Method for reducing chemical oxygen demand of waters containing starch, milk, whey, and other similar behaving organic components
AssigneeEarth Renaissance Technologies, LLC
InventorMarcus G. Theodore
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sulfurous acid/lime alkalinization pre-treatment sequential filtration method for industrial wastewaters containing colloids of starch, milk, whey, and other similar acting organic components to condition and remove a number of chemicals/pharmaceuticals and heavy metals before the treated filtrate is land applied or undergoes further biological nitrogen reduction for open stream discharge via anaerobic and aerobic treatment.
Claims8
A method for reducing chemical oxygen demand of waters containing starch, milk, whey, colloidal suspensions, and other similar behaving organic components containing phosphorous, and nitrogen compounds comprising:
- a. determining the waters settling characteristics of any colloidal suspensions, solids and organic components by:
- i. first exposing the waters to sulfurous acid to coagulate and flocculate acid agglomerated solids formed at a pH between approximately 1.5 and 4.5,
- ii. removing acid agglomerated solids leaving an acidified filtrate,
- iii. adding lime to raise the pH of the acidified filtrate to coagulate and flocculate basic agglomerated solids at a pH above 8,
- iv. filtering and removing basic agglomerated solids leaving an alkaline filtrate,
- v. testing the COD of the alkaline filtrate,
- vi. second reversing the chemical treatment process by first exposing the waters to lime precipitation and separation of any basic agglomerated solids formed at a pH above 8 leaving a basic filtrate, which is then treated with sulfurous acid to lower the pH between approximately 1.5 and 4.5 for precipitation and separation of any acid agglomerated solids leaving a second acid filtrate and measuring its chemical oxygen demand,
- b. selecting the chemical treatment sequence, which provides the lowest chemical oxygen demand of a final filtrate, and
- c. applying the selected chemical treatment sequence to the waters to reduce their chemical oxygen demand, phosphorous and nitrogen compounds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.