Process for removing barium from water

A method for removing barium from water comprising:

• forming a hydrous manganese oxide solution in a first tank;
• directing the hydrous manganese oxide solution to a barium reactor;
• mixing water containing barium with the hydrous manganese oxide solution in the barium reactor to form a hydrous manganese oxide solution-water mixture in the barium reactor, wherein the pH of the hydrous manganese oxide solution-water mixture gives rise to a negative charge on the surface of the hydrous manganese oxide;
• adsorbing barium from the water onto the negatively charged surface of the hydrous manganese oxide in the hydrous manganese oxide solution-water mixture;
• directing the hydrous manganese oxide solution-water mixture to a flocculation tank;
• mixing a flocculant with the hydrous manganese oxide solution-water mixture;
• forming floc in the hydrous manganese oxide solution-water mixture, wherein the floc includes the hydrous manganese oxide with absorbed barium and wherein the floc forms sludge;
• after mixing the flocculant with the hydrous manganese oxide solution-water mixture, directing the hydrous manganese oxide solution-water mixture, including the floc, to a settling tank;
• settling the sludge in the settling tank and producing a treated effluent;
• and
• directing the sludge, including the hydrous manganese oxide with absorbed barium, from the settling tank.

A method for removing barium from water comprising:

• forming a hydrous manganese oxide solution in a first tank;
• directing the hydrous manganese oxide solution to a barium reactor;
• mixing water containing barium with the hydrous manganese oxide solution in the barium reactor to form a hydrous manganese oxide solution-water mixture, wherein the pH of the hydrous manganese oxide solution-water mixture gives rise to a negative charge on the surface of the hydrous manganese oxide;
• adsorbing barium from the water onto the negatively charged surface of the hydrous manganese oxide;
• directing the hydrous manganese oxide solution-water mixture to a flocculation tank;
• mixing a flocculent and a ballast with the hydrous manganese oxide solution-water mixture;
• forming floc, wherein the floc includes the ballast and the manganese oxide with the adsorbed barium;
• after mixing the flocculent and ballast with the hydrous manganese oxide solution-water mixture, directing the hydrous manganese oxide solution-water mixture to a settling tank;
• settling the floc in the settling tank to form sludge and producing a treated effluent;
• directing the sludge from the settling tank to a separator and separating at least some of the ballast from the sludge;
• and
• recycling the separated ballast and mixing the separated ballast with the hydrous manganese oxide solution-water mixture.

A method of removing barium from water comprising:

• forming a hydrous manganese oxide solution;
• directing the hydrous manganese oxide solution to a fixed-bed reactor having inert media contained therein;
• directing the hydrous manganese oxide solution over the inert media and coating the inert media with hydrous manganese oxide contained in the hydrous manganese oxide solution;
• directing the water having barium to the fixed-bed reactor;
• directing the water having barium over the coated inert media;
• and
• removing barium from the water by adsorbing barium from the water onto the hydrous manganese oxide coated on the inert media as the water passes over the inert media.

A process for removing barium from water comprising:

• forming hydrous manganese oxide;
• mixing the hydrous manganese oxide with water containing barium such that the hydrous manganese oxide is negatively charged at a pH greater than 4.8;
• adsorbing barium from the water onto the negatively charged hydrous manganese oxide;
• separating the hydrous manganese oxide with adsorbed barium from the water and producing a treated effluent;
• and
• including directing the treated effluent to a reverse osmosis unit and producing a permeate stream and a reject stream.

A process for removing barium from water comprising:

• forming hydrous manganese oxide;
• mixing the hydrous manganese oxide with water containing barium such that the hydrous manganese oxide is negatively charged at a pH greater than 4.8;
• adsorbing barium from the water onto the negatively charged hydrous manganese oxide;
• separating the hydrous manganese oxide with adsorbed barium from the water and producing a treated effluent;
• and
• wherein separating the hydrous manganese oxide with adsorbed barium from the water includes separating the hydrous manganese oxide with the adsorbed barium from the water by a ballasted flocculation process.

A process for removing barium from water comprising:

• forming hydrous manganese oxide;
• mixing the hydrous manganese oxide with water containing barium such that the hydrous manganese oxide is negatively charged at a pH greater than 4.8;
• adsorbing barium from the water onto the negatively charged hydrous manganese oxide;
• separating the hydrous manganese oxide with adsorbed barium from the water and producing a treated effluent;
• coating an inert material in a fixed-bed system with hydrous manganese oxide;
• injecting the water containing barium into the fixed-bed system;
• adsorbing barium from the water onto the hydrous manganese oxide coated on the inert material;
• and
• producing a treated effluent.