The processing technologies of mineral water are more or less similar. The major difference arises from the type of bottles, glass or plastic. The glass bottles are normally reused, about 6 to 7 times before they are discarded.
The type of plastic used for bottle making is known as polyethylene terephtalate (PET). They are thin and shatter-proof containers, with glass-like transparence and exceptional strength which results in increased safety.
Each type of bottling has its own advantages and drawbacks. The glass bottles, for example, are heavier, i.e., costly to transports, are brittle and have danger of breakage and need be washed thoroughly. On the other hand, they are reusable. Therefore, it has lower production cost. The PET bottles have some drawbacks such as relatively high production cost and larger factory floor area for their manufacturing. However, they are lighter in weight and thus cheaper for transportation less damaged while filling and easy for handling. Therefore, either of the alternatives can be used based on the preference of the project owner. In this study the plastic bottle has been considered.
The production and bottling of purified water in PET bottles involves processes like raw water storage and treatment, filling and capping, labeling and wrapping.
The major operation in water storage and treatment unit include water color removal, raw water pumping and storage, chemical dosage, filtration using different types of filters, ultraviolet water disinfection ozone generation with recirculation system.
After proper water treatment, the PET bottles are automatically conveyed and transferred to the rinsing rotor where they are subject to rinsing jets. Then the bottles are transferred to the filling and capping rotors. After labeling and sealing, bottles are transferred to the discharge conveyor.
The production process does not have any adverse impact on the environment.