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EVAPORATIVE PROCESS FOR TREATMENT OF PHOSPHATE CONTAINING EFFLUENT
Citation:
Reininga, D. EVAPORATIVE PROCESS FOR TREATMENT OF PHOSPHATE CONTAINING EFFLUENT. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/2-78/119.
Description:
A unique evaporation/humidification process for treating wastewater effluent has been developed at Alcoa Laboratories. A major portion of the effluent is recovered as water of high purity suitable for recycle or reuse, and the small volume of concentrated chemicals can be either recycled or easily disposed of. The process operates at low temperatures and near-atmospheric pressures. Low pressure steam generated from waste heat is sufficient to operate it. A 75,000 L/day pilot plant was installed at Alcoa's Warrick County, Indiana, plant to demonstrate the performance and reliability of the process for treatment of dilute, phosphate-containing effluent. The installation was placed in service in January 1975, and operated on a non-continuous basis until October 1975. During this time various problems were solved and optimum operating conditions were established. The average effluent treatment rate was 71,200 L/day and excellent quality water was obtained. The system operated satisfactorily when effluent and steam were available. Tests at Alcoa Laboratories showed that the product condensate can be used as rinse water at the phosphate cleaning lines in place of deionized water, and the concentrated phosphate blowdown can be recycled as make-up to the phosphate cleaning solution.