Quick answer: PRAB industrial water recycling and treatment systems combine ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, vacuum evaporation, and automated pH adjustment in turnkey configurations to meet EPA and POTW discharge requirements while enabling water reuse. Documented results include up to 90% reductions in wastewater volume and disposal costs, with ROI typically achieved in 12–18 months. For facilities targeting Zero Liquid Discharge, PRAB’s EVALED® vacuum evaporators recover up to 99% of wastewater as reusable distillate.

Turn Industrial Waste Streams into Reusable Resources

PRAB‘s Industrial Water Management Systems deliver two outcomes for manufacturing facilities: regulatory compliance for discharges and measurable cost reductions through water reuse. PRAB designs fully integrated industrial wastewater treatment systems using ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, vacuum evaporation, and automated pH adjustment in turnkey configurations, each factory-tested and backed by the Performantee® Guarantee.

Documented results across PRAB customer installations include up to 90% wastewater volume reduction, up to 75% detergent cost reduction, and up to 90% disposal cost reduction, with return on investment achieved on most installations within 12 to 18 months.

 

Up to 91% 12-18 Months Up to 90%
Disposal Cost Reduction Typical Service Life Wastewater Volume Reduction

 


Process Water and Industrial Wastewater Treatment Systems | Zero Liquid Discharge | ZLD | PRAB

The PRAB Industrial Water Management Framework

PRAB‘s Industrial Water Recycling is a site-specific design approach that begins with an analysis of your wastewater composition, flow rate, and discharge or reuse goals. Based on that analysis, PRAB specifies and integrates the treatment technologies required to meet your compliance targets while maximizing the economic return from water reuse.

Our full technology stack spans five treatment categories:

  • Ultrafiltration (UF): Removes suspended solids and emulsified oils from metalworking coolant, wash water, and process fluids. Documented results include up to 75% reduction in detergent costs and up to 90% reduction in disposal costs.
  • Reverse Osmosis (RO): Removes dissolved salts and dissolved organics for high-purity water reuse in production.
  • Vacuum Evaporation (EVALED®): Concentrates wastewater to achieve Zero Liquid Discharge, recovering up to 99% of the fluid as reusable distillate. Factory Acceptance Tested before shipment. Ideal for plating, aerospace, and battery recycling operations.
  • Automated pH Adjustment: Continuously monitors and adjusts effluent to maintain the 6.0-9.0 pH range required by EPA and POTW regulations, with automated chemical dosing and auditable data logging.
  • Oil-Water Separators, UV Disinfection, and Ozone Oxidation: Targeted contaminant removal for facilities with specific discharge permit requirements.

Systems are available as standalone units or as fully integrated turnkey packages that combine multiple technologies in a single skid-mounted configuration and are factory-tested before delivery.

Solutions include:

PRAB systems are engineered specifically for industrial manufacturing environments where uptime, reliability, and integration matter.

→ See this 1) MSN.com article about how manufacturers are turning wastewater compliance into a profit center.

→ See this 2) MSN.com article featuring PRAB Industrial Process Water and Wastewater Treatment solutions.


De-Risking Your Investment

PRAB does more than build equipment. We engineer results.

Through our Demo Before You Buy™ and Materials Testing and Fluid Testing programs, we validate your application and define measurable performance specifications before you purchase.

FREE Materials Testing FREE Fluid Testing On-site Demo Equipment Performantee™ 

Guarantee

■  Eliminate uncertainty by providing real, tested performance data.

■ Select correctly sized components and configurations

■ Quantify expected ROI and payback timelines

■ Support accurate conveyor, hopper, and system design

■  Prove that your fluids can be recycled, reused, or treated to meet environmental compliance

■  Solids removal performance

■ Filtration clarity and turbidity reduction

■ Expected throughput and operating parameters – and more

■ Engineered Confidence, Documented Results.

■  Your materials

■  Your infrastructure

■  Your team

■  De-Risking with on-site and our Kalamazoo, MI Facility

PRAB’s Performantee is a true performance guarantee. We ensure that our equipment will achieve the specific results for which it was designed and manufactured. If it does not, we will revise, repair, or make any necessary changes to deliver the results you specified. So when you have questions or concerns about the performance of your PRAB equipment. 24/7 Live support.

 

 


Why Manufacturers Partner with PRAB

Proven Industrial Experience

PRAB‘s water treatment systems are designed to integrate with the broader manufacturing operation. Process Water Treatment Solutions addresses in-process fluid reuse for metalworking, plating, and food processing. Industrial Wastewater Treatment Systems ensure compliance with discharge limits for operations governed by the EPA, POTWs, or state-specific permits. For facilities targeting ZLD, EVALED® Vacuum Evaporation eliminates all liquid discharge by recovering spent fluids as high-purity reusable distillate. All systems are backed by PRAB’s Performantee® Guarantee, with documented performance data prior to shipment.

Built for Real Manufacturing Conditions

Unlike generic water treatment providers, PRAB understands metalworking fluids, tramp oils, fines, sludge generation, and the operational realities of industrial production environments.

Integrated Closed-Loop Solutions

PRAB uniquely combines:

  • Metal scrap processing
  • Fluid filtration
  • Coolant recycling
  • Industrial wastewater treatment

This allows manufacturers to create more efficient closed-loop manufacturing operations that recover value from both metal scrap and industrial fluids.

Brownfield Integration Expertise

Most facilities already operate legacy equipment from multiple vendors. PRAB specializes in integrating new systems into existing manufacturing environments with minimal disruption to production.

Performance-Focused Engineering

PRAB systems are designed to reduce operating costs while improving consistency, compliance, and long-term reliability. Many systems continue operating successfully for decades in demanding industrial applications.

Reduce Costs. Conserve Resources. Improve Compliance.

PRAB helps manufacturers transform industrial wastewater from a costly disposal problem into a reusable operational resource.

Benefits may include:

  • Reduced water consumption
  • Lower wastewater hauling costs
  • Reduced coolant disposal expenses
  • Improved sewer discharge compliance
  • Reduced chemical usage
  • Lower maintenance requirements
  • Improved plant sustainability metrics
  • Reduced operational downtime

Build a More Sustainable Manufacturing Operation

Whether your facility needs a standalone pH adjustment system, coolant recycling equipment, or a fully integrated wastewater treatment solution, PRAB provides the engineering expertise, equipment durability, and long-term support manufacturers need to succeed.

 

Connect with a PRAB Water Treatment Specialist

Discover how PRAB can help reduce costs, improve environmental performance, and support long-term manufacturing efficiency.

Reduce Water Costs

Customers are reusing 81%, or more, of their wastewater.

Increase Worker Safety

Eliminate the need for hazardous chemicals and air contaminants.

Meet Regulations

Meet zero liquid discharge goals and comply with state and local regulations.

Reduce Disposal Costs

Proven to reduce manufacturing disposal costs up to 15x.

Incoming Water

Protect your equipment and final product from contamination:

  • pH imbalances
  • Total Dissolved Solids
  • Total Suspended Solids
  • Hard water

Process Water

Reduce water costs and increase process performance by reusing water:

  • Rinse water
  • Wash water
  • Chemical baths
  • Parts finishing
  • Cooling water

Wastewater

Meet environmental and discharge requirements, while maximizing profitability:

  • Protect the environment
  • Protect your reputation
  • Avoid fines
  • Reduce haul-away

Proven solutions for a wide range of industries:

Aerospace

Automotive

Recycling

Manufacturing

Food & Beverage

Chemical & Pharma

Each PRAB solution is optimized to your processes and specific chemistry challenges.

Here are few of our industrial wastewater treatment examples:

Learn more about our proven technologies:

PRAB Ultrafiltration Equipment

Ultrafiltration (UF)

Separates suspended solids, emulsified oils and fine particulates; extends wash-water life, cuts chemical use and enables reuse. Learn More >

PRAB Reverse Osmosis Equipment

Reverse Osmosis (RO)

Ideal for industrial, metalworking and surface-treatment applications as a final stage after UF or chemical polishing. Learn More >

PRAB Evaled® Vacuum Evaporator Equipment

Evaled Vacuum Evaporators

Concentrate high-strength wastewater, recover usable distillate and achieve ZLD for industries like plating, aerospace and battery recycling. Learn More >

pH Adjustment Equipment

pH Adjustment Systems

Automated monitoring and dosing ensure effluent neutrality and compliance; designed for metal-finishing, manufacturing, recycling and chemical plants. Learn More >

Ultra Violet Equipment

UV / Ozone Disinfection

Chemical-free microbial and organic reduction; suited for high-purity reuse applications and closed-loop systems. Learn More >

PRAB Oil Water Separator Equipment

Oil Water Separators

Remove free and emulsified oils early in process-water treatment to protect downstream equipment and optimize the treatment chain. Learn More >

Water Management solutions for Industrial wastewater treatment and process water treatment use a combination of physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove contaminants, meet environmental regulations, and enable reuse.

Key technologies include ultrafiltration (UF) for suspended solids and oils, reverse osmosis (RO) for dissolved salts, vacuum evaporation for Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD), pH adjustment systems for regulatory compliance, oil-water separators, UV disinfection, and ozone oxidation for targeted contaminant removal.

PRAB designs fully integrated systems combining UF, RO, vacuum evaporators, automated pH control, and advanced oxidation in turnkey configurations tested under stringent factory conditions. These systems have achieved up to 90% wastewater volume reduction and significantly lowered chemical consumption in high-demand industries.

Explore PRAB Wastewater Treatment Solutions

Ultrafiltration systems use semi-permeable membranes to separate suspended solids, emulsified oils, and fine particulates.

This process extends the life of wash water, reduces chemical use, and creates a consistent effluent stream that can be safely reused in manufacturing processes or discharged in compliance with environmental regulations.

PRAB Highlight:
PRAB’s crossflow UF systems are engineered for minimal fouling and maintenance, achieving up to 75% detergent savings and 90% haul-away cost reductions. They integrate easily with PRAB RO or evaporation systems for maximum reuse potential.

Learn About PRAB UF Systems

Custom system design begins with an analysis of industrial wastewater composition, flow rate, and site goals. Aerospace may need heavy-metal removal, plating may require cyanide destruction, and battery recycling may need acid and fluoride treatment.

PRAB’s engineers combine UF, RO, evaporation, pH control, and chemical treatment for industry-specific solutions, often delivered in modular, skid-mounted configurations for quick installation.

Industry Examples & Flow Diagrams of Industrial Wastewater Treatment Systems

A structured maintenance program—covering filtration, pumps, instrumentation, chemical handling, tanks, safety systems, and compliance— ensures reliability and helps extend equipment life and maintain regulatory compliance.

PRAB provides detailed predictive maintenance, service documentation, operator training, and 24/7 technical support, ensuring our systems operate at peak efficiency for decades.

Here’s a summary of our predictive maintenance considerations:

  1. Preventive Maintenance

  • Scheduled Inspections: Create and adhere to a preventive maintenance schedule (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly).
  • Recommendation: Develop a checklist that includes filter inspection, pump seals, gasket condition, and tank integrity. Use OEM guidelines to set inspection intervals.
  1. Filtration System Care

  • Filter Media Replacement: Paper bed filters, cartridge filters, and membranes clog over time.
  • Recommendation: Monitor differential pressure and replace media when pressure exceeds OEM-recommended limits (often 15–20 psi). Keep spare media stocked for unplanned replacements.
  • Membrane Cleaning (UF/RO): Fouling reduces efficiency.
  • Recommendation: Perform clean-in-place (CIP) with appropriate chemical cleaners (alkaline for organics, acid for scaling) on a quarterly or as-needed basis.
  1. Pump and Motor Maintenance

  • Lubrication & Bearings: Pumps and mixers operate continuously in harsh environments.
  • Recommendation: Grease bearings per the manufacturer’s schedule; use vibration analysis or thermal imaging to catch early failures.
  • Seal Inspections: Mechanical seals are common failure points.
  • Recommendation: Inspect for leakage weekly and replace seals immediately to avoid contamination.
  1. Instrumentation & Control Systems

  • Calibration: pH probes, flow meters, and turbidity sensors drift over time.
  • Recommendation: Calibrate pH sensors monthly (or more often if in continuous use) using standard buffer solutions. Validate flow meters quarterly.
  • Control Panel Upkeep: Check PLCs and HMIs for software updates and alarm functionality.
  • Recommendation: Back up control logic quarterly and test alarms monthly.
  1. Chemical Management

  • Storage & Feed Systems: Improper chemical handling leads to corrosion and dosing issues.
  • Recommendation: Store neutralization chemicals in double-containment tanks, inspect feed pumps weekly, and flush dosing lines monthly to prevent crystallization.
  • Spill Containment:
    Recommendation: Verify containment systems quarterly and train staff in spill response.
  1. Tank & Piping Systems

  • Scaling and Fouling: Mineral buildup reduces flow and efficiency.
  • Recommendation: Inspect tanks yearly and hydroblast or descale as needed. For piping, flush quarterly with clean water.
  • Corrosion Monitoring:
    Recommendation: Perform annual ultrasonic thickness testing on steel tanks/pipes. Apply protective coatings as needed.
  1. Evaporators & Heat Exchangers

  • Scaling Control: Heat-transfer efficiency declines with scaling.
  • Recommendation: Use water softening pretreatment and descale yearly with acid solutions approved by OEM.
  • Vacuum System Maintenance (if applicable):
    Recommendation: Inspect vacuum pumps monthly and change oil as recommended by the manufacturer.
  1. Safety Systems

  • Emergency Shutoff & Interlocks: Safety devices must function reliably.
  • Recommendation: Test shutoff valves and interlocks monthly. Train operators are quarterly on emergency protocols.
  • Ventilation & Gas Monitoring:
    Recommendation: Calibrate LEL and toxic gas monitors quarterly. Inspect ventilation systems semi-annually.
  1. Sludge & Waste Handling

  • Dewatering Equipment (screw press, filter press): Overloaded or clogged equipment reduces throughput.
  • Recommendation: Inspect cloths/screens weekly, clean spray nozzles monthly, and rebuild hydraulic components as scheduled.
  • Waste Disposal Records:
    Recommendation: Audit disposal manifests quarterly for compliance with environmental regulations.
  1. Documentation & Compliance

  • Recordkeeping: Regulatory compliance often requires proof of maintenance.
  • Recommendation: Maintain a digital maintenance log (date, action, technician, notes). Use CMMS (computerized maintenance management system) for traceability.
  • Operator Training:
    Recommendation: Train staff annually on system operation, troubleshooting, and regulatory updates.

PRAB Maintenance & Support