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Knowles Precision Devices As a division of Knowles Corporation, Knowles Precision Devices (KPD), focuses on production of a wide variety of highly engineered capacitors and components for use in critical applications in military, medical, electric vehicle, and 5G market segments. Challenge The KPD facility in Cazenovia, New York produces solid state capacitors including barium ceramic-based capacitors. Key operations include plating, sputter gold coating, polishing, and dicing for the various ceramic capacitors. KPD plans on increasing overall production and is concerned about the pending increase in high purity water demand as well as increased wastewater output. The facility currently treats their wastewater on-site by evaporation before shipping concentrated material as hazardous waste at an annual cost of approximately $2,000. Water that cannot be evaporated due to random treatment equipment problems or spikes in production is sent out as liquid hazardous waste, resulting in disposal costs of around $49,000 in 2018. KPD currently does not have a process wastewater discharge permit, therefore they wanted to identify sustainable options for reducing and/or reusing their process water. Solution The New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I) collaborated with Train Develop Optimize (TDO) to investigate and identify water and wastewater reduction opportunities. To better understand how water is used through KPD’s manufacturing operation, NYSP2I collected data and created a water map. Based on the information gathered, options were then investigated on how to reduce and reuse water throughout their operation. Lastly, an economic analysis was conducted to help determine feasible solutions for KPD. New York State Pollution Prevention Institute CASE STUDY Knowles Precision Devices Reviews Water and Wastewater Reduction Opportunities Challenge Knowles Precision Devices (KPD) wanted to identify viable, sustainable options to reduce/reuse their process water, which has the potential to decrease the amount of hazardous waste within their operation Solution Results NYSP2I partnered with Train Develop Optimize (TDO) to investigate practical options for KPD to reduce their water use and subsequent wastewater through more efficient use of their water and/or process water recycling NYSP2I identified options for KPD to reduce wastewater generation through source reduction and recycling methods Membrane tests performed on lapping/ polishing wastewater to evaluate possible water ruse options showed that sufficiently clean water can be produced while reducing wastewater loadings to waste treatment by 95% Reducing wastewater flow to the evaporators by almost 40% would help avoid overloading and excess disposal costs
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CASE STUDY Knowles Precision Devices Reviews...As a division of Knowles Corporation, Knowles Precision Devices (KPD), focuses on production of a wide variety of highly engineered capacitors

Nov 05, 2020

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Page 1: CASE STUDY Knowles Precision Devices Reviews...As a division of Knowles Corporation, Knowles Precision Devices (KPD), focuses on production of a wide variety of highly engineered capacitors

Knowles Precision DevicesAs a division of Knowles Corporation, Knowles Precision Devices (KPD), focuses on production of a wide variety of highly engineered capacitors and components for use in critical applications in military, medical, electric vehicle, and 5G market segments.

ChallengeThe KPD facility in Cazenovia, New York produces solid state capacitors including barium ceramic-based capacitors. Key operations include plating, sputter gold coating, polishing, and dicing for the various ceramic capacitors. KPD plans on increasing overall production and is concerned about the pending increase in high purity water demand as well as increased wastewater output.

The facility currently treats their wastewater on-site by evaporation before shipping concentrated material as hazardous waste at an annual cost of approximately $2,000. Water that cannot be evaporated due to random treatment equipment problems or spikes in production is sent out as liquid hazardous waste, resulting in disposal costs of around $49,000 in 2018. KPD currently does not have a process wastewater discharge permit, therefore they wanted to identify sustainable options for reducing and/or reusing their process water.

SolutionThe New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I) collaborated with Train Develop Optimize (TDO) to investigate and identify water and wastewater reduction opportunities. To better understand how water is used through KPD’s manufacturing operation, NYSP2I collected data and created a water map. Based on the information gathered, options were then investigated on how to reduce and reuse water throughout their operation. Lastly, an economic analysis was conducted to help determine feasible solutions for KPD.

New York StatePollution Prevention Institute

CASE STUDY

Knowles Precision Devices Reviews Water and Wastewater Reduction Opportunities

Challenge

• Knowles Precision Devices (KPD) wanted to identify viable, sustainable options to reduce/reuse their process water, which has the potential to decrease the amount of hazardous waste within their operation

SolutionSolution

Results

• NYSP2I partnered with Train Develop Optimize (TDO) to investigate practical options for KPD to reduce their water use and subsequent wastewater through more efficient use of their water and/or process water recycling

• NYSP2I identified options for KPD to reduce wastewater generation through source reduction and recycling methods

• Membrane tests performed on lapping/polishing wastewater to evaluate possible water ruse options showed that sufficiently clean water can be produced while reducing wastewater loadings to waste treatment by 95%

• Reducing wastewater flow to the evaporators by almost 40% would help avoid overloading and excess disposal costs

Page 2: CASE STUDY Knowles Precision Devices Reviews...As a division of Knowles Corporation, Knowles Precision Devices (KPD), focuses on production of a wide variety of highly engineered capacitors

585-475-2512www.rit.edu/affiliate/nysp2i/[email protected]

111 Lomb Memorial Drive, Bldg 78Rochester, NY 14623

Funding provided by the Environmental Protection Fund as administered by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. ©2019 Rochester Institute of Technology. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed are those of Rochester Institute of Technology and its NYS Pollution Prevention Institute and do not necessarily reflect the views of New York State.

For more information please contact us:

Partners

Jennifer HyattEH&S and Facilities Manager2777 Route 20 EastCazenovia, NY [email protected]

Knowles Precision Devices

ResultsAs a result of the work performed, options were identified for KPD to reduce wastewater generation through source reduction and recycling methods.

• If improved process control in the dicing room and recycle of water from lapping/polishing are implemented, significant reductions in wastewater sent to evaporators can be realized.

• Improved control of overflow water from the dicing operation can significantly reduce wastewater sent to waste treatment.

• Membrane tests performed on lapping/polishing wastewater to evaluate possible water ruse options showed that sufficiently clean water can be produced while reducing wastewater loadings to waste treatment by 95%.

Expected capital investment to install a membrane system with tanks to reuse water is approximately $25,000. Despite the lack of direct return on investment as related to normal operating costs, reducing wastewater flow to the evaporators by almost 40% would help avoid overloading and excess disposal costs, for example $49,000 in 2018, while accommodating manufacturing expansion.