or membrane based treatment plant. My staff can attend to other more important tasks.

Looking back, Mr. Beca, would you do something different now with the experience you have now?

I have not regretted my decision once. We are proud to own one of the most modern systems for zero liquid discharge in the die-casting industries. It shows Sea Links commitment for a sustainable, environmentally friendly production.