A vertical tube evaporator (VTE) was built to recover water from a synthetic rubber manufacturing plant wastewater stream containing 3,500 ppm dissolved solids, mostly chlorides and sulfates, and organics in excess of 100 ppm. Unit designed to produce 10.5 lbs. of water per pound of steam. Recovered water, containing near-zero organics and solids, was recycled to the manufacturing process. Performance over short periods exceeded design. Continuous operation for extended periods was rendered impossible, due to fouling and corrosion of copper alloy heat exchange surfaces. Corrosion was traced to presence of 2 to 5 ppm of sulfides in the wastewater feed. Unit was retubed with titanium. This eliminated the corrosion, but the fouling continued. All attempts to reduce fouling by pretreating the wastewater feed stream were unsuccessful. Outside of the problems caused by the fouling of the heat transfer surfaces, the unit operated satisfactorily. If the fouling can be brought under control, this method has a high probability of providing an economical method of renovating wastewater streams containing water soluble salts and organic chemicals. This report was submitted in fulfillment of R and D Project 12020 GUT, Program Element IBB610, by The General Tire & Rubber Company under the partial sponsorship of the Environmental Protection Agency. Work completed January 1975.

"October 1976." "EPA-600/2-76-260." Includes bibliographical references (page 63).