Name: IVAN BRÁULIO FREIRE BASTOS
Publication date: 25/02/2019
Advisor:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| RICARDO FRANCI GONÇALVES | Co-advisor * |
| ROSANE HEIN DE CAMPOS | Advisor * |
Examining board:
| Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| EDUMAR RAMOS CABRAL COELHO | Internal Examiner * |
| RICARDO FRANCI GONÇALVES | Co advisor * |
| ROSANE HEIN DE CAMPOS | Advisor * |
Summary: In Brazil, there is a false impression of abundance of water as a water resource, as there is only 14% of the fresh water of the planet, and 53% of the South American continent. In addition, its natural distribution is irregular in different regions of Brazil. Considering that the "Tubarão" Industrial Company is located in a region that in recent years has experienced water stress with water rationing, as occurred in 2014, the increasing pressure on natural freshwater resources, and due to the climatic variability, it is expected a need for water storage during rainy periods. Thus, to allow the sustainability of its business, the industry has been led to study strategies to explore alternative sources of non-potable water and improve its production processes in order to mitigate the risk of stopping its production, due to the lack water. In addition to this scenario, there is the growth of the industrial sector and rapid urban expansion, which further potentiates the water scarcity in the country (FIESP, 2005). After a careful study of the Tubarão's water flow, and considering the water supply (inputs), the consumer blocks, and the outputs (physical losses, apparent losses, infiltration, evaporation, product humidity, among others), it was observed that in periods of intense rainfall there is discharge of liquid effluent into the sea, due to the lack of storage capacity. After treatment, this disposal could return totally to the production process and be used as replacement water for the reuse reservoirs. Thus, there would be a saving of potable water, since currently this replacement is made with this kind of water. It is in this context that this study is inserted, having as main objective to use rainwater as an alternative source in the activities that do not demand drinking water. Also, this study dimensions a reservoir with adequate capacity to supply replacement water and avoid discarding of liquid effluents to receiving bodies. As a result, the study of the water balance of the Tubarão Company demonstrated that the demand for water is 13 million m³ / year, 62% of which returns to the productive process to be reused, with only 4% of all the water circulating in the industrial unit is discarded to the sea. It was also evident that approximately 2.5 million m³ / year of drinking water (19%) is used to replenish (nonpotable) water in the Tubarão reuse reservoirs. Considering this situation, this work evaluated the possibility of constructing an additional reservoir for rainwater and avoiding the discharge into the sea. Nevertheless, this work suggests the improvement of the management of water resources and the implementation of a program focused on awareness and maintenance of equipment with improvements in their production processes to combat waste and water leaks.
