“Since you can’t pick a little of this and that out
of the water, you strip it down with reverse osmosis
or deionization, which makes the water aggressive.
Then you balance it with dirty water,” he added.
A submerged probe that is part of the RO or deionization system measures the incoming water’s
purity, compares results to the dialed-in settings
based on OEM recommendations, and determines
how much dirty water to add to achieve a nonaggressive balance.
Closing the Loop
A closed-loop recycling system cleans the source
water, directs it to the cutting nozzle, cleans it again,
and sends it back to the cutting nozzle for reuse.
The most common reason for choosing a closed-loop system is the lack of a drain to handle machine
overflow. A closed-loop system also can be necessary when cutting materials that create a hazardous
discharge; where water is a precious commodity; or
if governmental, military, or other regulations restrict sewer system disposal.
“Sometimes poor incoming water quality or the
potential for overwhelming a septic field with the
effluent makes a closed-loop system an economical
choice,” Frosheiser said. “Done correctly, closed-loop
operating costs can get down to about $2 per hour.”
Keep Checking
Check the chemical makeup of process water on
a regular basis, particularly if the water is not pro-
cessed before it reaches the waterjet filter. The com-
position of nontreated potable water varies from lo-
cation to location, season to season, and even from
connection to connection within a shop. And that
variance can affect your production.
For example, the particulate count in city water
can vary throughout the year. If there is a drought
condition, water may be pulled from an aquifer that
has collected a high level of particulate matter from
surface runoff.
“Water quality within a shop can vary, so check
water purity if you relocate a waterjet,” Coker said.
“If a portion of a facility was built 10 years ago, it
might have an older pipe system that contains corrosion. Water from those pipes will be dirtier than
the water run through pipes in a newer addition.”
Contributing Editor Sue Roberts can be reached at
suer@thefabricator.com.
OMAX Corp., 21409 72nd Ave. S., Kent, WA 98032,
253-872-2300, www.omax.com
Pumps & Systems Inc., 6256 N. Telegraph Road,
Dearborn Heights, MI 48127, 313-730-0000, www.
pumps-systems.com
TECHNI Waterjet, 15301 W. 109th St., Lenexa, KS
66219, 913-492-3700, www.techniwaterjet.com
www.JMTUSA.com | 866-865-9082 | Info@JMTUSA.com
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Excessive calcium, magnesium,
and iron make water hard, which
leads to localized component
damage like corrosion that can
cause fissures and the eventual
failure of metal pressurized
components. And they can leave
mineral deposits.
