Category Archives: Wastewater Contaminants

Find out more information about the different types of contaminants and how to remove and even recover them.

FRAC Operations Treatability Report Wastewater Treatment Case Study

  By Integrated Engineers | May 7, 2011 - 8:12 am | BOD / COD, Green Industrial Wastewater Treatment, Industrial Wastewater Treatment, New at I.E., Oil / Grease, Oil Industry, Oil Water Separation, Removal, TSS, Wastewater Contaminants, Wastewater Optimization
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Impressive Oil Water Separation

Scenario

The water sample from a CUDD Energy oil field site was treated for solids reduction, BOD reduction, metals and dissolved metals.

Metal Machining Wastewater Case Study

The table below shows the results of the analytical, with the untreated water sample and sample treated with Floccin TR-1™. The jar tests below show the effect of the Floccin TR-1™.

Analytical Results

Total Suspended Solids (TSS) 9,300 ppm 160 ppm 98%
Turbidity 180 13 93%
pH 6.77 7.48
Electrical Conductivity 11400 11900 4%
Total Dissolved Solids 9,100 9,000 1%
Metals
Antimony ND ND
Arsenic ND ND
Barium 960 280 71%
Berylium ND ND
Cadmium ND ND
Chromium 13 ND 100%
Cobalt ND ND
Copper ND ND
Iron 8,200 370 95%
Lead ND ND
Manganese 150 130 13%
Mercury 0.26 ND 100%
Molybdenum 48 30 38%
Nickel 16 9.2 43%
Selenium 120 ND 100%
Silver ND ND
Thallium ND ND
Vanadium ND ND
Zinc 32 21 34%
Cations
Calcium 110 120 -9%
Magnesium 11 15 -36%
Potassium 35 37 -6%
Sodium 2,600 2,700 -4%
Anions
Alkalinity (bicarbonate) 750 730 3%
Alkalinity (carbonate) ND ND
Alkalinity (hydroxide) N/A N/A
Boron N/A N/A
Bromide N/A N/A
Chloride 3,500 3,700 -6%
Fluoride N/A N/A
Nitrate ND ND
Sulfate 270 220 19%
Phosphate N/A N/A
Phosphorus N/A N/A

Conclusion

The treatability shows the high removal rate for heavy metals, minimal increase in EC/TDS as shown in the anions/cations and high removal of particulate solids in the form of suspended solids. Increases are shown as negative percent reductions and are the contribution of the Floccin. The minimal increase is less than conventional chemistry. There was not enough sample to test for Total Petroleum hydrocarbons, COD, BOD or any bacterial colony counts.

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Wastewater Treatment Success Stories Home

Aluminum Anodizer Case Study

  By Integrated Engineers | May 11, 2010 - 8:38 am | Green Industrial Wastewater Treatment, Metals, New at I.E.
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Aluminum Anodizer Case Study 2

The facility treats their wastewater using an EQ Tank followed by a Mix tank and clarifier. The solids that settle are dewatered with a plate and frame press. The treatment process uses caustic to raise the pH from 4 to 9 and then a coagulant along with a metal precipitant as well as a flocculent to treat their wastewater. The clarified water is discharged to the local POTW and the sludge is hauled offsite for landfill disposal. The filtrate from the plate and frame press estimated at 600 gallons/day is returned for retreatment to the EQ Tank.

Aluminum Anodizer Wastewater Treatment Jar Test

Wastewater Sample

The sample of the wastewater was bench tested and according to the client, was the worst case scenario and at a pH of 1.3. The 1,000 ml sample was pH adjusted with 5.4 grams of caustic to a pH of 9.0. The Floccin 1105 was added at a dosage of 0.75 grams in the 1,000 ml (750 ppm or 6.3 lbs/1,000 gallons) and a good settled floc formed after mixing for 2 minutes. The solids settled in as shown in the photo (below) in 45 seconds.

Aluminum Anodizer Wastewater Treatment Dewaterd Sludge Cake

Sludge Cake

The settled sludge volume was 25% by volume (refer to the photo). It dewatered well in our simulation and generated a sludge weight of 7.2 grams from 1,000 ml of wastewater with a % solids of 30%. So this represents a sludge generation rate of 60lbs/1,000 gallons.

The treatment cost for the caustic is estimated at $15/1,000 gal (45 lbs./1,000 gallons) and the Floccin 1105 at $9.45/1,000 gallons.

Metal (total) Untreated Treated
Chromium 0.98 0.0018
Copper 2.0 0.050
Nickel 20 3.8
Zinc 4.7 0.054

Units in ppm or mg/L

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Floccin™ for Metals Removal Beats Hydroxide Precipitation Hands Down

  By Integrated Engineers | December 23, 2009 - 11:17 am | Green Industrial Wastewater Treatment, Metals, Sludge Dewatering
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The traditional approach for metals removal is Hydroxide Precipitation where the solubility for the metals changes to insoluble (precipitation) in the form of a metal Hydroxide as the pH increases.

The common pH range for this is between 10-11 pH depending on the metal.  Lime (calcium hydroxide or CAOH2), caustic (sodium hydroxide or NAOH) or magnesium hydroxide (MgOH2) are generally the chemicals of choice as the hydroxide ion source.  The process uses a rapid mix to add the hydroxide source and usually an anionic flocculant to help as a settling aid and sludge conditioner.

The problems with this technology are:

  • Large volumes of sludge production
  • Inability of the metal hydroxide to become sufficiently insoluble if chelating or surfactants are in the water
  • Unstable treated metal levels especially if the influent is highly variable.

The quantity of sludge is directly proportional to the amount of hydroxide source added.  This can range from 500 to 3,000 ppm by weight and yields 4 times this weight in sludge addition assuming a 25% dry sludge cake.

The dewatered sludge is then classified by its leachable metals following the EPA TCLP/STLC testing protocols where hydroxide sludge most often leach their heavy metals and are therefore classified as hazardous.

Additional problems are in the form of…click here to continue reading Floccin™ for Metals Removal Beats Hydroxide Precipitation Hands Down…

The traditional approach for metals removal is Hydroxide Precipitation where the solubility for the metals changes to insoluble (precipitation) in the form of a metal Hydroxide as the pH increases.

The common pH range for this is between 10-11 pH depending on the metal. Lime (calcium hydroxide or CAOH2), caustic (sodium hydroxide or NAOH) or magnesium hydroxide (MgOH2) are generally the chemicals of choice as the hydroxide ion source. The process uses a rapid mix to add the hydroxide source and usually an anionic flocculant to help as a settling aid and sludge conditioner.

The problems with this technology are:

  • Large volumes of sludge production
  • Inability of the metal hydroxide to become sufficiently insoluble if chelating or surfactants are in the water
  • Unstable treated metal levels especially if the influent is highly variable.

The quantity of sludge is directly proportional to the amount of hydroxide source added. This can range from 500 to 3,000 ppm by weight and yields 4 times this weight in sludge addition assuming a 25% dry sludge cake.

The dewatered sludge is then classified by its leachable metals following the EPA TCLP/STLC testing protocols where hydroxide sludge most often leach their heavy metals and are therefore classified as hazardous.

Additional problem are in the form of

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B.O.D C.O.D. T.D.S. T.S.S. Removal Teflon

  By Integrated Engineers | March 5, 2009 - 1:35 pm | BOD / COD, EC / TDS, Removal, TSS
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Teflon (PTFE) Coating Operation

A manufacturer of Teflon coated products contacted Integrated Engineers seeking a solution to their wastewater problems. They were generating 3,500 gallons of wastewater each week that had to be hauled off site. They were looking for a method to treat this water and reuse the treated water within their facility. Integrated Engineers performed treat ability studies of the wastewater and identified the FloccinAgentTM that would meet their goal.

Watsewater System

Watsewater System

Integrated Engineers designed, built, and installed a system to treat their wastewater. The system integrated existing holding tanks with a new equalizing tank where the water is mixed and aerated prior to treatment. The water from the equalizing tank is treated in a Continuous Flow Unit (CFU), where it is mixed with the FloccinAgentTM and then separated from the resulting sludge. The sludge is collected in a sludge cart for disposal, while the clean water from the CFU is directed to an ozone contact tank.  In this tank the water is treated with ozone, generated by the ozone skid, to remove any remaining organics. The clean, treated water is then ready to enter the water reuse system.

CFU in Action

CFU in Action

The analytical results presented on the next page come from samples collected approximately one month after startup

Ozone Skid

Ozone Skid

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B.O.D. C.O.D. T.S.S. T.D.S. Removal

  By Integrated Engineers | March 5, 2009 - 12:54 pm | BOD / COD, EC / TDS, Removal, TSS
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Chicken Processor

This chicken slaughter and processing facility has a wastewater system that treats 1.2 MGD.  Their process uses ferric chloride as the coagulant, caustic to stabilize the pH and an anionic polymer prior to separation in the DAF units.  The facility also does some further processing with addition of seasoning and brines which add TDS/EC to the water.  The ferric/anionic polymer combination is hindered in its ability to handle the brine water causing spikes in effluent BOD/TSS and increased surcharges.  Their treatment costs are at $2.50/1,000 gallons.

Befor and After Floccin

Before and After Floccin

Integrated Engineers, Inc. was asked to evaluate the Floccin 1105 with their wastewater.  The performance of the Floccin 1105 is not effected by the brine water.  Jar tests indicate an improvement in effluent water quality, larger floc size and an improvement in the DAF performances at the same cost of $2.50/1,000 gallons.

Constituent

Untreated

Ferric/anionic

Floccin 1105

BOD

1,100

230

190

COD

2,000

290

270

TSS

2,600

38

31

TDS

960

1190

970

The Ferric/anionic water has a higher level of TDS.  The local POTW is going to start surcharging for levels of TDS for industries in excess of 500 ppm over the potable water going to the facility.  The simplification of using 1 chemical, it’s wider operating pH range and performance over the ferric makes a savings in reduced surcharges, labor, and consistent treatment.

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B.O.D. and T.S.S. Removal

  By Integrated Engineers | March 5, 2009 - 10:41 am | BOD / COD, Removal, TSS
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Fruit Cannery

This facility cans peaches and pears and wanted to investigate the reduction in BOD and TSS using the Floccin Agents.  Samples were made in the off season using 2/3 by weight of peach to 1/3 pear with a total amount of 100 grams in 2,000 ml (5% by weight to simulate the wastewater generated from the facility).

The samples were flocculated with Floccin J at a dosage of 0.25 gram/1,000 ml (250 ppm), screened with coarse filter paper, and analyzed for BOD and TSS.  The results show that the Floccin J can reduce some of the BOD and a majority of the TSS.  Traditional chemistry only reduces the BOD by 8-9%.

Before and After Floccin / Filter

Before and After Floccin / Filter

The results are shown below:

Analyte Untreated Floccin J %Reduction
Biological Oxygen Demand 4,200 ppm 2,600 ppm 14.3%
Total Suspended Solids 3,600 ppm 130 ppm 95%

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Copper and Nickel Removal

  By Integrated Engineers | March 5, 2009 - 10:21 am | Metals
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Circuit Board Manufacturer

A Circuit Board Manufacturer in southern California was not able to achieve the discharge levels of copper and nickel with their existing system of coagulant, anionic and cationic flocculants and metal precipitant treatment process followed by lamella plate clarification. The previous treatment process developed a settled sludge that had poor shear characteristics and required further coagulant addition to be able to dewater in the filter press. The facility processes 50,000 gal/day and recycles all but 2,500 gal/day, which is discharged to the Los Angeles County Sanitary Sewer system. Their target was 1.0 ppm and they were achieving 0.5 to 1.5 ppmin a sporadic manner.

Before and After Floccin

Before and After Floccin

Integrated Engineers treated the water with IE-061 (a metal precipitant) to a set point pH of 10.2 and flocked with Floccin D. Samples were analyzed using current EPA methods on an ICP.

Component

Untreated

Previous Treatment

Floccin
Treatment

Copper

156 ppm

0.5-1.5 ppm

0.3 ppm

Nickel

210 ppm

0.6-1.5 ppm

0.4 ppm

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Copper and Zinc Removal

  By Integrated Engineers | March 5, 2009 - 9:37 am | Metals
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Ammunitions Manufacturing

An ammunition manufacturing facility was having problems removing copper and zinc from their 900 gpm wastewater system. The process used lime to raise the pH from 1.5 to 10, sodium carbamate for a metal precipitant, and an anionic flocculant to increase the flock size and get the solids to settle in the clarifier. Current chemical costs are estimated at $225,000/year with a significant amount of sludge addition from the lime, thereby adding to the operational costs due to the sludge being a hazardous waste. Integrated Engineers, Inc. tested the wastewater and found that adding caustic to a pH of 10.0 and Floccin D worked as well as the current chemistry. The Floccin D dosage was 0.35 grams in 800 ml (280 ppm). The third sample shown below is with 160 ppm of IE-061. The test results are shown below:

Before and After Floccin

Before and After Floccin

In addition, by switching from lime to caustic the reduction in solids generation would be a significant cost reduction. At peak flow the amount of lime required (17.3 lbs./1,000 gallons) generates 7,450 pounds of 100% dry solids. In a normally dry cake the solids are 30%, therefore they were generating nearly 25,000 lbs. of sludge per day that was hazardous and expensive to dispose of in a landfill. Based on a disposal cost of $35/ton, the cost reduction due to the lime addition to the sludge would be $450 per day ($160,000/year).

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