Onesto Lab Process Water Treatment Plant
Onesto Lab, Gurugram, Haryana
OEM / Coordinator : Aquacaresee Pvt. Ltd., Pune
Cosmetics & Personal Care Products Manufacturing
1 │ PROJECT OVERVIEW
| End Customer | Onesto Lab, Gurugram, Haryana |
| Industry | Cosmetics & Personal Care Products Manufacturing |
| OEM / Coordinator | Aquacaresee Pvt. Ltd., Pune |
| Executed By | BlueMaarlin Engineering Pvt. Ltd. (BMEPL), Pune |
| System | DMF + Softener + RO + DM + Mixed Bed (5-stage process water plant) |
| Feed Source | Borewell Water, Gurugram |
| Feed Flow Rate | 6.25 m3/hr (RO stage) / 5 m3/hr (DM/MB output) |
| Plant Capacity | 120 KLD (5 m3/hr × 24 hrs) |
| Feed Hardness | 400 ppm (design basis) |
| Feed TDS | Borewell — Hardness 400 ppm |
| Target Product Quality | Demineralised + Mixed Bed polished water: Conductivity <1 µS/cm, pH 7 |
| End Use | Process water for cosmetics formulation (creams, lotions, personal care products) |
| Quotation Reference | BM-08112501-Rev2, dated 28-11-2025 |
| Project Value | INR 25,00,000 + GST @ 18% = INR 29,50,000 |
| Supply Lead Time | 20–25 days from PO + advance receipt |
| Commissioning | 8 days (BlueMaarlin scope) |
2 │ CLIENT REQUIREMENT & PROJECT BACKGROUND
Onesto Lab, based in Gurugram, Haryana, is a cosmetics and personal care products manufacturer producing a range of skin creams, lotions, and related formulations. The manufacturing process demands consistently high purity water for product formulation — water quality that far exceeds conventional RO permeate standards. Regulatory compliance requirements for cosmetics manufacturing (as per Bureau of Indian Standards and GMP guidelines) require process water to meet near-pharmaceutical-grade purity, with conductivity well below 10 µS/cm and free of dissolved hardness, iron, heavy metals, and organic contaminants.
The facility draws water from a borewell source in Gurugram, which is known for high hardness (400 ppm) and elevated TDS typical of the Delhi-NCR region. Simple RO alone is insufficient to achieve the purity levels required; the client therefore required a multi-stage treatment train culminating in demineralisation (DM) and mixed bed (MB) polishing to produce ultra-pure process water.
Onesto Lab engaged Aquacaresee Pvt. Ltd. as the OEM project coordinator, who in turn appointed BlueMaarlin Engineering Pvt. Ltd. as the technology designer and supply partner for the complete integrated water treatment system.
Client's Key Requirements
- Ultra-pure process water for cosmetics formulation — conductivity <1 µS/cm, zero hardness, low TOC
- Multi-stage treatment: pre-filtration (DMF) → softening → reverse osmosis → deionisation (DM) → mixed bed polishing (MB)
- Reliable continuous supply of 5 m3/hr treated water to match production schedules
- Compact, integrated system with common MCC panel for simplified operator control
- Turnkey supply including installation, commissioning supervision, and full documentation (P&ID, space layout, test certificates)
- Low operating cost and easy chemical regeneration of ion exchange resins on-site
| Parameter | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Borewell | — |
| Feed Flow Rate | 6.25 | m3/hr |
| Hardness | 400 | ppm |
| Resin Volume | 400 | Litres (Softener) |
| Salt Required | 44.4 | kg/regeneration |
| Brine Water Vol. | 133.3 | litres |
| OBR (Cycles) | 296 | — |
3 │ CHALLENGES
Technical Challenges
- High feed hardness (400 ppm) from Gurugram borewell required a dedicated dual-stage pre-treatment: Dual Media Filter (DMF) for suspended solids + Softener for hardness removal ahead of RO, to prevent CaCO3 and MgSO4 scaling on the RO membrane surface
- Achieving near-pharmaceutical-grade product water (conductivity <1 µS/cm) from a challenging borewell source — required five sequential treatment stages (DMF → Softener → RO → DM → MB) rather than the conventional two- or three-stage approach used in industrial water treatment
- RO stage (Hydranautics CPA2-4040, 25 membranes in 5 × 5E FRP housings) must operate at 7.5 kW high pressure (CNP CDL 8-16, 156m head) to achieve the required TDS rejection from a high-hardness feed even post-softening
- Degasser tower integrated between SAC and SBA beds to remove CO2 liberated during cation exchange regeneration — critical for protecting the SBA resin from CO2 loading and ensuring correct pH in the demineralised water
- Mixed bed polishing (Thermax T42H cationic + Ion Exchange A27GEL anionic) as the final stage to achieve conductivity <1 µS/cm — any breakthrough from the DM beds would directly affect cosmetics product quality
- UV disinfection (Alfa SS304, 5 m3/hr) at the final treated water point to eliminate microbial contamination — critical for GMP compliance in cosmetics manufacturing
Site & Project Challenges
- Gurugram borewell water quality varies seasonally — conservative design margins built into DMF, softener resin volume (400L), and RO membrane count (25 × CPA2-4040) to handle worst-case feed quality
- Three-party project structure (BMEPL → Aquacaresee → Onesto Lab) required tight coordination for equipment approval, space layout compliance, and commissioning scheduling at the Gurugram manufacturing facility
- Compact space layout required for a cosmetics manufacturing plant — all vessels (DMF 30"×72", Softener 24"×72", SAC 24"×72", SBA 24"×72", MB 18"×65") sized and arranged with a single common MCC panel to minimise floor footprint
- Chemical regeneration (HCl for SAC/MB cation, NaOH for SBA/MB anion, NaCl for softener) must be managed safely within a cosmetics manufacturing environment — separate regeneration tanks and safe dosing provisions included
4 │ PROCESS DESCRIPTION — 5-STAGE TREATMENT TRAIN
The treatment system is designed as a five-stage sequential water purification train, starting from raw borewell water and producing mixed-bed-polished ultra-pure process water for cosmetics manufacturing. Each stage removes a specific class of contaminants, protecting downstream equipment and progressively improving water quality.
| Stage | Unit | Function | Output Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | Dual Media Filter (DMF) | Removes turbidity, TSS, iron, suspended solids from borewell water | SDI <3, Turbidity <1 NTU |
| Stage 2 | Softener | Removes hardness (Ca2+, Mg2+) via ion exchange (NaCl regeneration, Thermax T42NA resin) | Hardness <5 ppm |
| Stage 3 | Reverse Osmosis (RO) | Removes 95%+ TDS, dissolved salts, organics (Hydranautics CPA2-4040, 25 membranes) | TDS <50 ppm, Conductivity <100 µS/cm |
| Stage 4 | DM Plant (SAC + Degasser + SBA) | Cation + CO2 stripping + Anion exchange removes all dissolved ions to near-zero | Conductivity <5 µS/cm |
| Stage 5 | Mixed Bed (MB) + UV | Final polishing (Thermax T42H + Ion Exchange A27GEL) + UV disinfection | Conductivity <1 µS/cm, Sterile |
Flow Balance
| Stage | Flow Rate |
|---|---|
| Borewell Feed → DMF / Softener | 2.5 m3/hr (Softener train) + 6.25 m3/hr (RO train — separate DMF) |
| RO Feed (post-softening) | 6.25 m3/hr |
| RO Permeate | ~4.4 m3/hr (approx. 70% recovery) |
| DM / MB Feed (RO Permeate) | 5 m3/hr |
| Final Product Water | 5 m3/hr (120 KLD × 24 hrs) |
5 │ STAGE 1 & 2 — DMF PRE-FILTRATION & SOFTENER SYSTEM (2.5 m³/hr)
Dual Media Filter (DMF) — Softener Train
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Filter Feed Pump | Kirloskar CI — 2 nos. (1W+1S), 2.5 m3/hr @ 28m, Horizontal Centrifugal Monobloc |
| NaOCl Dosing Pump | RM PP — 0–6 LPH, with interlock switch |
| NaOCl Dosing Tank | PC LDPE — 60 Litres |
| DMF Vessel | Pentair FRP — 18" × 65", Top & Bottom opening |
| Sand Media | Fine + Medium + Pebbles — 150 kg total (3 × 50 kg bags) |
| Carbon Media | 900 IV — 50 kg (2 × 25 kg bags) |
| MPV (DMF) | RM PVC — 40NB, Side Mount, Manual, Union end connection |
| Distribution System | GP — Top Strainer GP-4R2-63, Bottom Strainer GP421-63 |
| Frontal Piping | UPVC White — suitable for 18" × 65" vessel |
Dual Media Filter (DMF) — Softener Train
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Filter Feed Pump | Kirloskar CI — 2 nos. (1W+1S), 2.5 m3/hr @ 28m, Horizontal Centrifugal Monobloc |
| NaOCl Dosing Pump | RM PP — 0–6 LPH, with interlock switch |
| NaOCl Dosing Tank | PC LDPE — 60 Litres |
| DMF Vessel | Pentair FRP — 18" × 65", Top & Bottom opening |
| Sand Media | Fine + Medium + Pebbles — 150 kg total (3 × 50 kg bags) |
| Carbon Media | 900 IV — 50 kg (2 × 25 kg bags) |
| MPV (DMF) | RM PVC — 40NB, Side Mount, Manual, Union end connection |
| Distribution System | GP — Top Strainer GP-4R2-63, Bottom Strainer GP421-63 |
| Frontal Piping | UPVC White — suitable for 18" × 65" vessel |
Softener System
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Softener Vessel | Pentair FRP — 24" × 72", Top & Bottom opening |
| Softener Resin | Thermax T42NA — 300 Litres (400 ppm feed hardness design) |
| Sand Media (bed support) | 100 kg |
| MPV (Softener) | RM PVC — 40NB, Side Mount, Manual, Union end connection, Type: Softener |
| Distribution System | GP — Top & Bottom Strainer GP-430-63 |
| Frontal Piping | UPVC White — suitable for 24" × 72" vessel |
| Regeneration Tank | PC LDPE/PP — 200 Litres with SS304 Agitator |
| Salt Required | 44.4 kg per regeneration cycle |
| OBR (cycles before regen) | ~296 bed volumes |
| Instruments | Baumer SS 0–7 kg/cm2 gauges (×6), Aster Level Switches (×2), Aster Rotameter F30000 (2" Flanged, 30,000 LPH), Hardness Kit (Prerana) |
| Skid | SS304 — pumps and instruments (vessels on ground due to weight) |
| Piping | UPVC SCH40 (drain not included) |
6 │ STAGE 3 — REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM (6.25 m³/hr)
Reverse Osmosis (RO) System
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| RO Feed Pump | CNP SS304 — 2 nos. (1W+1S), 7 m3/hr @ 37m, Model CHL-8-40, 2HP / 1.5 kW, Horizontal Centrifugal |
| NaOCl Dosing Pump | RM PP — 0–6 LPH, with interlock switch |
| NaOCl Dosing Tank | PC LDPE — 60 Litres |
| DMF Vessel (RO train) | Pentair FRP — 30" × 72", Top & Bottom opening |
| Sand Media (RO DMF) | Fine (3 bags) + Medium (2 bags) + Coarse (1 bag) + Pebbles — 350 kg |
| Carbon Media (RO DMF) | 900 IV — 125 kg (5 × 25 kg bags) |
| MPV (RO DMF) | RM PVC — 40NB, Side Mount, Manual, Union end connection |
| Distribution System | GP — Top GP-430-63, Bottom GP436-63 |
| SMBS Dosing Pump | Initiative Engineering PP — 0–6 LPH, with interlock switch |
| SMBS Dosing Tank | PC LDPE — 60 Litres |
| 5-Micron Cartridge Filter | PP Housing — Threaded end conn., Max 10 m3/hr, 6"×25", 5 micron, Wound type |
| High Pressure Pump | CNP CI-SS304 — 7 m3/hr @ 156m head, Model CDL 8-16, 7.5HP / 5.5 kW, Vertical Multistage, IE3 Motor |
| RO Membrane | Hydranautics CPA2-4040 — 4040 Spiral wound Thin Film Polyamide — 25 nos. |
| RO Pressure Tube | Pentair FRP — 5 element, 300 PSI, Side Port — 5 nos. |
| RO CIP Pump | CNP SS316 — 7 m3/hr @ 37m, Model CHL-8-40, 2HP / 1.5 kW, Horizontal |
| Jumbo Cartridge Housing | BMEPL PP — Union end, 25NB, Max 5 m3/hr, 4.5"×20" — 2 nos. |
| Jumbo Cartridge | BMEPL PP — 4.5"×20", Spun, 5 micron — 2 nos. |
| CIP Tank | Plasto HDPE — 500 Litres |
| Acid Dosing Pump | Initiative Engineering PP — 0–10 LPH, with level switch interlock |
| Acid Dosing Tank | PC LDPE — 100 Litres |
| Antiscalant Dosing Pump | Initiative Engineering PP — 0–6 LPH, with level switch interlock |
| Antiscalant Dosing Tank | PC LDPE — 100 Litres |
| RO Skid | BMEPL SS304 — DMF vessels and dosing tanks on ground |
| HP Piping | SS316 (High Pressure); UPVC SCH40 (Low Pressure); RO Permeate to DM Feed: SS316 |
| Pressure Gauges | Baumer SS — 0–7 kg/cm2 (×6) + 0–21 kg/cm2 (×2), 65NB dial, Glycerin filled |
| Rotameters | Aster Polycarbonate/Acrylic F7500, 1.5" M end conn. — 4 nos. |
| Low Pressure Switch | Danfoss — 1 no. |
| High Pressure Switch | Danfoss — 1 no. |
| ORP Meter | Aster PO650-ORP, 230VAC, Relay output, Sampling line |
| Conductivity Meter | Aster CI-550, 0–200 ppm |
| Solenoid Valves | Aira / Uflow — 40NB, dump valve and flushing valve — 2 nos. |
| Level Switches | BS Floaty — 5m cable — 2 nos. |
7 │ DEMINERALISATION (DM) PLANT (5 m³/hr)
The DM plant receives RO permeate and passes it through a strong acid cation (SAC) bed, followed by a degasser tower (CO₂ removal), and then a strong base anion (SBA) bed to produce demineralised water. This two-bed (2B3T) system is essential for the cosmetics application where dissolved ions beyond what RO removes would interfere with product formulation.
Strong Acid Cation (SAC) Bed
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Cation Feed Pump | CNP SS304 — 2 nos. (1W+1S), 5 m3/hr @ 28m, Model CHL-4-40, 1HP / 0.75 kW, Horizontal |
| SAC Vessel | Pentair FRP — 24" × 72", Top & Bottom opening |
| SAC Resin | Thermax T42H — 250 Litres (required: 221 L) |
| MPV (SAC) | RM PVC — 40NB, Side Mount, Manual, Type: DM |
| Distribution System | GP — Top & Bottom GP-430-63 |
| Frontal Piping | UPVC White — suitable for 24" × 72" |
| Acid Regeneration Tank | Sintex CV Series — 100 Litres |
Degasser Tower
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Degasser Tower | PP + FRP — ID 400 mm × 3000 mm HOS |
| Tower Media | PVC 1" Pall Ring |
| Degassed Water Tank | PP + FRP — 1250 Litres |
| Ducting | PP + FRP — 100NB |
| Centrifugal Blower | Air Control — PP+FRP Casing, PP Impeller — 350 CMH @ 100 mm WC |
Strong Base Anion (SBA) Bed
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Anion Feed Pump | CNP SS304 — 2 nos. (1W+1S), 5 m3/hr @ 28m, Model CHL-4-40, 1HP / 0.75 kW, Horizontal |
| SBA Vessel | Pentair FRP — 24" × 72", Top & Bottom opening |
| SBA Resin | Ion Exchange A36 GEL — 200 Litres (required: 186 L, packs of 50L) |
| MPV (SBA) | RM PVC — 40NB, Side Mount, Manual, Type: DM |
| Distribution System | GP — Top & Bottom GP-430-63 |
| Frontal Piping | UPVC White suitable for 24" × 72" |
| Alkali Regeneration Tank | Sintex CV Series — 200 Litres |
8 │ STAGE 5 — MIXED BED POLISHING (MB) + UV DISINFECTION (5 m³/hr)
The mixed bed vessel provides final polishing of DM water to ultra-pure grade. A mixed bed of cationic and anionic resins in a single vessel achieves conductivity 1 µS/cm, making the water suitable for direct use in cosmetics formulation. UV disinfection downstream ensures the product water is microbiologically safe for GMP-compliant cosmetics manufacturing.
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Mixed Bed Vessel | DuraShell FRP — 18" × 65", UPVC frontal piping, strainer, manhole, air vent, sight glass, and cap |
| MB Cationic Resin | Thermax T42H — 50 Litres (packs of 50L) |
| MB Anionic Resin | Ion Exchange A27GEL — 100 Litres (packs of 50L) |
| MB Acid Regen. Tank | Sintex HDPE — 60 Litres |
| MB Alkali Regen. Tank | Sintex HDPE — 100 Litres |
| UV Disinfection System | Alfa SS304 — 5 m3/hr, Model ECS-070L |
| Recirculation Pump | CNP — 2 nos. (1W+1S), 5 m3/hr @ 20m, Model CHL-4-30, 0.75HP / 0.55 kW |
| Target Conductivity | <1 µS/cm (product water) |
| Target pH | Neutral (6.5–7.5) |
9 │ INSTRUMENTATION & COMMON CONTROL PANEL
| Instrument | Make / Model | Range / Spec. | Qty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure Gauges (Low) | Baumer SS | 0–7 kg/cm2, 100mm dial (Softener train) / 65NB dial (RO & DM) | 18 total |
| Pressure Gauges (High) | Baumer SS | 0–21 kg/cm2, 65NB dial, Back opening, Glycerin filled | 2 |
| Rotameters (30K LPH) | Aster F30000 | 2" Flanged, IN/OUT nozzle — Softener/Feed | 1 |
| Rotameters (7.5K LPH) | CWC / Aster F7500 | 1.5" M end conn., Online — DM/MB permeate | 2+4 = 6 |
| Level Switches (Float) | Aster / BS Floaty | 5m cable — tanks and sumps | 7+ |
| Level Tube | — | Sump and degasser tower level indicator | 1 |
| Conductivity Meters | Aster CI-550 | 0–200 ppm (RO); 0–20 µS/cm (DM/MB) | 3 |
| pH Meters | Aster PO650-pH | 230VAC, Relay output, Sampling line, 0–60°C, Epoxy sensor | 2 |
| ORP Meter | Aster PO650-ORP | 230VAC, Relay output, Sampling line | 1 |
| Low Pressure Switch | Danfoss | RO feed protection | 1 |
| High Pressure Switch | Danfoss | RO HP line protection | 1 |
| Solenoid Valves | Aira / Uflow | 40NB — dump & flushing valves | 2 |
| Hardness Kit | Prerana | Field testing of softener outlet | 1 |
| SDI Kit | Aster | Online SDI measurement — UF/RO feed | 1 |
| Common MCC Panel | - | MCC for WTP (Softener) + Matic controller (RO, DM, MB) + Blower controls — 1 common panel | 1 |
Control Philosophy
- Single common MCC panel controls all five treatment stages : softener, RO, DM beds, mixed bed, and blower/UV — simplifying operator interface at the cosmetics plant
- Matic-type automatic controller for RO section (auto-start, auto-flush, LP/HP shutdown interlocks)
- Manual regeneration for softener (NaCl), SAC (HCl),SBA (NaOH), and MB (acid + alkali) — operator-initiated via panel
- Conductivity monitoring at RO permeate and DM/MB outlet provides continuous quality assurance for cosmetics process water
- ORP meter on RO feed monitors chlorine residual (post-SMBS dosing) to protect the thin-film polyamide RO membrane from oxidative damage
10 │ │ SCOPE OF SUPPLY & COMMERCIAL TERMS
BlueMaarlin Scope of Supply
- Complete supply of all equipment, instruments, piping, valves, and dosing systems as per BOQ
- Supply of SS304 skid for pumps and instruments (vessels on ground)
- Interconnecting piping and valves within battery limits (UPVC SCH40 low pressure, SS316 high pressure)
- Common MCC panel (Softener + RO Matic + DM + MB controller + blower)
- Commissioning: 8 days on-site (BlueMaarlin team scope)
- Documentation: P&ID, Space Requirement Diagram, Test Certificates (at dispatch), O&M Manual
Exclusions (Client / Aquacaresee Scope)
- 3-phase electrical supply cable to MCC panel; input mains wiring
- Chemicals for commissioning and ongoing operation (first charge of acid, alkali, salt, antiscalant)
11 │ RESULTS & ACHIEVEMENTS
Plant Capacity
Treatment Stages
Final Conductivity
RO Membranes
Ion Exchange
UV Sterile
- 120 KLD ultra-pure process water treatment plant designed and supplied for Onesto Lab, Gurugram — a cosmetics manufacturing facility requiring near-pharmaceutical-grade water quality
- Five-stage treatment train (DMF → Softener → RO → DM → MB + UV) delivers conductivity <1 µS/cm, zero hardness, and microbiologically safe water directly suitable for product formulation
- Challenging borewell feed (400 ppm hardness, high TDS) successfully addressed through Thermax T42NA softener resin (300L) upstream of the Hydranautics CPA2-4040 RO membrane array (25 elements, 5 × 5E housings)
- Thermax T42H SAC + Ion Exchange A36 GEL SBA demineralisation with integrated PP+FRP degasser tower (400mm × 3000mm) ensures reliable ion removal to <5 µS/cm before final MB polishing
- DuraShell FRP mixed bed (Thermax T42H + Ion Exchange A27GEL) with UV disinfection (Alfa ECS-070L) provides final ultra-pure, sterile product water compliant with GMP cosmetics manufacturing requirements
- Single common MCC panel with Matic-type RO controller and softener/DM/MB manual regeneration controls simplifies plant operation for the cosmetics facility staff
- Complete turnkey supply executed under three-party model: BlueMaarlin (technology + supply) → Aquacaresee Pvt. Ltd. (OEM/project coordinator) → Onesto Lab (end customer)
- All CNP pumps supplied in SS304 / SS316 for compatibility with treated water quality; Pentair and DuraShell FRP vessels selected for long service life with chemical regenerants