Characterisation & segregation
Stream-wise flow and chemistry, high-COD/high-TDS segregation, shock-load review, treatability and complete water-salt mass balance.
Zero Liquid Discharge
Recover water. Concentrate waste. Close the discharge loop.
YWT India develops integrated ZLD solutions that combine source segregation, appropriate pretreatment, membrane concentration and thermal evaporation to maximise water recovery and convert the remaining dissolved and suspended load into manageable solid or concentrated residues.
Water recoveryReturn treated permeate and condensate to suitable users
Discharge controlEliminate routine liquid discharge within the agreed boundary
Load reductionReduce hydraulic and thermal burden through segregation
Operational clarityDefine design limits, controls and residue routes
Why ZLD needs integration
The evaporator is only one part of the solution
A dependable ZLD scheme starts with the wastewater streams and their chemistry. Upstream segregation and treatment determine membrane recovery, evaporator performance, fouling tendency, energy use and the nature of the final residue.
Questions the design must answer
- Which streams should be segregated?
- What is the true design flow?
- How variable is the feed?
- Which contaminants limit recovery?
- Where can recovered water be reused?
- How will organics be controlled?
- What residue will be produced?
- How will upset conditions be handled?
Our ZLD capability
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Engineered around the feed, recovery target and reuse requirement
The final treatment train is selected from the actual wastewater characterisation and site constraints—not from a fixed equipment package.
Pretreatment & organics control
Equalisation, neutralisation, clarification, biological or advanced treatment, stripping and polishing selected to protect downstream recovery.
Membrane concentration
UF, NF and RO configurations, softening and conditioning, recovery optimisation, cleaning philosophy and concentrate management.
Thermal concentration
Multi-effect evaporation or MVRE, feed conditioning, vapour-liquid separation, condensate handling and energy integration.
Solids & salt handling
ATFD, crystallisation or other dewatering routes, mother-liquor management and residue handling aligned with authorised disposal requirements.
Reuse, automation & support
Recovered-water allocation, PLC/SCADA controls, instrumentation, alarm logic, commissioning support, troubleshooting and operator training.
Typical process train
A staged approach that protects recovery and thermal equipment
1SegregationSeparate streams by load and treatability
2PretreatmentControl solids, organics and hardness
3MembranesRecover water before evaporation
4MEE/MVREConcentrate the membrane reject
5ATFD/solidificationConvert concentrate to manageable residue
6ReuseReturn permeate and condensate appropriately
Design basis
Performance begins with agreed operating boundaries
A technically sound ZLD commitment must be tied to representative feed data, flow, variability, upstream performance and the specified quality and recovery basis.
Feed envelope
Minimum, normal and maximum flow together with COD, TDS, hardness, silica, pH, solvents and suspended solids.
Recovery basis
Block-wise recovery, expected losses, product/evaporation retention and final residue mass balance.
Reuse criteria
Quality required for cooling, boiler, process, washing, utilities or other identified recovered-water users.
Operating dependencies
Upstream chemical dosing, biological health, membrane cleaning, steam/power quality and continuity of feed.
Important: Dry-salt production, absence of choking and fixed recovery cannot be stated independently of wastewater composition and operating conditions. Final guarantees should be agreed against a defined feed envelope, design basis and responsibility matrix.
Project scope
From concept study to operating support
YWT can support new ZLD plants, capacity expansion, debottlenecking and performance improvement of existing installations.
PharmaceuticalsChemicalsFood & BeverageTextilesMetalsPower & Utilities
- Wastewater characterisation and treatability review
- Concept, mass balance and technology selection
- Basic and detailed engineering
- Equipment, skid and system integration
- Installation and commissioning support
- Performance stabilisation and troubleshooting
- Automation, monitoring and operator training
- Existing-plant audit and modification roadmap
Frequently asked questions
Planning a ZLD system
Does every ZLD plant require an MEE and ATFD?
No. The appropriate configuration depends on flow, dissolved salts, organics, scaling compounds, recovery target, energy availability and the acceptable residue route. Some streams may require different concentration or solidification approaches.
Why is stream segregation important?
Segregation prevents a small high-load stream from increasing the treatment and evaporation duty of the entire wastewater volume. It also enables targeted treatment and protects water recovery.
Can condensate and RO permeate be reused directly?
Reuse depends on the recovered-water quality and the receiving application. Condensate or permeate may require polishing or controlled blending before reuse.
Can YWT improve an existing underperforming ZLD plant?
Yes. The review can cover stream balance, pretreatment, membranes, evaporator loading, condensate quality, ATFD operation, instrumentation, utilities, SOPs and responsibility interfaces.
Start with the wastewater, not the equipment list.
Share the stream-wise flow, analysis, operating hours, existing treatment arrangement, reuse requirement and site utility data. YWT India will help define a technically realistic ZLD approach.
