Air Handler Condensate Water Reuse Saves Money in Office Building

GoalRecover and reuse air handler condensate to reduce water, sewer, and cooling tower operating costs while improving sustainability.

<p><!-- wp:acf/two-cols-text {"name":"acf/two-cols-text","data":{"option_change_padding_block":"1","_option_change_padding_block":"field_6629e1de35327","padding_options":"py-to-60","_padding_options":"field_6629e0d2860af","background_colour":"blue","_background_colour":"field_6629e20935328","block_options_clone":"","_block_options_clone":"field_662a1b96b768f","block_title":"","_block_title":"field_6629f36ac5d6b","block_content_clone":"","_block_content_clone":"field_662a1b96b76fb","text_list_0_text_item":"\u003cul class=\u0022list-check-mark\u0022\u003e\r\n \t\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eIndustry: \u003c/b\u003eCommercial Office Building\u003c/li\u003e\r\n\u003c/ul\u003e","_text_list_0_text_item":"field_662a1bf77d245","text_list_1_text_item":"\u003cul class=\u0022list-check-mark\u0022\u003e\r\n \t\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eApplication: \u003c/b\u003eWater Conservation\u003c/li\u003e\r\n\u003c/ul\u003e","_text_list_1_text_item":"field_662a1bf77d245","text_list_2_text_item":"\u003cul class=\u0022list-check-mark\u0022\u003e\r\n \t\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eProblem: \u003c/b\u003eAir handler condensate was being sent to drain that could be used to defray high water costs\u003c/li\u003e\r\n\u003c/ul\u003e\r\n\u0026nbsp;","_text_list_2_text_item":"field_662a1bf77d245","text_list_3_text_item":"\u003cul class=\u0022list-check-mark\u0022\u003e\r\n \t\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eSolution\u003c/b\u003e: Chem-Aqua identified that a significant amount of air handler condensate was being produced that could be used as cooling tower makeup\u003c/li\u003e\r\n\u003c/ul\u003e","_text_list_3_text_item":"field_662a1bf77d245","text_list_4_text_item":"\u003cul class=\u0022list-check-mark\u0022\u003e\r\n \t\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eResult: \u003c/b\u003eA Chem-Aqua air handler condensate recovery system was installed to reduce  freshwater purchases by over 1 million gallons annually with a savings of $22,700\u003c/li\u003e\r\n\u003c/ul\u003e","_text_list_4_text_item":"field_662a1bf77d245","text_list":5,"_text_list":"field_662a1bb97d244"},"mode":"edit"} /--></p> <p><!-- wp:heading {"level":5} --></p> <h5 class="PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer" data-section-id="jrdiwt" data-start="182" data-end="206">Customer Challenge</h5> <p><!-- /wp:heading --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>An office building located in a city with high water and sewer costs was sending large volumes of air handler condensate to drain. The condensate is generated as humidity is removed from the building air upon contact with the cooling coils inside the air-handling units. If captured and properly treated, the high purity air handler condensate can be us to reduce water costs and water treatment chemical usage, and potentially trigger LEED<strong>^&reg;</strong> points for sustainability improvements.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:heading {"level":5} --></p> <h5 data-section-id="7xls9h" data-start="724" data-end="750">Recommended Solution</h5> <p><!-- /wp:heading --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>Chem-Aqua recommended a recovery system to capture air handler condensate for reuse in the cooling tower system.&nbsp; The packaged equipment system was specifically engineered to collect, filter, and disinfect air handler condensate, and transfer it to a cooling tower system for use as makeup water.&nbsp;&nbsp; Being essentially zero-total dissolved solids (TDS) water, this also allows increased cycles of concentration.</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p>Recovering this high purity condensate for reuse in the cooling tower has three (3) economic advantages:</p> <p><!-- /wp:paragraph --></p> <p><!-- wp:list --></p> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Reduces direct water purchases</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Eliminates the condensate sewer obligation</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Decreases cooling tower blowdown costs as the conductivity based controller automatically increases the cycles of concentration maintained in the tower</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <p><!-- /wp:list --></p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/link/65c82cda739f41b596ad2767d5110450.aspx" alt="" width="511" height="534" /></p> <p><!-- wp:image {"id":7121,"width":"372px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none","align":"center"} --></p> <p><!-- /wp:image --></p> <p><!-- wp:heading {"level":5} --></p> <h5 data-section-id="1296j4j" data-start="881" data-end="903">Results Achieved</h5> <p class="p1">One million gallons of condensate was recovered and reused&nbsp;as makeup in the first year. This saved over $22,000/year.</p> <ul> <li class="p1">$6,300 per year water savings</li> <li class="p1">$13,100 per year condensate sewer savings</li> <li class="p1">$3,300 per year blowdown sewer savings from&nbsp;increased cycles of concentration</li> </ul> <p><!-- /wp:heading --></p> <p><!-- wp:acf/two-cols-text-ctas {"name":"acf/two-cols-text-ctas","data":{"option_change_padding_block":"1","_option_change_padding_block":"field_6629e1de35327","padding_options":"py-to-60","_padding_options":"field_6629e0d2860af","background_colour":"white","_background_colour":"field_6629e20935328","block_options_clone":"","_block_options_clone":"field_662a2539a7d03","block_text_list_0_block_title":"","_block_text_list_0_block_title":"field_662a2573bc047_field_6629f36ac5d6b","block_text_list_0_block_excerpt":"","_block_text_list_0_block_excerpt":"field_662a2573bc047_field_6629f37dc5d6c","block_text_list_0_show_cta_button":"1","_block_text_list_0_show_cta_button":"field_662a2573bc047_field_662b4b6278ee7_field_6629f386c5d6d","block_text_list_0_block_cta_button":{"title":"Download PDF","url":"https://www.chemaqua.com/en-us/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/07/CS2-013.pdf","target":""},"_block_text_list_0_block_cta_button":"field_662a2573bc047_field_662b4b6278ee7_field_6629f39cc5d6e","block_text_list_0_use_special_button":"0","_block_text_list_0_use_special_button":"field_662a2573bc047_field_663af6cb5a467","block_text_list":1,"_block_text_list":"field_662a2550bc046"},"mode":"edit"} /--></p>