WEC Projects (Pty) Ltd, a contractor specialising in turnkey water and wastewater treatment solutions in South Africa, has acquired a majority stake in Industrial Water Cooling (Pty) Ltd (IWC), a company specialising in cooling tower and industrial cooling solutions

The carbon tax will be administered by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and companies will need to undertake appropriate national actions to curb greenhouse gas emissions by 34% by 2020 and a further 42% by 2025.

One of the simplest and most cost-effective ways in which to extend the life of a cooling tower, improve heat transfer efficiency and reduce maintenance downtime, is to upgrade the cooling tower’s fill media to components constructed out of robust and non-clogging materials such as Polypropylene (PP), PVC or stainless steel.

Eskom’s new Kusile Power Station in Witbank, Mpumalanga, is set to benefit from the energy-efficiency of IWC’s patented glass fibre reinforced plastic (GRP) fan stacks, four of which have been manufactured for one of the station’s mechanical induced-draft cooling towers.

IWC recently completed the construction of one of its largest ever glass-fibre reinforced plastics (GRP) tanks measuring 6 metres in diameter and 11 metres in height, capable of holding up to 254 000 litres.

Glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) is prevailing over traditional concrete, steel and wood as the most suitable primary cooling tower material in mining processes involving aggressive chemical solutions.

Glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) pipes’ proven resilience in harsh terrains, extreme climates and unpredictable site environments make them the superior choice over HDPE, steel and DICL (ductile iron concrete lined) pipes in the demanding environment of a mine dewatering system.

Municipalities across South Africa are facing a sewage and wastewater crisis as the country’s dilapidated pipe lines, mainly constructed out of steel or asbestos cement and installed in the 1960’s, reach the end of their effective lifespan.

Conserving South Africa’s water is a top priority as a Water Affairs study shows that South Africans will be using more water by 2025 than is currently available. By 2030, it will be using 17% more, according to the 2030 Water Resources Group.

Abrasion-resistant GRP has a smooth inner surface and low roughness coefficient and this allows for higher pipeline flow velocities.

IWC, African leaders in water cooling technology, will be showcasing their dynamic GRP Pipe System (“Glass Reinforced Polyester” Pipe System) at the Water Show Africa 2015, happening from 24 - 25 March 2015 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

In copper production, heat generated during extraction processes can be harnessed and transferred back into the system using heat exchangers, resulting in significant energy savings and unparalleled yield.