CUSTOMER: Idrosistem Energy
SECTOR: Water treatment
YEAR: 2023
Idrosistem Energy, a company specialized in the treatment and recovery of civil and industrial wastewater, was established in 1995. In its first year of operation, it achieved the first direct water recovery application downstream of biological treatment.
Subsequently, it patented a new sand filtration system in a spunlace line (hydroentanglement) installed at the Orsa client site and a sand filter backwash recovery system through flotation at Tecnofibra.
Since the early 2000s, there has been a continuous growth in projects focused on the development of innovative technologies, including some notable ones. In 2004, the “band float” was designed and implemented, introducing a new technology for water treatment in confined spaces. In 2005, the “band bio float” was introduced, sharing similar characteristics but tailored for different applications. In the following years, a zero discharge process was designed and applied for the first time, the first biocide-free line for the spunlace industry was realized, the first hot recovery plant for PE recycling was installed in Guatemala, a system for boron recovery from industrial wastewater was developed, and the first biological treatment plant using only vitrified steel tanks was installed, moving away from the use of traditional concrete tanks.
The most recent developments include the application of an ultrafiltration system for caustic soda recovery in the denim industry and the use of a nanofiltration system in the dyeing and finishing industry.
The target
Historically, Idrosistem Energy used a three-dimensional CAD dedicated to mechanical design that struggled to adapt to the planning of complex systems. In practice, despite a significant investment of time, the final result was mediocre and not usable by other departments involved in the project, such as production, assembly, and purchasing.
“In 2020, we finally started searching,” says Michele Lago, the technical manager”, for software specifically dedicated to industrial plant design. We aimed to optimize the design process to the fullest, creating documentation that is easy to use and understand, both for Idrosistem Energy staff and the end client. Most importantly, we sought a solution that could automate certain processes that were previously performed manually by the operator.”
The answer
The investigation focused on the ESApro software, already known at Idrosistem Energy due to its successful use by a partner company. The product presentation by ESAin was thorough and convincing, as the technicians demonstrated that ESApro fully met all the requirements.
Therefore, in April 2021, Idrosistem Energy purchased the ESApro P&ID module for creating process diagrams, 3DPiping and Isometrics for 3D modeling of the plant and the production of isometric sketches, and Cable Trays for modeling electrical cable trays.
The introduction of ESApro into the company marked a new direction in the design of Idrosistem Energy’s plants.
“Firstly, we have the ability to link P&IDs with the 3D model,” continues Lago. “This is crucial to reduce errors when transitioning from the two-dimensional process diagram to the actual plant. Additionally, we now have the ability to incorporate electrical discipline into our projects, which was previously treated marginally. The Cable Trays module allows us to design the entire electrical distribution, including cable routing. The resulting document is a highly detailed list of all necessary materials, and importantly, it produces a drawing that is extremely easy for field operators to read.
The Isometrics module, which allows the creation of the isometric drawings of the pipelines with few and simple commands, has become indispensable, especially in the design of complex plants. Equally crucial is the automatic creation of the materials list by the software.”
The case
For the first time, a longstanding client had specified cable routing documentation in the plant specifications, a request never made in years of collaboration. Seizing the opportunity, despite the fear that the client might not appreciate the switch from one program to another, it was decided to start using ESApro specifically for that plant.
The result
Despite a minimal initial inertia, which is natural when using a new tool, the outcome was excellent, thanks also to the punctual and comprehensive support from ESAin’s technical assistance service. They consistently guided Idrosistem Energy’s designers on the most direct and effective path to achieve their goals. The end customer greatly appreciated the new appearance of the drawings, especially the documentation— isometric drawings, cable routing and material lists—provided alongside the drawings.
“The benefit of introducing ESApro is immeasurable,” concludes Lago. “In addition to significantly improving the entire design process, we can now create drawings and documentation that were not possible with the previous 3D CAD system. With ESApro, the work of the technical office has greatly improved; now we have a tool suitable for the type of work we need to perform. The purchasing department has also benefited significantly, as it now has detailed lists with with items already coded for the acquisition of materials.”
