Water (H2O) is an inorganic, colorless, and universal solvent and can be found on 70% of the earth in form of oceans and rivers. Let us discuss the industrial uses of water.
The industrial use of H2O are listed below-
- Thermoelectric power plants
- Oil industries
- Hydroelectric dams
- Semiconductor manufacturing
- Gas industries
- Pulp and paper mills
- Food industries
- Chemical production industries
- Pharmaceutical or biotechnology industries
- Fabric and textile manufacturing industries
- Dairy production industries
- Beverages industries
- Ores mining industries
- Rayon and nylon manufacturing industries
- Cosmetic production industries
- Sugar production industries
- Fruit and vegetable farming
- Automotive manufacturing industries
Here, we will discuss the uses of water listed above in detail.
Thermoelectric power plant
- The freshwater is needed to produce the steam in the boiler which further condenses to form electricity in turbines.
- Water is used in the scrubbing of air pollutants present in the flue gas.
- Water is useful in the cooling of steam in boilers.
Oil industries
- Water is used in the refining of oil
- In oil, industry water is important for fire protection and cooling of high temperature steams.
Hydroelectric dams
Water is useful to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy which produces a large amount of electricity.
Semiconductor manufacturing
Pure water is used in the cleaning of silicon chips which are used to insert in semiconductors, and further used in different electronic gadgets.
Gas industries
- Water is pushed at a very high pressure to burst out the cracks of the rock which allow the natural gas top flow for recovery.
- For dust control and cleaning of equipment where gas is stored, water is used.
- Water is useful in the cooling gasses stored in big vessels.
Pulp and paper mills
- Water is used for the refining of the papers.
- For the cooking of wood pulp and wood chips pure water is needed.
- In the paper and pulp industry for the washing of raw materials to remove dust and bacteria water is used.
Food industries
- Water is used in the food industry for the sanitization and cleaning of raw materials and for the cleaning of different machines and equipment which are in use for making food.
- Water is needed for the cooking of raw food materials.
Chemical production industries
- Water is used in washing dust particles from raw materials in the chemical production industry
- Water is useful in the cooling of steams during different acids productions.
- Water is used in the dilution of different chemical species.
Pharmaceutical or biotechnology industries
- Water is used to maintain the cleanliness and sanitization of working area.
- For the synthesis of different chemical compositions water is needed.
Fabric and textile manufacturing industries
- For washing and cleaning dust particles and pollutants water is needed in fabric manufacturing.
- Water is used as a source for transferring dyes or chemicals to fabrics and as a solvent for chemicals and dyes.
Dairy production industries
- Water is used for animal consumption in farms and dairies.
- For cooling milk and other dairy products water is helpful.
Beverages industries
- Water is used as a raw material in beverages like cold drinks and soft drinks.
- For cooling and heating beverages water is needed.
Ores mining industries
- Water is used for the breaking of big rocks and mountains.
- For the cleaning and scrubbing of dust particles from ores and raw materials.
Rayon and nylon manufacturing industries
- Water is used for the washing of pollutants from raw materials like plants and stems.
- Water is helpful for ripping the raw material for making rayon and nylon.
Cosmetic production industries
Water is used for making different water based cosmetic products like shampoo, conditioner for hair, and body lotions, kajal, foundations, primer, etc.
Sugar production industries
- For washing raw materials like sugarcane water is needed.
- Water is used for the cooling of steam in turbines.
- For the refining and crystallization of sugar water is used.
Fruit and vegetable farming
- Water is useful for the washing of raw materials and for maintaining hygiene.
- Water is needed for the irrigation and fertigation for the growth of plants which helps in large scale production.
Automotive manufacturing industries
- Water is used for the maintenance of air – conditioning system and boilers system in cars.
- Water is used for washing and rinsing off the pollutants from the surface of the car and any other part of it.
- Water is used for coating and surface repellent as well as the cooling tower makeup process.
Conclusion
Water is widely used for industries along with agriculture and household purposes also. Due to its polar nature and high solubility it is easy to use for every industry. Water is important for all living beings.
Hi….I am Soumya Chourasia, completed my Master’s in Chemistry. I am working as a Subject Matter Expert in Chemistry. Before this, I used to teach chemistry for competitive examinations and school as well.
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