Established Treatment Technologies - Apex Engineering · 6/4/2015 2 Apex Engineering, PLLC Mark...
Transcript of Established Treatment Technologies - Apex Engineering · 6/4/2015 2 Apex Engineering, PLLC Mark...
6/4/2015
Apex Engineering, PLLC
Mark Reinsel, Ph.D., P.E. 1
Short Course: Mine Water Treatment – Technologies, Case Studies and Costs
Established Treatment Technologies
May 3, 2015
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Mark Reinsel, Ph.D., P.E.
Presentation Outline
Contaminants of Concern
Potential Treatment Technologies Physical processes
Chemical processes
Biological processes
Metals Removal
Nitrate Removal
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Typical Contaminants of Concern in Mining Waters
Suspended metals
Dissolved metals
Nitrate
Sulfate
Cyanide
Selenium
Arsenic and antimony
Overview of Treatment Technologies
Physical
Chemical
Biological
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Clarification
Filtration
Membranes
Precipitation (hydroxide, sulfide)
Oxidation/reduction
Ion exchange (IX) and natural zeolites
Attached growth
Suspended growth
Membrane bioreactor
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Clarification
Multiple processes to remove particles in
suspension:
Coagulation/flocculation
Settling
May use sludge recycle
Will not remove dissolved contaminants
Need a disposal site for sludge
Clarifier at Kensington Mine
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Rapid mix tank at Kensington Mine
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Clarifier centerwell at Central Treatment Plant (Kellogg, ID)
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Clarifier overflow at Central Treatment Plant (Kellogg, ID)
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Mark Reinsel, Ph.D., P.E.
Filtration
Bag filters
Cartridge filters
Sand filters
Multimedia filters
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Multimedia Filters
Coarse but light on top, fine but heavy on
the bottom
Typically anthracite, sand and garnet
Automated operation
Downflow operation, upflow backwash
Backwash via DP, timer or manually
Typical Multimedia Filter
No. 1 Anthracite Coal
Flint Sand
Fine Garnet
Support Gravel
1000-gpm multimedia system at Lucky Friday Mine (Mullan, ID)
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Membrane Processes
Microfiltration (MF)
Ultrafiltration (UF)
Nanofiltration (NF)
Reverse osmosis (RO)
Electrodialysis/electrodialysis reversal
(EDR)
500-gpm UF system at Montanore Mine (Libby, MT)
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RO Disadvantages
Produces high-volume, continuous waste stream
Can be energy-intensive
Removal of monovalent ions such as nitrate may
be limited
Will not remove dissolved gases (e.g., ammonia)
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Chemical Treatment:
Hydroxide Precipitation
Goal is to precipitate & remove dissolved metals
Typically use lime to increase pH
Can be hydrated lime or pebble lime (slaker)
Can also use caustic soda (liquid), soda ash or
magnesium hydroxide
pH target depends upon contaminants of
concern
Co-precipitation can increase removal
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Central Treatment Plant in Kellogg, Idaho
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Aeration Basin at Central Treatment Plant
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Sulfide Precipitation
Typically used as “polishing” step for low
effluent limits
May also be used as primary treatment step
Will achieve lower levels than hydroxide ppt.
Can use sodium sulfide or hydrosulfide (NaHS)
Need little reagent and low retention time
Perform at neutral-to-alkaline pH to avoid H2S
May need filtration to remove small flocs
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Oxidation/Reduction
May be required to transform contaminants into
less-soluble form
Arsenic: Add oxidizing agents such as chlorine,
hydrogen peroxide, ozone, permanganate
Chromium, selenium: Add reducing agents such
as sodium bisulfite or metabisulfite
Reaction is quite rapid
Will add TDS
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Ion Exchange (IX)
Specific resins available for dissolved metals,
arsenic, nitrate
Sodium and chloride are exchanged for
contaminants removed
Several resin manufacturers available
Resin is expensive but can be regenerated (on-
site or off-site)
Waste stream is typically much less than RO
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WATER SOFTENER
RESIN IN THE Ca+2 FORM
RESIN IN THE Mg+2 FORM
RESIN IN THE Na+ FORM
WATER W/ CaCl2, NaHCO3,
MgSO4
WATER W/ NaCl, NaHCO3,
Na2SO4
IX vessels at Buckhorn Mountain
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IX Regeneration
Regenerate with acid, base and/or salt,
depending on the resin
Frequency depends upon contaminants,
feed water quality and discharge limits
Use co-current or countercurrent
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Natural Zeolites
Can be used for ammonia removal
Also have a high selectivity for thallium
Much less expensive than IX resin
Throw away or regenerate with salt
Used at Kendall and Buckhorn Mines
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Biological Treatment
Can be used for the following contaminants:
Organics
Ammonia
Nitrate
Selenium
Sulfate
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Attached Growth Systems
Bacteria are attached to a surface or media
Biofilm provides a very robust process
Very resilient to changes in flow, pH,
concentrations, etc.
Best choice for high concentrations
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Suspended Growth Systems
Commonly used in municipal treatment
systems (activated sludge)
Often used for nutrient removal (N and P)
Nitrification and denitrification
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Membrane Bioreactors
Combine suspended growth biological
treatment with MF or UF
Membrane replaces clarifier and/or
multimedia filters
High biomass concentration/small footprint
Becoming more popular
Biological treatment system at Key Mine (Republic, WA)
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Biological nitrate removal system at Stillwater Mine (Nye, MT)
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Recommendations:
Suspended Metals
In order of preference/cost/ease of use:
Clarification
Multimedia filter
MF or UF
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Recommendations:
Dissolved Metals
Hydroxide precipitation
Sulfide precipitation
IX
NF or RO
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Recommendations:
Nitrate
Denitrification (attached growth biological)
IX
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Nitrate Treatment: Key Mine
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0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
10/10/06 4/28/07 11/14/07 6/1/08 12/18/08
mg
/l
Nitrate-N Levels at the Key Biotreatment System
NO3- in
NO3- out
Anox Kaldnes system
Installed in 2006
100 gpm
Designed to remove 22
lb/day NH4 and 55
lbs/day NO3-N
Methanol feed
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Nitrate Treatment: Stillwater East Boulder
Design flow of 50
m3/hr (220 gpm)
Reduced [NO3-N]
from 35 to 10 mg/L
(45 kg/day)
Methanol feed
Effective but client
implemented RO
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Nitrate Treatment: Minera Yanacocha
In situ treatment for
NO3 and ClO4
Acetate injection
Removal of 56% and
82% of nitrate in two
source areas to date
[NO3-N] up to 1400
mg/L
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Nitrate Treatment: Alpha Explosives
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For More Information
At http://apexengineering.us
Technology reviews for nitrate, sulfate, arsenic
removal
Natural zeolites: thallium, ammonia
Floating islands
In situ treatment
Summary of Treatment Technologies for
Mining-Influenced Water (EPA, 2014):
focused on passive treatment