Tuesday, November 10, 2026
Technical Sessions
Time: 1:15 – 5:00 PM
T5: Going Full Circle: Advancing the Circular Water Economy Through Brine Valorization
IWC Rep: John A. Korpiel, P.E., Xylem, Pittsburgh, PA
Session Chair: Adam Sutherland, P.E., Stantec, Nashville, TN
Discussion Leader: Richard Stover, Ph.D., GP Water (independent consultancy), Waltham, MA
Industries face growing pressure to reduce water use, lower environmental impacts, manage costs, and strengthen sustainability. To address these needs, new technologies are being developed to support a more circular water future. This session will explore innovative ways to recover salts and critical minerals from brine and examine how valorization can create resource opportunities.
IWC 26-45: Technoeconomics of Seawater-to-Salt Production
Neil Moe, Ph.D., Veolia, Trevose, PA
Interest in producing salt from seawater has been increasing over the past decade, with some initial projects commercialized and many more in the conceptual stage. There has been a somewhat standardized flowsheet established for this process which combines membrane and thermal unit operations. After the seawater has been pretreated, the divalent impurities are largely separated from the monovalent ions using NF. The monovalent rich NF permeate is then concentrated by RO to 80-90 g/l maximum, as determined by the osmotic pressure of the brine. The RO brine needs to be concentrated further (250-300 g/l) before being sent to a crystallizer. More recently, much of this further concentration has been performed by membrane processes, so-called OARO or LSRRO, reducing the size or eliminating the thermal evaporator. A key question to be addressed is how the flowsheet elements need to be adjusted and optimized based on the required salt quality target: Industrial, reagent, food grade, or pharmaceutical. We present here a study of the flowsheet required to make common grades of NaCl, including estimates of required CapEx and OpEx.
Discusser: Vijay Ahire, IDE Water Solutions, Carlsbad, CA
IWC 26-46: Innovative Solvent-Based Dairy Wastewater Volume Reduction and Water Recovery for near Zero Liquid Discharge Applications
Richard Brunton, Aquafortus, Auckland, Mangere New Zealand; Michael Grossman, Aquafortus, Houston, TX; John Weigold, Aquafortus, Houston, TX
Food and beverage manufacturers face growing pressure to reduce freshwater consumption, lower wastewater disposal volumes, and meet increasingly ambitious sustainability goals. In dairy processing, salt whey brine streams are often stored in large ponds and disposed of through land application, ocean discharge, or other limited-use pathways, creating both environmental and operational challenges. These wastewater streams are complex, containing elevated total dissolved solids (TDS), salts, sugars, acids, fats, proteins, cleaning chemicals, and other dissolved or suspended constituents that make cost-effective water reuse difficult. Conventional thermal evaporators and crystallizers can enable zero liquid discharge (ZLD), but typically at high energy and operating cost, while membrane systems are often limited by fouling, scaling, and extensive pretreatment requirements.
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IWC 26-47: Advancing Seawater Brine Valorization Through High‑Efficiency Membrane Pre‑Concentration and Zero‑Mixing Energy Recovery Technologies
Kevin Evald, Danfoss, Nordborg, Syddanmark Denmark; Amogh Sharma, Danfoss, Denmark
Growing global demand for critical minerals such as sodium chloride, lithium, and magnesium is accelerating interest in seawater brine valorization. However, traditional thermal concentration remains energy intensive and capital heavy, posing significant constraints to scalable mineral recovery. This study presents a membrane integrated, energy optimized brine concentration approach that reduces thermal load, minimizes operating cost, and enhances overall process efficiency.
Discusser: Bryan Hansen, Burns & McDonnell, Kansas City, MO
IWC 26-48: A Techno Economic Analysis of Electrodialytic Crystallization for Brine Valorization of Sodium Sulfate, Sulfuric Acid, and Sodium Hydroxide
Tamim Popalzai, Brown and Caldwell, Houston, TX; Tiezheng Tong, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ; HyungKae LEE, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ; Krystal Perez, Brown and Caldwell, Seatle, WA; Tyler Malkoske, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Many industries are facing growing water scarcity across the globe and have concerns with the environmental impacts of producing brine waste streams. This has initiated renewed focus on adopting sustainable water management practices toward a circular economy strategy that can be employed to increase water recovery, reduce waste volumes, valorize brine streams, and improve energy efficiency. Advanced desalination technologies provide solutions to address such challenges by valorizing brine streams, that would otherwise be wasted, to produce a salt product and recover additional desalinated water.
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IWC 26-T5-R: High Salt Concentration Management Using Vacuum Membrane Distillation and Pure Salt Separation Using Total Brine Extraction VMD Crystallization System
Sean Ghayeni, KMX Technologies, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; Matt Narrol, KMX Technologies, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
KMX Technologies Inc. focuses on brine management and salt crystallization through its proprietary VMD and total brine extraction (TBE). With KMX VMD we concentrate all salt solutions to saturation and with KMX TBE we can separate salts, generally requiring pretreatment and/or posttreatment and cyclical VMD concentration. In this article we will present four systems, a) a single salt system, b) binary system, c) trinary system and d) a real RO concentrate. In each of these systems we will show how KMX VMD operates as a salt concentrator and further it will demonstrate how KMX TBE operates as an evaporator-crystallizer-separator, producing a high purity salt separation system.
T6: It’s Cool to Optimize Cooling
IWC Rep: Rebecca Osteen, Southern Company, Birmingham, AL
Session Chair: Wes Sipe, Michael Baker International, Moon Township, PA
Discussion Leader: Edward Beardwood, Beardwood Consulting & Technologies Inc, London, Ontario, Canada
This session will explore the improvements in techniques, consumable corrosion inhibitors, and materials. We will delve into the cooling process itself and examine economic impacts of electrochemical processes in chemicals for cooling water treatment.
IWC 26-49: Reducing Cooling Tower Water Demand and Chemical Dependence Through Electrochemical Water Treatment
Janco Vermeulen, DWT, Scottsdale, AZ; Michael Boyko, Dynamic Water Technology, Scottsdale, AZ; Denney Eames, Watetectonics, Everett, WA; Thomas Igou, Watertectonics, Everett, WA; TJ Mothersbaugh, Watertectonics, Everett, WA
Cooling towers are among the largest water consumers in industrial and commercial facilities and can account for a substantial share of total building water use. In many systems, conventional chemical treatment limits achievable cycles of concentration (COC), resulting in frequent blowdown and unnecessary water loss. Electrochemical water treatment (EWT) has emerged as an alternative approach that can significantly reduce blowdown, decrease make-up water demand, and minimize or eliminate chemical addition while maintaining reliable cooling system operation. This paper evaluates EWT as a practical strategy for reducing cooling tower water consumption, chemical dependency, and overall operating intensity.
Discusser: Loraine Huchler, P.E., CMC, Martech Systems, Inc., Exmore, VA
IWC 26-50: Considerations and Issues with Using Aluminum for Liquid Cooled Components
Paul Desch, Nalco Water, An Ecolab Company, Naperville, IL
Aluminum is being considered as an alternate metal to copper for liquid cooled components in data centers due to its lower density, manufacturability, and reduced cost. However, corrosion of aluminum alloys in closed cooling systems can be a critical reliability risk, particularly as facilities transition to higher heat fluxes and more aggressive cooling strategies. This paper reviews the corrosion behavior of aluminum alloys, with emphasis on differences in corrosion resistance arising from alloy composition and microstructure and their impact on corrosion mechanisms such as exfoliation and intergranular corrosion. These mechanisms typically result in release of material into the cooling fluid, which can result in obstructions and reduced flow in the fine cooling channels typical in cold plate design. In addition, corrosion issues related to design of systems such as galvanic interactions in mixed metal systems and crevice conditions are presented. The paper further discusses the interactions between aluminum alloys and typical cooling fluids used in data centers, including treated water and propylene glycol–water mixtures, with a focus on water chemistry parameters such as pH that can impact corrosion of aluminum. The paper underscores the importance of alloy selection, fluid chemistry control, and system design to limit corrosion and reliability issues with using aluminum for liquid cooled components in data centers.
Discusser: Tom Madorin, Chemtreat, Glen Allen, VA
IWC 26-51: Optimization of Blast Furnace Cooling Water System Through Operational Adjustments and Improved Water Quality Control
Izabella Duarte, Ternium Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The cooling system of blast furnaces plays a critical role in ensuring stable operation and equipment integrity, directly impacting process efficiency and asset reliability. In this system, water is supplied to cool the staves and other critical components, and deviations from design temperature conditions, particularly inlet water temperatures exceeding 45°C and occasionally reaching above 55°C can significantly increase the risk of thermal stress, leading to cracking in piping and reduced equipment lifespan.
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IWC 26-52: Evaluating Corrosion Risk and Economic Impact in Cooling Water Systems Using Electrolyte Chemistry Modeling
Mallory McCaskill, OLI, Parsippany, NJ; Leslie Miller, OLI, Parsippany, NJ
Corrosion is a major driver of reliability issues and increased operating costs in cooling water systems across nearly every industrial sector. Existing operational management approaches often provide limited visibility into the degree of corrosion risk as water chemistry changes and operating conditions shift, leading to conservative operation or avoidable cost. This work evaluates whether applying rigorous electrolyte chemistry modeling in an operational context can enable real-time, risk-based economic assessment of corrosion behavior in cooling water systems.
Discusser: Jim Green, Industrial Water Advisory, Churchville, PA
IWC 26-T6-R: Field Trial and Commercialization of a Non-Phosphorus Corrosion Inhibitor
David Fulmer, Sterling Specialty Chemicals, Houston, TX; Stan Barskov, Halliburton, Hockley, TX
Non-phosphorus corrosion inhibitors continue to attract industry interest due to their inherent advantages over phosphate-based programs. These inhibitors offer superior environmental compliance by eliminating nutrient discharge that contributes to algae growth, while still providing excellent corrosion protection often outperforming phosphate-based programs in high-stress cooling water systems.
T7: Reuse or Lose: Making Water Do a Second Shift (and maybe a Third)
IWC Rep: Derek Henderson, Duke Energy, Raleigh, NC
Session Chair: Kevin Dufresne, Geosyntec, Guelph, ON, Canada
Discussion Leader: Ashwin Kumar, Stantec, Houston, TX
Come clock in for a water-reuse session built for the long haul. We’ll start the shift with a real, large-scale industrial case study that closed the ZLD loop—where conventional treatment approaches simply weren’t feasible. Next, we’ll move into a “team-building” segment on carbon capture, spotlighting the process steps that most influence water use and reuse targets. Then we’ll take a break for hard-earned lessons from a decade of operating with alternative water supplies in a refinery process-water system. We’ll end the shift with a look at modular treatment strategies that help facilities adapt, scale, and strengthen day-to-day water management practices. You wouldn’t want to call in sick for this session!
IWC 26-53: True Zero Liquid Discharge: Unlocking Full Water Reuse in Industrial Process Water
Narghis Sarwari, Abtech Industries, Glendale, AZ; Joseph Ahlo, PH.D., Abtech Industries, Phoenix, AZ
Zero Liquid Discharge has long been positioned as the gold standard for industrial water management. In practice, ZLD remains more aspiration than achievement. Conventional ZLD systems rely on energy-intensive brine concentrators, crystallizers, and evaporative technologies that reduce liquid waste volumes but rarely eliminate discharge entirely. Membrane-based approaches suffer from fouling, scaling, and the persistent challenge of managing concentrate streams. Even facilities operating under a “ZLD framework” typically generate residual liquid waste requiring disposal, evaporation ponds, or offsite hauling. The term has become shorthand for an operational philosophy of waste minimization rather than a description of actual system performance.
This paper presents field-validated results from a large-scale industrial wastewater facility where multiple conventional treatment technologies, including chemical precipitation, membrane filtration, and biological treatment, failed to meet discharge limits or enable meaningful water reuse. Process wastewater streams containing elevated levels of BOD, TSS, TDS, and heavy metals consistently overwhelmed existing treatment infrastructure, forcing continued discharge violations and preventing closed-loop operation.
Deployment of an advanced filtration media system achieved what prior treatment trains could not: consistent effluent quality sufficient for full process water reuse without the addition of new chemicals, activated carbon, or ion exchange resins. The system operates as a complementary pretreatment stage, integrating into existing treatment sequences without disrupting downstream processes or requiring redesign of established flow paths. Critically, the system requires no backwashing, eliminating a significant source of water loss and sewer discharge common in conventional filtration. This pass-through design means no additional water is consumed in the treatment process itself, and no secondary waste stream is generated. Treated effluent feeds directly to ultrapurification systems, bypassing the intermediate handling steps that erode recovery rates in traditional ZLD configurations. Operators maintained their existing monitoring and control protocols throughout implementation.
Results demonstrate sustained pollutant removal across target contaminants, enabling the facility to close its water loop for the first time. This paper details system design, integration methodology, contaminant removal performance data, and operational lessons learned. The findings represent a practical, replicable pathway to true zero liquid discharge in industrial settings where conventional approaches have reached their performance ceiling.
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IWC 26-54: Designing CCUS for Water Limited Facilities: Capturing Carbon Without Draining the Well
Brian Visioli, Trimeric Corporation, Buda, TX; Anne Ryan, P.E., Trimeric Corporation, Buda, TX
Condensed Abstract: Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) can reduce CO₂ emissions from large industrial sources, but amine-based systems are energy- and water-intensive. This work examines process design in amine-based post-combustion CCUS, focusing on balances and interactions between key units: the direct contact cooler, absorber, stripper, and CO₂ processing unit. We highlight how equipment choices, cooling technologies, and flue gas variations influence water use, recovery, and reuse.
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IWC 26-55: Alternative Water Supplies for Refinery Process Water: 10 Years and Still Going Strong
Robert Cormier, Aria Filtra, London, Ontario, Canada; Alan Burghart, CHS Refinery- McPherson, McPherson, KS
The scarcity of fresh water in many regions is a growing global issue. Industries and municipalities find themselves competing for this limited resource. Systems designed to recover water previously considered unusable are on the increase, however, water reuse technology has been in use for many years. There are lessons to be learned from the operation of existing full scale water reuse systems. The operating history of these plants can help streamline the task of construction, startup, and long-term system optimization for new industrial and municipal water reuse plants.
This paper focuses on the experience and success of the CHS McPherson Refinery located in McPherson, Kansas. Faced with the reduction of available groundwater sources, declining groundwater quality and a lack of viable surface water sources, CHS chose several wastewater sources and installed systems to treat the water so that it could be used as feedwater for plant processes.
Two treatment trains were installed: low pressure membrane filtration (LPMF) and Nanofiltration (NF) membranes were used for cooling tower makeup water, while a combination of LPMF and Reverse Osmosis (RO) membranes was used for boiler feedwater. The systems were designed to operate at a combined recovery of 83% and have a total capacity of 5.47 MGD.
The cleaning and maintenance of the NF and RO elements initially proved to be the greatest challenge. Stepwise improvements were made to improve cleaning efficacy. Pretreatment was added to improve the management of biofouling and maximize the life of the membrane modules and elements. Additional system modifications improved plant control and management of the system. The process improvements implemented over time have led to stable system operation and extended time between CIPs. Module life has been exceptional with the LPMF modules lasting 10 years so far and both the NF and RO elements have been in service for >5 yrs
The decisions made by CHS Refinery resulted in an effective water treatment process which protected the local aquifer and created a sustainable source of process water from wastewater. Ongoing system performance analysis followed by the implementation of process improvements has increased both the economic and environmental value of this system. The next objective is to continue enhancements by generating 40% of the overall plant process water from reclaimed wastewater.
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IWC 26-56: A Modular Approach for Industrial Water Reuse Under Escalating Drinking‑Water Scarcity
Syed Faizan Ali, Aria Filtra, London, Ontario, Canada; Ryan Jones, Trojan Technologies, London, Ontario, Canada
Water scarcity is driving industries to seek sustainable alternatives to potable water use. This study presents a modular treatment approach combining microfiltration (MF) and reverse osmosis (RO) to enable industrial water reuse under variable conditions. A containerized system treating industrial wastewater is evaluated during early-stage operation. Results highlight the impact of feed variability on performance and presents early-stage insights.
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T8: “Dirty” Water? Clean Solutions
IWC Rep: Brad Wolf, Berkeley Researcch Group, Pittsburgh, PA
Session Chair: Rena Bae, P.E., Stantec, Houston, TX
Discussion Leader: Shrikanth (Shri) Vaikundam, Veolia, Katie, TX
This session brings together papers showcasing different approaches to treating and managing complex industrial wastewater streams. No two wastewater is the same and solving diverse challenges require innovative problem solving. Across diverse applications (landfill leachate, semiconductor manufacturing waste, industrial wastewater treatment plant, and refinery lagoon systems), the presentations highlight how different technologies (membrane bioreactors, advanced oxidation, electrochemical recovery, and membranes) are used to overcome limitations of conventional treatment. Collectively, these papers emphasize the creativity and sleuthing skills needed in wastewater treatment. Move over Sherlock, wastewater treatment practitioners are here.
IWC 26-57: Advances in Influent Toxicity Monitoring at Industrial WWTPs
William Celenza, Burns & McDonnell, Chicago, IL; Vica Otrubina, Burns & McDonnell, Chicago, IL; Audrey Keightley, Burns & McDonnell, Chicago, IL
As biotreatment units are sensitive to upset, improving industrial WWTPs process control and upstream source control focusing on inhibitory or toxic compound detection, hydraulic and organic-load monitoring, and nutrient or reagent addition are critical to avoiding disturbances. Influent diversion systems have been the backbone of influent toxicity management; and subjecting real-time generated data to predictive modeling, advanced data analytics / pattern recognition, and decision-support systems can enhance the ability to avoid inhibition or shock loads.
Discusser: Kirsten Sims, ClearStream Environmental, Sandy, UT
IWC 26-58: Innovative Treatment Pathways for Organic Arsenic Conversion in Complex Landfill Leachates
Daniel Owens, WSP, Lakewood, CO; Karen Budgell, WSP, Athens, TX; Maria Borja, WSP, Lakewood, CO; Kimberly Myhre, WSP, Helena, MT
Landfill environments can produce organic arsenic species in leachate that resist conventional treatment. This paper summarizes pilot-scale membrane bioreactor testing and bench-scale advanced oxidation trials evaluating conversion and removal pathways for organic arsenic in complex leachate matrices. Results showed biological pretreatment resulted in substantial arsenic conversion and enhanced downstream oxidation potential, while Fenton’s reagent and activated persulfate trials achieved > 75% overall arsenic removal when applied to biologically pretreated leachate and raw leachate respectively.
Discusser: Bryan Hansen, Burns & McDonnell, Kansas City, MO
IWC 26-59: Algae-Rich Lagoon Wastewater Treatment of a Seed Oil Refinery with Zwitterionic Membranes Enables Sustainable Water Discharge
Andrew Hunt, ZwitterCo, Woburn, MA; Jay Harwood, Zwitterco, Scotland, Ontario, Canada; Dattaraj Mahale, ZwitterCo, Woburn, MA
This paper showcases the treatment of an algae-rich lagoon wastewater generated by a seed‑oil refinery using organic fouling resistant zwitterionic membranes. Direct treatment using the 1,000 Dalton MWCO membranes successfully removed the algae and suspended solids to achieve discharge requirements while showing consistent and stable membrane performance after routine chemically assisted maintenance washes. Various technologies such as media filtration and traditional ultrafiltration membranes were not effective or sustainable due to excessive organic fouling.
Discusser: Rob Rebodos, Ph.D., P.E., Brown and Caldwell, Charlotte, NC
IWC 26-60: Development of Electrochemical Separation Systems for Semiconductor Waste Streams
James Landon, ElectraMet, Lexington, KY; Alan Rassoolkhani, Ph.D., ElectraMet, Lexington, KY; Cameron Lippert, Ph.D., ElectraMet, Lexington, KY; Collin Dunn, PH.D., ElectraMet, Lexington, KY; Xin Gao, PH.D., ElectraMet, Lexington, KY
Semiconductor manufacturing produces a host of waste streams from cleaning, plating, and etching processes. Chemical mechanical planarization is often one of the largest volume waste streams at semiconductor sites, containing a complex mix of suspended solids, organic species, oxidizers, and metals. Conventionally, coagulation/precipitation and ion exchange approaches have been used for metals removal. As metals waste continues to grow, and landfill costs rise, selective removal and recovery of metals from these streams becomes more attractive.
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