Automotive Manufacturer, MICHIGAN

The facility has a wastewater treatment system that operates at 600 gpm. Waste streams from the various operations, which are combined in an equalization tank, are quite concentrated in oil & grease, dissolved and suspended solids, and heavy metals. In the current treatment, the pH is reduced, an emulsion breaker is added and DAF is applied to enhance separation of oil from water. Oil was skimmed off the surface. Lime slurry was then added to raise the pH and precipitate heavy metals and a flocculent was added to facilitate settling in the clarifier. Sludge was withdrawn periodically to a sludge tank and treated with sludge thicker and dewatered in a filter press. Annual treatment cost was $ 1,630,000.

Tests conducted over a period of several months, showed that a dose of 350 mg/L of AQUASIL® AMX-5G produced much better results than the existing treatment. Performance comparison between current and AQUASIL® treatments is shown in the TABLE below. Moreover, AQUASIL® generated a much drier waste.

Parameter

Limit (mg/L)

Conventional Treatment (mg/L)

AQUASIL® Treatment (mg/L)

Oil & Grease

50.0

1900

24.5

Suspended solids

NA

35.4

6.5

Total phosphorus

NA

13.2

0.34

COD

NA

991

597

Phenol

0.20

0.19

0.09

Cadmium

0.37

0.005

ND

Chromium

1.47

0.083

ND

Copper

1.80

0.280

ND

Lead

0.37

0.040

ND

Nickel

2.12

0.150

ND

Silver

0.37

0.006

ND

Zinc

1.39

0.180

ND

 

Cost analysis indicates that the AQUASIL® treatment reduces the cost of disposal by 60%, sewer surcharges by 70 %, and the overall cost by 40%. Furthermore, the DAF operation and all hazardous treatment chemicals are eliminated and the cost of energy, maintenance, and labor is substantially reduced. The high quality of treated effluent, generated by the AQUASIL® treatment, allows for water conservation through reuse.

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