International Journal of Automation and Power Engineering

IJAPE Volume 1, Issue 7, October 2012 PP. 174-178

ISSN(online) 2161-5055
ISSN(print) 2161-6442
www.ijape.org

A Cost Effective Design of Water Purification

System for Pharmaceutical Industry
Muhammad Ahsan Zamee1, Nahid-Al-Masood2 and Tabassum E Nur3
1,3
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, World University of Bangladesh, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh
2
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
Email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

(Abstract) Pharmaceutical water treatment requires removing contaminants from municipal drinking water to meet The
United States Pharmacopeia (USP) standards. There are two basic types of pharmaceutical water; water for topical use or
cleaning (sterile purified water, or PW), or water for injection (WFI) which includes sterile water for irrigation and most
sterile water for inhalation. For PW, USP guidelines require a conductivity limit of 0.6–4.7 µS/cm, and a bacteria-count limit
of 100 cfu/mL. The main difference between PW and WFI is the amount of bacterial contamination allowed, measured by
colony count and by endotoxin level. This paper presents a cost effective design of water purification system for
pharmaceutical industry, especially in the perspective of Bangladesh. Programmable logic controller (PLC) based design is
used for this purpose. The conventional water purification plant costs around US$ 120000 whereas the proposed plant costs
only US$ 8000.

Keywords: Water Purification System; USP Standard; Pharmaceutical Industry; Programmable Logic Controller.
A power electronics based design of water purification
1. Introduction system is proposed in [6] and in [7] neural networks based
Water purification is the process of removing undesirable optimum coagulation dosing rate control applied to water
chemicals, biological contaminants, suspended solids and purification system is presented. A highly efficient Capacitive
gases from contaminated water. The goal is to produce water De-Ionization (CDI) water purification system using a
fit for a specific purpose. Most water is purified for human buck-boost converter is proposed by [8]. In [9], an optimum
consumption (drinking water), but water purification may also control software package for coagulant dosing process in
be designed for a variety of other purposes, including meeting water purification system is developed. Remote Monitoring
the requirements of medical, pharmacological, chemical and and controlling system for a water purification plant is
industrial applications. In general the methods used include reported in [10].
physical processes such as filtration, sedimentation, and This paper proposes a cost effective design of water
distillation, biological processes such as slow sand filters or purification system for pharmaceutical industry, especially in
biologically active carbon, chemical processes such as the perspective of Bangladesh using PLC.
flocculation and chlorination and the use of electromagnetic
radiation such as ultraviolet light.
2. Description of the Proposed System
The main units of the proposed water purification system
A number of researches have been carried out to achieve
are described in what follows.
the effective design of water purification system. Optimization
of coagulant dosing process in water purification system is (i) Multimedia filtration: Multimedia filters are designed
presented in [1]. Implementation of an Appropriate Household to remove the bulk of suspended contaminants whose size
Water Purification System in Tourou, Cameroon is reported in exceeds 10–30 µm.
[2]. An EMI mitigation technique in a microcontroller based
water purification system is proposed in [3]. A new model (ii) Activated carbon (AC): AC beds, also known as
and control of water purification system is shown in [4]. activated carbon filters, most commonly are used to
Fuzzy logic based control scheme of water purification system remove chlorine and chloramines compound from feed
is shown in [5]. water. This filtration process protects downstream

IJAPE Volume 1, Issue 7 October 2012 PP.174-178 www.ijape.org © Science and Engineering Publishing Company
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International Journal of Automation and Power Engineering IJAPE

equipment such as RO membranes and IX resin beads beads in EDI units do not require chemical regeneration
from the damaging oxidizing action of chlorine and by acid and caustic. EDI units are continuously
chloramines compounds. regenerated electrically.

(iii) Softening: A softener is a type of IX technology that 3. Working Procedure of the Plant
controls scaling in downstream equipment. A softener
Raw water is collected from bore well water and fed to
controls scaling by removing hard scale–forming cations
feed water storage tank through NaClO (Sodium Hypo
such as calcium and magnesium and exchanging (i.e.,
chlorite) dosing (commonly known as Bleaching powder).
replacing) these ions for non-scale- forming sodium ions.
A feed water pump feeds water stored in tank. This pump
An older term, sodium zeolite softening, frequently is used
can feed 4000liter of water per hour to the generation unit.
to describe water softening.
Pressure of this water is around 2.5~4 Kgf/cm2. A pressure
(iv) Ion Exchange (IX) units: IX technology swaps cutout controls the pressure of feed water. Fed water is
undesirable feed water cations and anions with desirable transferred through multimedia filter, carbon bed and
cations and anions. Cations are positively charged atoms water softner. Silicon eliminator is dosed at the entering
and molecules. Anions are negatively charged atoms and point of multimedia filter. And at the end of softner
molecules. Cation IX units exchange undesirable feed NaHSO3 doses the water. Then water is passed through
water cations such as calcium, magnesium, lead, and precise filter of 10μ & 5 μ. At this point pre-treatment of
copper with desirable hydrogen ions. Anion IX units the water is completed and pressure of the fed water is
exchange undesirable feed water anions such as chloride, almost zero.
sulfate, phosphate, and nitrate with desirable hydroxide
Reverse osmosis is the main process for purification of
ions. The resulting hydrogen and hydroxide ions then
pre-treated water. Pre-treated water is now fed into the
combine to form water.
generation plant through a multistage vertical pump. This
(v) Cartridge filtration: Cartridge filtration or other pump reinforces the osmotic pressure for reverse osmosis
pre-filtration technology is used ahead of RO units to process. Pressure of this water is around 8~10 Kgf/cm2.
protect against fouling from suspended particles in the Generation plant is divided into two stages: Stage-I RO &
feed water. RO membrane systems may become fouled if Stage-II RO. In stage-I RO water is passed through
sufficient suspended solids (particulate) removal is not 0.0003μ RO membrane (comply chemical sanitization).
accomplished. Typically, 1–5-µm nominally rated filter Once the water comes out of membrane a conductivity
cartridges are used. sensor measures its conductivity. Acceptable range of this
water conductivity is 20~35 μS/cm. Water goes to drain
(vi) Reverse osmosis (RO) water treatment: RO water line if it fails to achieve the desired range. And if it is
treatment has become the standard at many pharmaceutical within the range it goes to intermediate tank. A water level
water treatment plants. RO technology can be a cost sensor controls the water storing and discharging of the
effective replacement for dual cation and anion IX units. intermediate tank. Stored water is fed to Stage-II RO by
RO systems reduce the need to use costly chemicals, another multistage vertical pump. The purpose of using
especially those that are caustic, and they curtail the this pump is same as the previous one. NaOH (Sodium
ever-increasing cost of regeneration waste disposal. The Hydroxide) is dosed to this water. Pressure of this water is
payback that results from using an RO system can be around 8~10 Kgf/cm2. In stage-II RO water is passed
achieved in less than two years in some situations. An RO through 0.0003μ RO membrane (comply heat sanitization).
membrane system can remove as much as 98–99% or Once the water comes out of membrane a conductivity
more of all dissolved contaminants and can remove sensor measures its conductivity. Acceptable range of this
essentially all suspended (particulate) contaminants. water conductivity is 5~10 μS/cm. Water goes back to
However, RO units require pretreatment to prevent scaling, intermediate tank if it fails to achieve the desired range.
fouling with living and nonliving particulate materials, And if it is within the range it goes to distribution tank
and chemical attack, commonly by oxidizing agents. through Electro Deionization Unit (EDI)*. Water coming
out of EDI is known as purified water. Acceptable range of
(vii) UV irradiation: It is used for bacterial control.
this water conductivity is 0~1.3 μS/cm. Water goes to
(viii) Electrode-ionization (EDI): EDI units in many cases intermediate tank if it fails to achieve the desired range.
can cost-effectively replace mixed-bed IX units. The resin And if it is within the range it goes to distribution tank. A

IJAPE Volume 1, Issue 7 October 2012 PP.174-178 www.ijape.org © Science and Engineering Publishing Company
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International Journal of Automation and Power Engineering IJAPE

water level sensor controls the water storing and distribution side the conductivity of EDI, outgoing water
discharging of the distribution tank. Water stored in must not be more than 1.3 μS/cm. If the range exceeds, the
distribution is fed to distribution line through a UV lamp water return to intermediate storage tank. Otherwise water
by a Distribution pump. It kills the remaining germs in the goes to distribution tank. A water level sensor also
water. Line Pressure of this water is depends upon the uses controls feeding of water to distribution tank. If the water
at user point. Pressure decreases with the increase of use level is high the water feeding will be stopped, and if the
of water. The unused water is returned to distribution tank. level is low supply to the distribution side is stop. A
Acceptable range of conductivity for this water is NMT distribution pump distributes water through UV lamp.
1.3 μS/cm. Two pneumatic valve controls the incoming Unused distributed water returns to distribution tank
and draining of the return water depends on its through the closed loop system. Water is rejected and
conductivity. drained out if the conductivity of return water is more than
1.5 μS/cm.
4. Description of the Control Logic
Table 1 and Table 2 show the input and output of the
Raw water is collected from underground and fed to the controller, respectively.
feed water tank through a controlling pneumatic valve.
Controlling of pneumatic valve is depending on the water Table 1 Input of the Controller
level of the feed water tank. So for the controlling of water
feeding into the feed water tank a water level sensor is Serial
Future
used in the feed water tank. If the level of water in the Items Type Changes/expansion
No.
(proposed)
tank is high then pneumatic valve of the feed line remain
off. And if the water level goes low pneumatic valve is on
Auto/Manual Change
and feed water is fed through NaClO dosing. This water is 1 Digital
over switch
fed to the multi-grade, carbon bed, softner and precise
Human machine
filter (5&10μ) by a feed water pump. During this filtration 2 Generation switch Digital
interface (HMI)
water is also dosed with silicon eliminator & NaHSO3. A 3 Distribution switch Digital
pressure cutout controls pump pressure. If pressure is
4 Neutralization switch Digital
more than 4Kgf/cm2, the total pre-treatment plant will
shutdown. Water after precise filter is fed into the RO-I Pre-Treatment plant
5 Digital Pressure transducer
membrane by a multistage vertical pump. A pressure pressure high cut-out
cutout controls pump pressure. If the pressure is more than
10 Kgf/cm2, total pre-treatment plant and multistage Stage I RO membrane
6 Digital Pressure transducer
vertical pump will shutdown. After passing of RO-I pressure high cut-out

membrane water conductivity is checked. If water

Stage I RO conductivity
conductivity is more than 35μS/cm then water is drained 7 Analogue None
Transmitter
out. Otherwise water is fed into the intermediate storage
tank. A water level sensor in the intermediate storage tank Intermediate storage Pressure based
also controls water feeding into the intermediate storage 8 Digital
Tank water level sensor water level sensor
tank. If the level is high pre-treatment plant including
multistage vertical pump for RO-I membrane will off. And Stage II RO membrane
9 Digital Pressure Transducer
if the level is low supply to RO-II membrane will be off. pressure high cut-out
Water from intermediate storage tank is supplied into the
RO-II membrane through NaOH dosing. For this feeding Stage II RO conductivity
10 Analogue None
Transmitter
another multistage vertical pump is used. A pressure
cutout controls the pressure of this water. If the pressure is 11 pH Transmitter Analogue None
more than 10 Kgf/cm2 multistage vertical pump and NaOH
dosing pump will go in shutdown condition. Again water Distribution Tank water Pressure based
12 Digital
level sensor water level sensor
conductivity is checked after RO-II membrane. If the
conductivity is more than 10 μS/cm water returns to the
Back Water Conductivity
intermediate storage tank, otherwise it feed into the EDI 13
Transmitter
Analogue None
unit (Electro deionization unit). To feed into the
IJAPE Volume 1, Issue 7 October 2012 PP.174-178 www.ijape.org © Science and Engineering Publishing Company
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International Journal of Automation and Power Engineering IJAPE

Table 2 Output of the Controller The comparison of the proposed plant with the conventional
one is shown in Table 4.
Future
Serial Table 4 Comparison
Items Type Changes/expansion
No.
(proposed) Conventional
Features Proposed water plant
1 Feed Pump Digital Feed pump 2 water plant

2 Multistage vertical pump 1 Digital None Looping system It has looping system None
3-way pneumatic cutup
As per GMP rule in a water
3 valve (Stage I RO to Digital None
Volume flow system return water flow at None
Buffer Tank)
least 1m/s.
4 Multistage vertical pump 2 Digital None
Sanitization Hot water sanitization. So its Chemical
3-way pneumatic cutup
system cost is less. sanitization
5 valve (Buffer Tank to Digital None
EDI) Continuous

Distribution pump 2 water condition Applicable None

6 Distribution pump Digital and Inverter for both checking

pumps Automated
Applicable None
2 way pneumatic valve dosing
7 Digital None
(Back water qualified) Safety Improved Safety system None

2 way pneumatic valve Air vent filter included for

8 Digital None Filter None
(Back water disqualified) storage tanks
2 way pneumatic valve
9 Digital None After 30 days, improves After 15 days
(Stage I RO water drain) Sanitization
production facility (3 hrs (18 hrs cycle
Time
2 way pneumatic valve required) time)
10 Digital None
(Stage II RO water drain)
EDI Applicable None

5. Results It is clearly observed from above table that the proposed plat
is more advantageous than the conventional one. More over
The microbiological report of the proposed water
purification plant is presented in Table 3. the cost of the proposed plant is US$ 8000 while the
conventional one costs US$ 120000.
Table 3 Microbiological Report
6. Conclusion
E.coli Salmonella spp. Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Water is the most widely used substance, raw material or
None None None
starting material in the production, processing and
None None None
formulation of pharmaceutical products. It has unique
None None None chemical properties due to its polarity and hydrogen bonds.
None None None This means it is able to dissolve, absorb, adsorb or suspend
None None None many different compounds. These include contaminants that
None None None may represent hazards in themselves or that may be able to
None None None
react with intended product substances, resulting in hazards
to health.
None None None

None None None This paper presents a cost effective design of water
None None None purification plant for pharmaceutical industry, especially in
Bangladesh perspective. The results clearly reveal that the
It is observed from the above table that no bacterium is proposed plat is more advantageous and cost effective than
identified after purifying the water using the proposed plant. the conventional one.

IJAPE Volume 1, Issue 7 October 2012 PP.174-178 www.ijape.org © Science and Engineering Publishing Company
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International Journal of Automation and Power Engineering IJAPE

References Author Introduction

[1] Tae-Hwan Han; Eui-Suck Nahm; Kwang-Bang Woo; Kim, Muhammad Ahsan Zamee complited his B.Sc. in Electrical,
C.J.; Jeong-Woong Ryu, “Optimization of coagulant dosing
Electronic and Communication Engineering (EECE) from Military
process in water purification system”, Proceedings of the 36th
SICE Annual Conference, pp. 1105 – 1109, 1997. Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), Bangladesh. He

[2] Clopeck, K.L.; Foster, L.E.; Krause, C.F.; Manto, J.P.; Phillips, started his career as a design engineer in industry. Currently he is
D.J.; Yamakoshi, B.L., “Implementation of an Appropriate serving as a Lecturer of EEE in World University of Bangladesh.
Household Water Purification System in Tourou, Cameroon”,
His research interest includes industrial contraol and power system
Systems and Information Engineering Design Symposium, pp.
327-332, 2006. modeling.
[3] Sakthivel, K.N.; Das, S.K.; Kini, K.R., “EMI mitigation
Nahid-Al-Masood completed hid B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Electrical
techniques in a microcontroller based water purification
system. and Electronic Engineering from Bangladesh University of
[4] “a case study”, Electromagnetic Interference and Engineering and Technology (BUET). Currently he is serving as
Compatibility Conference, pp. 115-118, 2003. an Assistant Professor in the Department of EEE, BUET. He has
[5] Decui Tang; Xuefeng Zhu, “Modeling and Control of Water published several research papers on power system. His research
Purification Systems”, International Conference on
Information Engineering and Computer Science, pp. 1-4, 2009. interest includes power system planning, modeling, security,
reliability, economy and control.
[6] Bai Hua, “A fuzzy logic based coagulant real time control
scheme for water purification system”, International
Conference on Mechatronics and Automation, pp. 2123 – 2127, Tabassum E Nur complited her B.Sc. in Electrical, Electronic
2009. and Communication Engineering (EECE) from Military Institute
[7] Alkuran, M.; Orabi, M., “Utilization of a buck boost converter of Science and Technology (MIST), Bangladesh. Currently she is
and the method of segmented capacitors in a CDI water serving as a Lecturer of EEE in World University of Bangladesh.
purification system”, 12th International Middle-East Power
System Conference, pp. 470-474, 2008.
[8] Hua Bai; Lixin Gao; Guibai Li, “Neural networks based
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Control and Automation, vol.-2, pp. 1432 – 1435, 2002.
[9] Alkuran, M.; Orabi, M.; Scheinberg, N., “Highly efficient
Capacitive De-Ionization (CDI) water purification system
using a buck-boost converter”, Twenty-Third Annual IEEE
Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition, pp.
1926-1930, 2008.
[10] Eui-Suck Nahm; Su-Bum Lee; Kwang-Bang Woo; Bong-Kuk
Lee; Sang-Keun Shin, “Development of an optimum control
software package for coagulant dosing process in water
purification system”, 35th SICE Annual Conference, pp.
1157-1161, 1996.
[11] Thalakotuna, D.N.P.; Tilakaratne, T.A.T.; Jayasinghe, Y.B.M.;
Silva, T.H.K.; Munasinghe, S.R., “Remote Monitoring and
controlling system for a water purification plant”, 4th
International Conference on Information and Automation for
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