Evaluation of a technology to solve the problem of washing water emulsion (LA22)

ISSUE

A company specialized in the recovery and decontamination of plastic containers needs to treat the residual emulsion of oil and water from the container during the washing step. This emulsion is decanted and stored in a tank before mixing with sawdust to generate disposal in a solid form. Nearly 16 tonnes of solids are generated per week. To reduce the solids discharge, the company contacted STS Canada to identify a separation technology to replace the existing process to separate oil from water; and thus, reducing the amount of the generated solids.

TECHNOLOGICAL CHALLENGE

The challenge related to the realization of this project consisted of validating the technology allowing to recover the maximum of the aqueous phase and to minimize the volume of organic phase to be available and those by maximizing the reuse of the equipment already in place.

RECOMMENDED SOLUTION

First, the analysis of the properties of the emulsion was carried out by STS Canada. Subsequently, pilot laboratory tests were carried out to identify the best method for breaking the emulsion. Finally, STS Canada evaluated the existing equipment in the plant to validate whether it would allow the previously identified method to be implemented.

RESULTS

Following the intervention of STS Canada, an operational procedure for the plant was produced considering the solids and liquids to be separated. The procedure was based on the identification of an emulsion breaking method. It requires the use of multiple simplified steps such as agitation, the addition of anti-emulsion additives and filtration using the current equipment in the 'factory. These modifications provided the customer with a significant saving in solids disposal.