This paper presents results from a series of innovative tests utilizing ion exchange (IX), bipolar membrane
Electrodialysis (BMED) and Electrochlorination (EC) technologies to recover useful products from RO
concentrate that can be utilized at the treatment facility. Experiments were conducted on RO concentrate
obtained from a pilot-scale integrated membrane system (IMS) treating wastewater. The IX experiments
focused on recovering phosphate from RO concentrate using a chelating ion exchange resin and
converting the phosphate rich regenerant into struvite, a commercially viable fertilizer. Reasonably long
run lengths of up to 700 BVs were obtained with actual RO concentrate using one of the tested resins.
BMED was used for generating mixed acids and bases from the RO concentrate solution after suitable
softening pretreatment. Reasonably high concentrations of acids and bases (0.2- 0.5 M) were produced and
were shown to be dependent on the concentration and the volume of the used salt solution. Additionally,
the RO concentrate was desalted as well. Electrochlorination using RO concentrate was utilized to convert
this waste stream into hypochlorite disinfectant of 0.6% similar to that currently being utilized at water
treatment plants.
The above processes present the potentially viable alternative of utilizing the RO concentrate for the
production of useful products instead of having to dispose of the waste brine into the environment. Includes 9 references, figures.
| Edition : | Vol. - No. |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 310 KB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 13 |
| Published : | 06/01/2006 |
