Analysis of the potential of utilization of water from air conditioning appliances at the Anil Campus of the CEUMA University-MA

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Water is an essential resource for many everyday activities and because it is a finite resource it must be used correctly. Based on this precept, the potential for the use of water generated in the condensation process of non-potable air conditioners in various activities at the Anil University campus, at CEUMA University located in the city of São Luis/MA, was analyzed. For the elaboration of the research, two buildings of the campus were selected that house several classrooms, teachers' room, library, toilets and other administrative dependencies which have installed air conditioners, of different capacities, that work in three shifts throughout the week, including on Saturdays. In order to evaluate the potential of the use of the water generated, the volumes produced in the various apparatuses existing in the selected campus environments were measured at different dates within the school semester and the physical and chemical analyzes of the water samples were carried out at the parameters pH, electrical conductivity, solids in total suspension, salinity and turbidity. At the end of the study, it was possible to identify the great potential for the use of condensed water from the appliances for non-potable purposes, which corresponded to 22.4  m³ generated weekly, a volume that can be used in less noble activities of the campus, such as floor cleaning and irrigation of the gardens and lawns, without risks to the users, according to the results of the laboratory analyzes done in the several collected samples, which always have values below the recommended in the ordinance No. 2914/2011 of the Ministry of Health and in the NBR 15527/2007 of the ABNT.