Page 62 - Towards A Sustainable Future 2024

Eco-solution 1: Centralised collection with settling tanks system

Figure 10 illustrates how eco-solution 1 works.

Figure 10: Illustration on Design 1 operation

• Step 1: A newly installed centralised tank serves as the A balancing pipe connects the primary and secondary tanks
collection point for all coolant used by the 13 CNC machines. to maintain consistent coolant levels.

• Step 2: The collected coolant is pumped from the centralised • Step 4: The cleaned coolant flows from the primary settling
tank to a primary settling tank, elevated to at least 3 meters, tank to the secondary settling tank.
utilising two pumps.
• Step 5: Gravity facilitates the transfer of clean coolant from
• Step 3: Within the primary settling tank, a partition is the secondary settling tank to the CNC machines, eliminating
incorporated to regulate the coolant flow, facilitating the the reliance on the two pumps per machine. To validate the
settling of chips, sludge, and other particles at the tank’s effectiveness of gravity pressure, a demonstration trial was
base. Engineered with a sloped design, the tank ensures all conducted by transferring water from the 3rd floor to the
chips, sludge, and particles migrate towards the discharge 2nd floor on the ITE campus.
valve for periodic manual removal. Due to its lighter density,
the oil/lubricant used in the cutting process naturally floats
to the coolant’s surface, which is then manually extracted or
removed using a skimmer machine. A level switch is installed
within the primary settling tank to prevent coolant overflow.

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