Abstract |
The report documents an in-depth pilot-plant investigation of the applicability of advanced waste treatment methods for upgrading ironmaking blast furnace wastewaters to Best Available Technology Economically Achievable (BATEA) levels. Mobile treatments facilities, designed to operate at a flow rate of 19 liters/min (5 gpm), were used. The methods studied included alkaline chlorination, chemical treatment/clarification, filtration (both dual media and magnetic), ozonation, activated carbon, and reverse osmosis, either singly and/or in combination. These technologies removed such residual contaminants from the wastewater as suspended solids, oil and grease, phenol, cyanide, ammonia, sulfide, and dissolved solids. For each treatment investigated, samples and operational data were obtained for later use in assessing and comparing the adequacy of the method. Priority pollutant samples were also collected from each process investigated. The investigation indicated that: alkaline chlorination, ozonation, and reverse osmosis effectively reduced influent contaminants to below BATEA levels (for all three, proper pretreatment would be required); alkaline chlorination was the least-cost alternative, based on expected capital and operating costs; and ozonation had the smallest space requirements of the three most promising technologies investigated. |