Industrial Wastewater Treatment
Bel Air Finishing provides industrial wastewater treatment solutions that help manufacturers manage effluent from mass finishing, deburring, polishing, cleaning, ultrasonic, machining, and related production operations. Our systems are designed to support water recirculation, closed-loop processing, sludge removal, and responsible wastewater disposal while helping reduce water, chemical, and disposal costs.
We offer five wastewater treatment technologies to match a wide range of process requirements: AquaSafe™ flocculant-based treatment systems, centrifugal sludge separation systems, ultrafiltration systems, evaporators, and precious metal recovery solutions. From compact batch treatment at the machine to centralized processing for higher-volume operations, Bel Air can help develop an integrated wastewater treatment solution for your application.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The WTS-150 can be configured to receive wastewater from existing finishing and additive-manufacturing equipment through collection plumbing, sump tanks, or other appropriate effluent-management components.
Applications may include centrifugal disc finishers, vibratory bowls, rinsing operations, and 3D-print support-removal or post-processing stations. The final configuration depends on the number of machines, wastewater volume, contaminant load, available floor space, collection plumbing, and the required treatment rate.
Bel Air can review the application and recommend an appropriate WTS-150 collection and treatment configuration.
The WTS-150 helps separate suspended solids, fine metal particles, oils, and other contaminants from industrial wastewater, supporting water reuse, further treatment, or disposal planning. The treatment process produces clarified liquid and collected sludge that can be managed using an appropriate dewatering and disposal method.
The system can also be configured with dewatering equipment, polishing filtration, pressurized water-feed systems, and other downstream options when an application requires additional treatment or water conditioning. Final discharge, recycling, and sludge-disposal requirements vary by wastewater stream and applicable local, state, and federal regulations. Bel Air can help evaluate the application and recommend a treatment approach, but customers should confirm final requirements with their local authority or environmental professional.
Absolutely. The system can be configured for closed-loop in-line wastewater recycling, enabling treated water to be reused in rinsing or finishing operations. For customers requiring higher water purity, optional polishing filters and the WW-OZD pressurized return system can be added to improve clarity and reduce bacterial growth. This configuration helps reduce water usage, minimize discharge volumes, and support green manufacturing initiatives.
Traditional batch systems require stopping production to collect and treat effluent. The WTS-150, by contrast, treats wastewater continuously as it’s produced—a major advantage for operations where uptime and efficiency are critical. The in-line design allows you to process 20–150 gallons per hour without interrupting production, making it ideal for high-throughput industrial wastewater treatment with minimal operator oversight.
Maintenance requirements depend on the wastewater stream, treatment volume, AquaSafe™ blend and dosage, and selected dewatering equipment. Routine tasks may include checking sludge accumulation, verifying powder dosing, inspecting pumps and plumbing, and servicing filter bags or centrifuge liners when applicable.
The WTS-150 is designed with durable aluminum and stainless-steel construction, but the appropriate maintenance schedule should be based on operating conditions and the facility’s selected treatment configuration.
Yes. Bel Air offers a free wastewater treatability test to evaluate how AquaSafe™ chemistry performs on your specific effluent stream. After submitting a sample, you’ll receive a full lab report showing sludge formation, clarity levels, and compatibility with the WTS-150 system. This ensures confidence before investing and can also support environmental compliance documentation. You can request a test kit directly through the website or by contacting our team.
The WTS-150 supports multiple sludge dewatering options to suit different production needs:
- WW-DT filter bag tanks offer a low-cost, manual solution using reusable sludge bags.
- WW-T22HS Turbo-Separator is a semi-automated centrifuge that reduces sludge volume by up to 75% with easy liner replacement.
- WW-T15/2 Turbo-Separator is a fully automated, self-cleaning unit for continuous operation with minimal labor.
These options make the system adaptable for both small job shops and large-scale finishing operations looking to manage sludge more efficiently.
- Electrical: 110V single-phase, 20 Amps — standard in most industrial and commercial buildings.
- Air: 80 psi at 40 cfm — required for the air diaphragm pumps and powder dosing.
These modest utility requirements mean the WTS-150 system is easy to install and relocate without major facility upgrades, making it ideal for both retrofit and greenfield applications.
Yes. AquaSafe™ is a non-hazardous, powder-based flocculant that can be handled without special PPE or chemical training. It’s safe for use in typical shop environments and helps facilities reduce their reliance on harsh chemical treatments. The resulting sludge is compact, stable, and classified as non-leachable, making it landfill-ready under most regulations. AquaSafe™ supports sustainability goals and simplifies regulatory reporting for eco-conscious wastewater treatment solutions.
AquaSafe™ treatment powder is added to wastewater from tumbling, vibratory finishing, polishing, or similar operations. During mixing, the powder initiates chemical and physical reactions that cause fine solids, abrasive particles, metal fines, emulsified oils, and other contaminants to bind together into larger flocs.
The floc settles from the liquid, leaving clarified water above. Depending on the application and treatment results, the clarified water may be reused in finishing operations, sent for further treatment, or discharged when it meets applicable requirements.
The settled material can then be collected and dewatered using filter bags, centrifuges, or other suitable sludge-management equipment.
A closed-loop wastewater treatment system collects process water from tumbling, vibratory finishing, rinsing, or related operations; treats it to separate contaminants; and returns clarified water to the process for reuse rather than sending it directly to discharge.
In a typical AquaSafe™ closed-loop configuration:
- A sump or collection tank receives wastewater from the finishing equipment.
- An AquaSafe™ Standard Series or Automated Series treatment system uses flocculant-based treatment to separate suspended solids, abrasive fines, metal particles, oils, and other contaminants into a settling floc.
- Dewatering equipment such as filter bag tanks or centrifuges can collect and reduce the volume of the resulting sludge.
- A pressurized water-feed system returns clarified water to tumbling, rinsing, or other finishing operations. Optional polishing filtration can capture remaining contaminants before recirculation, and ozone treatment may be added to help control organic buildup in recirculated water.
Closed-loop systems can reduce freshwater use, wastewater discharge volume, and disposal costs. Whether treated water is suitable for recirculation depends on the wastewater stream, treatment results, required water quality, and the finishing process.
Industrial centrifuges use centrifugal force to separate fine solids from coolants, oils, vibratory process liquids, wastewater, and other industrial fluids. They can help improve fluid cleanliness, support fluid reuse, reduce solids buildup, and simplify sludge management without relying on disposable filter media.
Bel Air centrifuge systems are used in applications such as machine-tool coolant cleaning, grinding-fluid treatment, vibratory finishing liquid recycling, glass and ceramic processing, and wastewater sludge separation.
No. Bel Air centrifuge systems separate solids from process fluids using centrifugal force rather than disposable filter media. This can help reduce consumable costs, minimize spent-filter waste, and provide a flexible approach for applications involving different fluid types and solids loads.
Bel Air centrifuge systems can be used with many industrial fluids, including water-based coolants, oils, emulsions, vibratory process liquids, wastewater, and similar process fluids. Depending on the application and system configuration, they can separate fine solids such as metal particles, abrasives, glass, ceramics, graphite, plastics, and other suspended contaminants.
The appropriate centrifuge depends on the fluid’s viscosity, solids load, flow rate, and required cleanliness level.
Yes. After solids are separated, clarified fluid can be collected in a clean-fluid tank or returned to the process when the resulting fluid quality is appropriate for the application. Centrifuges can support coolant reuse, vibratory process-liquid recycling, and other fluid-recovery approaches.
Whether fluid can be reused depends on the fluid chemistry, contaminant load, required cleanliness, and the process’s operating requirements.
The right centrifuge depends primarily on fluid volume, solids load, labor preferences, and how frequently sludge must be removed.
- Manual Batch Series: Best suited for compact applications where operators can periodically service the sludge basket or liner between processing cycles.
- Automated Continuous Series: Better suited for higher-volume or continuous operations where automatic sludge discharge and ongoing fluid cleaning can help reduce operator involvement.
Bel Air can review the application, fluid type, flow rate, and desired level of automation to recommend an appropriate centrifuge system.
Dirty fluid enters the centrifuge rotor, where centrifugal force separates suspended solids from the liquid. The solids collect along the wall of the sludge basket or liner while cleaned fluid is directed to a collection tank or returned to the process.
On the T6 model, cleaned liquid overflows the drum lid and is directed to a tank. On the T6B model, a scoop removes cleaned fluid from the rotor and directs it to a tank.
T5B/T6B Turbo-Separators use a 3,000 RPM rotor and can remove fine solids down to approximately 2–5 microns, depending on the fluid, solids load, and operating conditions.
This level of separation can help remove fine metallic particles, abrasives, glass, ceramics, graphite, plastics, and other suspended solids from coolants, oils, emulsions, vibratory process liquids, and similar industrial fluids. Bel Air can review your fluid and cleanliness requirements to help determine whether the T5B or T6B is appropriate for the application.
Service frequency depends on the solids load and the selected model. The T5B/T6B is designed to remove up to 0.8 gallons of sludge before the liner needs to be serviced. Regular inspection helps maintain consistent cleaning performance and prevents excessive solids buildup.
The compact T5B/T6B Turbo-Separators can process water-based fluids at flow rates up to 13 GPM and oils at flow rates up to 8 GPM. For higher-volume applications, the T22 offers processing capacity up to 40 GPM.
Actual throughput depends on fluid viscosity, solids concentration, temperature, and the required cleanliness level. Oil applications generally require lower processing rates than water-based fluids, and Bel Air can help match the centrifuge size and pump configuration to the application.
Manual Batch Series Turbo-Separators include cover-lock safety features designed to prevent the centrifuge from being opened while the rotor is spinning or activated while the cover is open. The T5B uses a cover lock/brake switch, while the T6B uses a mechanical cover lock. Indicator lamps and electrical controls are standard equipment.
Dirty process fluid is collected in a dirty-fluid tank and delivered by a feed pump into the centrifuge rotor. As the rotor spins, centrifugal force separates fine solids from the liquid and deposits them along the rotor wall.
Clarified liquid exits through a skimmer tube and can be directed to a clean-fluid tank or returned to the process. During the automatic sludge-discharge cycle, the rotor slows and internal scraping components remove accumulated sludge into a collection container before the centrifuge returns to normal operation.
Click here to learn more about Bel Air’s Automated Continuous Series centrifuges.
Automatic sludge discharge in Automated Continuous Series centrifuges is controlled by a timer. During the discharge cycle, dirty liquid is held in the dirty-fluid tank while the feed pump stops and the rotor slows. Excess process fluid returns to the dirty-fluid tank through rotor-wall valves.
After a short dry-spin cycle, a high-torque scraping mechanism removes accumulated sludge from the rotor wall and drops it into a collection container. The rotor is rinsed, returns to normal operating speed, and the cleaning cycle resumes.
No. During the timed sludge-discharge cycle, dirty process fluid accumulates in the system’s dirty-fluid tank while the centrifuge completes its discharge sequence. Once the rotor returns to normal speed, the system resumes cleaning and works down the accumulated fluid.
Automated Continuous Series centrifuges are designed for industrial fluids such as grinding oils, machine-tool coolants, automotive process fluids, ceramic and glass process fluids, and vibratory finishing liquids. Bel Air can review the fluid type, solids load, flow rate, and cleanliness requirements to help determine an appropriate centrifuge configuration.
Ultrafiltration, often called U/F, is a membrane-based wastewater treatment process used to separate water from larger contaminants in water-based solutions, emulsions, and suspensions. Under pressure, water passes through permeable membrane elements while larger materials, including emulsified oils, fine solids, and other suspended contaminants, are retained and concentrated.
The clarified permeate can be collected for reuse or discharge when it meets the requirements of the application and applicable regulations, while the concentrated waste is managed separately.
Ultrafiltration is generally suited for water-based industrial waste streams containing suspended solids, colloids, emulsified oils, burnishing soap, coolants, cleaners, and similar process contaminants. It can be used in mass finishing, cleaning, machining, and related manufacturing operations where aqueous wastewater must be treated before reuse, discharge, or off-site disposal.
Bel Air can review the wastewater stream, contamination level, daily volume, and reuse or discharge requirements to determine whether ultrafiltration is appropriate.
Yes. Ultrafiltration can reduce wastewater volume and produce clarified permeate that may be collected for reuse in an appropriate process or directed to discharge when it meets site-specific and regulatory requirements.
Whether treated water is suitable for reuse depends on the original wastewater stream, the required water quality, and whether additional treatment is needed. Bel Air can help evaluate the appropriate configuration for recirculation or disposal.
The Large Ultrafiltration Series is a skid-mounted, single-pass wastewater treatment system that circulates process fluid through wide-channel tubular membrane elements under pressure. Water passes through the membranes as clarified permeate, while solids, colloids, emulsified oils, and other retained contaminants remain in the process stream and become increasingly concentrated.
Crossflow filtration helps keep solids moving through the membrane elements and helps discourage fouling. The tubular configuration is designed to process wastewater containing suspended solids and emulsified matter without relying on chemical additives as the primary separation method.
Clarified permeate is directed to a 200-gallon storage tank or to a drain when permitted. The storage tank can include a supply pump and dispensing valve to return treated water to the process as needed. The concentrated waste stream is managed separately.
For unattended operation, the system’s recirculation pump automatically shuts off if low-pressure or high-temperature conditions are detected. Periodic membrane cleaning with a mild alkaline washer solution helps maintain performance.
The Large Ultrafiltration Series includes systems with nominal capacities of 250, 750, and 1,500 gallons per day. Actual daily throughput can vary based on the condition of the wastewater, including solids concentration, oil or emulsion content, temperature, and the required level of treatment.
The series is designed for larger-volume industrial wastewater applications where unattended operation and reduced operator involvement are important.
Large Ultrafiltration Series systems use tubular membrane elements and crossflow filtration to separate solids, colloids, emulsified matter, and oily emulsions from the wastewater stream. The wide-channel tubular configuration is designed to accommodate solids and help discourage membrane fouling during processing.
The ultrafiltration process uses membrane separation rather than chemical additives to concentrate the waste emulsion and solids. Clarified permeate can be directed to the included storage tank for reuse or to a drain when permitted, depending on the application.
Yes. The Large Ultrafiltration Series is designed for unattended operation and includes controls in a single enclosure. For protection, the recirculation pump automatically shuts off under low-pressure or high-temperature conditions.
The skid-mounted systems are pre-piped and pre-wired to support installation, although periodic membrane cleaning and normal system inspection are still required.
Membrane cleaning frequency depends on the wastewater chemistry, solids concentration, oil or emulsion content, operating hours, and the volume processed. Periodic cleaning with an appropriate detergent or mild alkaline cleaning solution helps remove buildup and maintain consistent membrane performance.
Large Series systems use tubular membranes designed to process higher-solids wastewater streams, but cleaning and replacement intervals should be based on actual operating conditions, permeate flow, pressure, and treatment performance. Bel Air can recommend an appropriate maintenance approach based on the wastewater stream and system configuration.
The Portable Ultrafiltration Series is available in 50, 125, and 250 gallons-per-day models. These compact systems are intended for lower-volume, water-based wastewater applications where mobility and batch processing are useful.
Actual capacity depends on the wastewater composition, contaminant concentration, operating conditions, and membrane-cleaning requirements.
Yes. Portable Ultrafiltration systems are enclosed in durable cabinets mounted on rubber wheels, making them suitable for facilities that need a compact unit that can be moved between process areas or positioned near a tank or drum.
Each unit includes a stainless-steel removable basket strainer rated to 100 microns to help protect the system from larger debris before membrane processing.
Portable Ultrafiltration systems include a microprocessor with a three-position timer, pressure gauge, high-temperature warning light and limit, low-pressure cutoff, thermal motor-overload protection, and a ground-fault circuit interrupter.
The systems also use a 1 HP close-coupled centrifugal pump with Viton seals and stainless-steel wetted components.
Portable ultrafiltration processes wastewater in batches from a tank or drum. The liquid is pumped through the U/F unit and returned to the process vessel in a recirculating loop. As water passes through the membranes, suspended contaminants, emulsified oils, and other retained materials become progressively more concentrated in the remaining liquid.
Once the batch reaches its target concentration or no longer produces useful permeate, the concentrated waste is transferred to a drum, tank, or other appropriate disposal method. The process tank can then be refilled for the next batch.
Membrane cleaning frequency depends on the type and concentration of contaminants in the wastewater. Portable Ultrafiltration Series membranes should be cleaned periodically with an appropriate detergent solution to remove buildup and maintain consistent performance.
With proper cleaning and maintenance, membranes typically last about one to two years. Some applications may require cleaning after each batch, while others may only need weekly cleaning. Actual membrane life depends on the wastewater stream, operating conditions, and maintenance practices.
Portable ultrafiltration can help reduce wastewater-handling costs by concentrating contaminants and reducing the volume of waste that requires disposal. Compared with off-site disposal, it may lower transportation, disposal, and long-term liability costs for suitable water-based waste streams.
Operating cost depends on wastewater volume, contaminant concentration, membrane-cleaning needs, electricity use, and disposal requirements for the concentrated waste. As daily wastewater volume increases, a larger ultrafiltration system may provide a lower per-gallon treatment cost.