PRESENTACIN The Nalco Water Handbook

From the Preface

A lot has changed in treating and conserving

Our industry section of the book takes a re-

water since we last updated this book. When

freshed look at how the various applications

we looked at the water treatment needs of to-

come together across many different indus-

day and the future, it became apparent that

tries, and the role water plays in the produc-

much of the book would need to be rewritten.

tion of consumer items, petroleum, synthetic

With that mindset, we evaluated the manner

fuels, metals, paper, and power to name a

in which we had presented the content in the

few. While these chapters will discuss water

past, and then made some improvements.

use inside each industry you will see that the

water needs and requirements are vastly di-

We restructured the presentation of the book

fferent from industry to industry. The basic

so that it flows much like a water treatment

understanding of the particular applications

process. The Basic Water Chemistry section is

themselves is covered in the earlier chapters.

a broad discussion around the characteristics

of water, the impurities we pay attention to in

We have made liberal use of tables, illustra-

treating water, and its basic availability. The

tion, photographs, and line drawings to help

Applications section of the book takes on water

place the discussion in context. The majority

treatment in sequence from the time it enters

of the graphics are new to this edition. The

your plant until the time it is discharged back

changes we have made to the content and the

to the environment. Each subsection groups

presentation should make this book valuable

content by subject matter as it pertains to re-

across a wide range of users such as the plant

moving impurities, use in steam and cooling

operators, engineering departments, process

systems, and then discharge. The section on

management, maintenance groups, and plant

Energy in Water Systems takes a broader look

mangers to name a few.

across not just steam, but cooling and wastewater as well. This section discusses energy

Daniel J. Flynn

conservation. We present various focus areas

Editor

in each of these chapters to help manage your

energy input and outputs in these systems.

From the Foreword

The demand for usable fresh water has never

send the water back to the environment. Efforts

been greater in earths history - abundant in

to minimize fresh water use, particularly from

parts of the world, and increasingly scarce in

ground water, are increasing through a variety

others. Our global agriculture depends on an

of different methods, including water recycle,

annual fresh water supply sufficient to produce

water cascading, more effective contaminant

crops and livestock; our industries are powe-

removal, implementation of sophisticated che-

red by waters ability to convey heat; and each

mical feed and control equipment, and the use

of us depends on a daily intake of clean fresh

of innovative chemistry. The advancement and

water to help sustain life. As we become ever

use of these technologies helps run operations

more conscious of our role as good stewards

economically with a decreasing demand on the

of this precious resource, we look for different

basic fresh water resources, saving significant

methods to help us conserve, preserve, and

quantities in the process.

use responsibly, the water around us.

Our third edition of The Nalco Water Handbook
Since the beginning of the Nalco Company in

takes a close look at the ever-changing lands-

the late 1920s, Nalco has continually looked to

cape in treating water for various applications,

improve the quality of water for industrial use,

processes, and industries. The application of

and also for final discharge back to our envi-

the principles discussed within this book, will

ronment. Over these years industries have be-

help minimize water usage, maximize heat

come more and more demanding in the qua-

transfer, maintain clean equipment, lengthen

lity of water necessary for their process use.

asset life, and help reduce cost. Helping you

These changing requirements place an ever-

achieve your water treatment target is the

increasing need for the removal and control of

goal of this book. We trust you will find the

the contaminants found in water, allowing our

content informative, useful, and actionable.

processes to operate at peak performance and

reliability. Regulations around the world tar-

J. Erik Fyrwald

geting pollutant discharge to the air, land, and

Chairman, President, and Chief Executive

water continue to tighten, governing how we

Officer