MicrocycleTM Technology and the treatment of waste metalworking fluids
| Date/Time: | 23 May 2012
11:45-12:00 |
Seminar Details
On-site pre-treatment of waste is becoming increasingly attractive to industry because of the potential for water and resource recovery and for cutting disposal costs. Many waste streams are too toxic or recalcitrant to be disposed of directly to sewer since they can adversely affect local waste water treatment plants. One example of this type of waste stream is metal working fluids (MWFs) which are used ubiquitously wherever metal products are shaped or formed. The automotive and aerospace industries are the major producers of this type of waste. MWFs contain oils and other lubricating agents along with a mixture of emulsifiers, corrosion inhibitors, stabilisers and biocides designed to promote stability and prolong the product life. This creates a problem when the MWF reaches the end of its operational life since residual toxicity makes the exhausted MWF unsuitable for direct sewer discharge and subsequent biological disposal by activated sludge plants. Microbial Solutions Ltd. has developed a biological on-site pre-treatment for metalworking fluids which detoxifies and removes the pollution load from MWFs whilst reclaiming the water for re use. Up to 98% of the pollution load, as measured by COD, is removed along with biocides, oils, and nitrogenous compounds to ensure that site consent limits for sewer discharge are met. This presentation focuses on data from two full scale case studies. Supplemental laboratory scale bioreactor data will also be presented.
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