A method for purifying sulphate containing wastewater and recovering sulphur and hydrogen
AssigneeFortum Waste Solutions Oy
InventorsKarin Willquist, Thomas von Kronhelm, Charlotte Nilsson, Carl-Johan Lothgren
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Abstract
The invention relates to a method for purifying sulphate containing wastewater and recovering sulphur species and hydrogen, comprising of converting sulphates of the sulphate containing wastewater to hydrogen sulphide in an anaerobic bioreactor, stripping the hydrogen sulphide into a gas phase and converting the hydrogen sulphide containing gas phase to a sulphide salt in a scrubber arrangement. Thereafter, the sulphide salt is subjected to electrolysis and hydrogen gas, hydroxide and elemental sulphur are recovered.
Claims20
A method for purifying sulphate-containing wastewater and recovering sulphur and hydrogen, comprising;
- in an anaerobic bioreactor, converting sulphates in the sulphate-containing wastewater to hydrogen sulphide, using a sulphate-reducing microorganism and an electron donor, a phosphate source and a nitrogen source;
- in a stripping arrangement, stripping the hydrogen sulphide into a gas phase containing hydrogen sulphide using an inert gas;
- in a scrubber arrangement, converting the hydrogen sulphide-containing gas phase to a sulphide salt, using a hydroxide;
- subjecting the sulphide salt to electrolysis;
- and
- recovering hydrogen gas, hydroxide and sulphur from the electrolysis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.