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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY JULY 1.1373 INFILTRATION/INFLOW SEMINARS Technology Transfer recently completed a sem inar series covering the subject of excessive infiltration/inflow in sewer systems. The seminars addressed the EPA Regulations and Guidelines and covered in depth an acceptable method for an analysis and survey of the collection system that will meet the EPA requirements. Seminars were held in each Region with total attendance approaching 3,000. Seminar locations were St. Charles, III.; Dallas, Texas; Atlanta, Ga.; Phila delphia, Penna.; Seattle, Wash.; San Francisco, Calif.; Kansas City, Mo.; New York, N.Y.; Denver, Colo.; and Boston, Mass. Feature presentations were made by Leland Gottstein and Robert Pfefferle of American Consulting Services, Min neapolis, Minn., and John Smith, National En vironmental Research Center, EPA, Cincinnati, Ohio. Presentations on EPA Regulations and Guidelines were conducted by Charles Swanson, Charles Sutfin, and Haig Farmer of the Office of Air and Water Programs, EPA, Washington, D.C. Sessions presented included: Impact of New Water Bill on the Construction Grants Program, Effects of Infiltration on Treatment Efficiencies, EPA Regulations and Guidelines, the Infiltration/ Inflow Analysis and the Sewer System Evalua tion Survey. The impact of these seminars should facilitate a more coordinated flow of construction grants projects with the regulations in effect MUNICIPAL DESIGN SEMINARS The Technology Transfer Program has con ducted two additional municipal design seminars since March, 1973, bringing the total number of municipal design seminars conducted to 21. The most recent seminars presented were in St. Charles, (Chicago) Illinois, March 26 and Atlanta, Georgia, May 8-10. The St. Charles Seminar was a one-day ses sion on Storm and Combined Sewers held in conjunction with the Region V, Infiltration/Inflow Seminar. Francis T. Mayo, Regional Administra tor, Region V, gave the opening welcome to the consulting engineers, regulatory personnel and other professionals in attendance. The Storm and Combined Sewer Session in cluded presentations on introduction and stateof-the-art; regulators; microstraining and disin fection; screening, dissolved air flotation; and three case histories--Detroit, Michigan; Keno sha, Wisconsin; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Atlanta Seminar included sessions on physical-chemical treatment, upgrading existing wastewater treatment facilities, and nitrogen con- Leland Gottstein, President, American Consulting Services at Infiltration/Inflow Seminar. Cliff Risley--Region V Technology Transfer Chairman speaking at seminar. an icu trol. Mr. Asa B. Foster, Jr., Director, Categorical Programs Division--EPA, Region IV, gave the opening welcome to the 100-plus consultants and regulatory personnel in attendance. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act--Amendments of 1972, was discussed by Andrew Robert Greene, Assistant Regional Counsel, EPA, Region IV. Feature presentations at the above design seminars were given by Dr. Clair Sawyer; Dr. Denny Parker, Brown and Caldwell, Consulting Engineers; Dr. Richard Woodward, Camp, Dres ser & McKee, Consulting Engineers; Richard Sul livan, American Public Works Association; and Mr. Robert Skrenener, Detroit, Michigan. EPA personnel participating in the seminars included Mr. Edwin Barth, Mr. Jesse Cohen, and Mr. John Smith from the National Environmental Research Center in Cincinnati; and Mr. Frank Condon from the Office of Research and Monitoring in Wash ington, D.C. TECHNOLOGYTRANSFER SEMINAR PUBLICATIONS Technology Transfer will distribute selected Seminar Publications at the 1973 Water Pollution Control Federation Conference in Cleveland, Ohio, on September 30-October 5, 1973. The pub lications will be featured in the EPA Technology Transfer Exhibit for the WPCF Conference. The specific publications are Nitrification & Denitrifi cation Facilities, Physical-Chemical Wastewater Treatment Plant Design, Upgrading Lagoons, De sign Criteria and Operating Experience for High Purity Oxygen Systems, and Upgrading Existing Wastewater Treatment Facilities--Case Histories. These publications have been used extensively in the Technology Transfer Design Seminar Series and will be the first issues in the Municipal De sign Seminar Publication Series. Publications from the Technology Transfer industrial'seminars series are now available for the Poultry Processing and Metal Finishing Industries. These publications include "In-Process Pollution Abatement", "Pretreatment of Poultry Processing Wastes", and "Waste Treatment" for poultry proc esses and "In-Proces's'Pollution Abatement" and "Waste Treatment" for metal finishers. These pub lications can be ordered by checking the appropri ate box in the Request Form at the end of this newsletter. MANUAL FOR DESIGN OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITIES FOR SMALL MUNICIPALITIES Technology Transfer has recently contracted for preparation of a Manual for Design of Wastewater Treatment Facilities for Small Municipali ties. Completion is expected by mid-1974. This Manual will generally include information required for the design of new wastewater treat ment facilities of two million gallons per day and under. Major emphasis will be on the design of treatment plants for municipalities with popula tions of 10,000 or less which would normally cor respond to design capacities of one million gal lons per day and under. The Design Manual will include the necessary criteria, parameters, and other information required to design: 1) small treatment facilities that will meet secondary treatment requirements consistently without 'overly sophisticated operation and maintenance, and 2) small treatment facilities that will provide advanced wastewater treatment such as high degrees of removal of BOD, COD, nutrients, solids and other pollutants. UPDATING.OF PROCESS DESIGN MANUALS' Revisions to the four original Technology Transfer Process Design Manuals (Sus pended Solids Removal, Carbon Adsorption, Phosphorus Removal, and Upgrading Exist ing Wastewater Treatment Plants) are ap proaching completion and will be available in the very near future. The purpose of revising these manuals-- originally issued in October 1971--was to incorporate information on newly developed and demonstrated techniques and to in clude any subsequent experience gained and data produced on those methods covered in the initial edition of the manuals. For those individuals who have the orig inal manuals and have not yet requested the manual revisions, it is essential this be done as soon as possible. This can be ac complished by either forwarding the request card contained in the back of each manual, or by sending a letter to Technology Trans fer,. U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C. 20460. NEW TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROCESS. DESIGN MANUAL FOR SLUDGE HANDLING AND DISPOSAL A contract for the development of a Tech nology Transfer Design Manual for Sludge Handling and Disposal has been awarded to Black, Crow and Eidsness of Gainesville, Florida. Scheduled completion of this manual is mid1974. Detailed information, including design criteria and cost estimates, will be included for all feas ible alternative designs for the various sludge handling, processing, and disposal processes. Information, criteria, estimates, and case his tories will be included for both new and existing wastewater treatment facilities and the "how-to" design aspects will receive major emphasis. CAPCO JEN 0005291 CONTROL OF POLLUTION the solution must either be dumped as a batch discharge or continuously bled. The solvents FROM METAL FINISHING FACILITIES* Metal finishing operations involve a variety of processes for improving or conditioning surfaces. These include cleaning, pickling, annealing, case hardening, polishing, immersion plating, elec troplating, phosphating, anodizing, and others. These processes generally change the surface of a product to improve corrosion resistance, im part greater hardness, increase wear resistance, improve the aesthetic appearance, or change the used for degreasing, such as the nonflammable chlorinated hydrocarbons or the flammable sol vents (kerosene), can form emulsions in water or a floating film which not only detracts from the appearance of the water but also presents danger to living organisms. In addition, these organic contaminants may be inflammable or liberate toxic gases which would also prohibit their discharge to a storm or sanitary sewer sys tem. The biochemical oxygen demand in the effluent may be sufficiently high to require bio logical treatment. electrical conductivity of the surface. Five types of pollutants are commonly as Pickling Operations sociated with metal finishing operations. These In the pickling operation the wastes are dis are cyanides, metals, organics, dissolved solids, charged in the rinsing process or in the dump and extremes in alkalinity or acidity. Nearly all ing of spent processing solution. The pickling of these pollutants are potentially toxic or haz solutions are usually strong acids. The acids are ardous to living organisms at the strengths used consumed by the dissolution of oxides and in metal finishing operations. metals. The acid must then be replenished and SOURCES OF WASTE metal ion content of the effluent from pickling may be high in copper, zinc, nickel, cadmium, The sources of waste from metal finishing facil ities include normal process effluents from cleaning and de-scaling operations, pickling operations, plating operations, rinsing opera tions, and air scrubbing operations. These wastes are discharged on either a batch or continuous basis as well as accidental discharges of process solutions. iron or other heavy metals which are toxic to most living organisms and may have deleterious effects at low concentrations. In addition, ex posure to acid water will cause damage to masonry and iron structures. Alkaline pickling solutions are used primarily for etching alum inum and zinc. These solutions are generally highly caustic and must be neutralized with acid or spent-acid-pickling solutions. Cleaning and De-Scaling Operations To obtain a good quality finish in a metal Plating Operations processing operation, whether it be an organic, Effluents from many of the alkaline plating metallic, or a chemical coating, it is imperative solutions contain complex metal cyanides. Of the that the surface of the workpiece be completely non-cyanide processing solutions the primary free from oils, greases, rust, or other oxide films. toxic constituent is the heavy metal ion. Chro This requires that cleaning operations be per mium-containing chemicals are used in many formed prior to chemical processing. Often, it is plating solutions as well as etching, anodizing, necessary to initially subject the workpieces to electropolishing, and chromating solutions. The a mechanical operation, such as tumbling, blast chromium ion content of many of these process cleaning, polishing, or buffing, prior to the chem ing solutions is quite high and, consequently, the ical processing steps. These mechanical opera rinse effluents following processing are high in tions can produce an effluent which contains chromium ion whch is toxic even in dilute con high levels of suspended solids. Cleaning and de-scaling solutions remove oil, grease, scale, and surface metal film and hold the removed material without depositing it back on the workpieces being processed. The cleaners employed are usually alkali phosphates and rela tively high concentrations of wetting agents to provide fast and complete oil, greaseTbnd soil removal. In time, the effectiveness of these cleaning and de-scaling agents diminishes until centrations. Rinsing Operations Metal finishing requires large quantities of water to wash away the chemical film on the work surface. This rinsing minimizes the poten tial for formation of insoluble metal salts on the workpieces (which would preclude good adhe sion at subsequent processing steps) and reduces the contamination of one process solu tion caused by the carryover of impurities or O "Extracted from publications prepared for the Technology Transfer Seminar Series "Upgrading Metal Finishing Facilities to Reduce Pollution". For your copy of the complete publications, fill in the form at the end of this newsletter. chemicals from a previous process. The rinse water effluent will carry dissolved solids result ing from the dragout (the solution carried out of the process tank during withdrawal of the workpiece) from numerous processes which con- CAPCO JEN 0005292 tain alkali cleaners, acids, pickling solutions and others. While the total dissolved salt concentra tion in the water may not have increased ap preciably, the effluent carries the various metal salts, cleaning compounds, and possibly a small quantity of the oils and greases originally re moved by the cleaners from the work surface. Air Scrubbing Operations Metal finishing operations create in general two types of air emissions: gaseous contami nants and entrained liquid. The gaseous contam inants are commonly HCI, HF and N02. En trained liquid particles are released from plating baths due to air agitation, drippage, and mech anical agitation of the bath. The particles are generally 10 microns in size or larger. In order to remove these contaminants from the air, wet scrubbers are generally utilized. The scrubber water effluent will contain much of the soluble gas released from the process tanks and 99 per cent or more of the entrained liquids from the process baths. Accidental Discharges Process solutions, containing concentrated toxic materials, accidently discharged in large volume to a stream or a sewer system could result in catastrophic damage to living organisms in the stream or a biological upset of the sewage treatment plant. For this reason, the potential hazard connected with accidental discharges of process solutions is significant. In-Process Pollution Control Before any decision is made regarding selec tion of waste treatment equipment, an intensive in-process effort must be made to minimize the quantities of pollutants and water discharged. A plant survey should begin with the prepara tion of an accurate site plan to identify the loca tion of all influent and effluent lines from the plant site, space available for future pollution control equipment, and- the influence the site topography might have on drainage and future construction. Next, information on the plant layout and operating characteristics should be studied. Special attention should be given to location of equipment within the processing cycles, the production rates for each cycle, the location of accessory equipment, plant electricjL capacity, steam availability, head space and support column locations. Also, data on the volume of the tanks within each cycle, the quantities of chemicals used, the quantity of rinse water used, the volume of dragout, and the frequency of spent-process-solution discharges should be re corded at normal production levels. Once the base-line data on plant operations has been collected, steps should be taken to reduce chemical wastes through the minimizing of chemical process substitution or through lowering process solution concentrations. Sub stitution of low-concentration solutions for those of high concentration can be ac complished in many instances with no com promise to product quality and with con siderable reduction in waste loading to the treatment system. For example, low cyanide solutions can account for a reduction of up to 90 percent in the usage of cyanide. Tighter process control is generally required when these baths replace conventional cyanide processes. In conjunction with this reduction in cyanide, the use of chelates may be eliminated, thus minimiz ing the problem of removal of zinc from the waste stream._Other substitutions that can be made include'- non-phosphate cleaners, non chromium dips in conversion coatings and anodizing, non-cyanide stripping solutions, non chromium bactericides for cooling water, and non-cyanide gold and copper processes. Most processes offer a range of concentrations in which they may be operated successfully. The industry has traditionally selected the midpoint in these ranges as the operating concentration. With effluent standards and cost savings in mind, serious consideration should be applied to operating the process solutions at their mini mum concentration limits. As an example, a standard nickel plating solution has the follow ing composition limits: CHEMICAL nickel sulfate (NiS0.-6H,0) nickel chloride (NiCI,-6H,0) boric acid (H,BO,) OPERATING RANGE CONCENTRATION 40 to 50 oz/gal 45 oz/gal 8 to 12 oz/gal lOoz/gzt 6.0 to 6.5 oz/gal 6.3 oz/gal At the above operating concentrations, a typi cal small plating shop running an average of 12 hours per day and 250 days per year would ex perience an annual loss of nickel salts (due to dragout) of approximately 8500 pounds nickel sulfate and 1900 pounds nickel chloride (based on the processing of 600 square feet/hour and a conservative dragout rate of 1.5 gallon/1000 square feet). Had the minimum concentrations been used for the year, the resultant saving in nickel chloride would have amounted to $800. If this shop applied the same thinking to the other process solutions in the plating line, a major im provement in operating costs is readily obtainable. Not considered in the improvement is the poten tial cost savings in effluent treatment. AH metal finishing operations merit this type of assessment. Reduction of solution concentration will require closer process control, however. The losses of chemicals from a process tank can be reduced by minimizing the dragout. The major factors which influence the dragout are the velocity of the withdrawal of the workpieces, the geometry of the workpieces, the positioning of the pieces on the rack or fixture, the drainage time allowed over the process tank, the viscosity CAPCO JEN 0005293 and density of the process solution, and the temperature of the solution. Optimum conditions should be created in each of these areas to minimize dragout. Some examples of steps that may be effective in reducing dragout include slowing down the rate of withdrawal, increasing drainage time over the process tank, operating the bath at as high a temperature as possible, utilizing salts that will yield a high-density, low viscosity process solution. Rinsing represents the most frequently used process in metal finishing. It is by far the largest consumer of water and has been often given little or no consideration as to cost or pollution problems. In plants where there has been little attention to rinse flow rates, water conservation studies have repeatedly shown that each rinse tank flow may usually be reduced by 50 percent without impairment of rinsing quality. In orderto determine the minimum water requirements for rinsing, the rinse water flow must be reduced gradually until the residual chemical film in the rinse water, because of its concentration and thickness, begins to cause deterioration in the quality of the workpiece or the quality of the finish in succeeding processes. Once these minimum flow rates have been established, flow restrictor valves which provide for flows slightly above the minimum levels should be installed. For example, an average plant whose total flow rate is 100 gpm can save approximately 50 gpm. Based on 3000 operating hours per year and a water charge of $0.25/1000 gallons, an annual saving of over $2000 is achieved. The same reduction in water usage will cut the capital costs of a waste treatment system in half. For the average plant that saving can amount to $40,000. Further and equally dramatic reductions in water consumption are achievable through the use of mechanical devices and equipment rear rangements such as counterflow multiple tank rinsing. In counterflow rinsing, used water exit ing the first tank becomes feed water for the second, and, after being used again, feeds the third tank as shown in Figure 1. The advantage of counterflow rinsing is in the repeated exposure of the" workpieces to the water, the increase in dwell time, permitting more diffusion to occur, and the ability to bring the majority of the water passing through into more intimate contact with the work. The results in water saving are significant. For example, if a dragout of 1 gph in a given case required a 1000 to 1 dilution in order to produce acceptable work, 1000 gallons of rinse water per hour would be required in a single rinse tank; in a double counterflow rinse system, 30-35 gph are required, anfTTn a triple counterflow rinse system, 8-12 gph are needed. The disadvantage is that the work requires two or three processing steps in stead of one, and more equipment and space is normally required. If multiple counterflow rinsing is designed into prospective automatic metal fin ishing equipment, the initial disadvantages are increased capital expense and space require ments. The ultimate advantage, however, lies not only in the enormous drop in water costs, but also in a sharp reduction in the cost of the sup porting waste treatment system. Multiple tank rinsing, shown in Figure 2, is merely a battery of single rinses, each with its own feed waters. The principles are generally the same as in the counterflow rinsing system above, although the total reduction in water consump tion will not be as great as with the counterflow system. Spray rinsing is another method of effectively rinsing workpieces to reduce carryover of con taminants with minimum water usage. Two categories of spray rinsing may be used. The first, impact spraying, uses both impact and dif fusion to remove contaminant films. It uses little water compared to immersion rinsing and may be used in some cases as a recovery rinse by pumping the collected spray volume into the previous process tank. Impact spraying is inef fective, however, when the workpieces have areas inaccessible to the spray nozzles. The second method, rinse and spray, employs immersion rinsing followed by a spray, opera tional only when the work is withdrawn from the rinse tank. It is advantageous in removing stub born films by impact and permits lower water flows in the main body of the rinse tank. These two spray methods are shown in Figure 3. Work Movement CAPCO JEN 0005294 Figure 2. Multiple Tank Rinsing Incoming Water Outgoing Water Figure 3. Spray Rinsing WASTE TREATMENT The three most commonly used methods of waste treatment are chemical conversion, precip itation and solids separation, and ion exchange. Chemical Conversion The chemical conversion method of treatment is widely used in the destruction of cyanide, the reduction of hexavalent chromium and in the conversion of soluble heavy metals to heavy metal hydroxides. Cyanide is typically treated by adding caustic until the pH reaches 11.5 and then adding chlorine or sodium hypochlorite. Thir'treatment converts the cyanide into cyanate. The cyanate can be further broken down into nitrogen and carbon dioxide by adjusting the pH to 7.5 to 8.0 and further addition of chlorine or sodium hypo chlorite. Another method of cyanide treatment is the Kastone process developed by the DuPont Company. In this process the solution pH is adjusted to 10.0 to 11.5. The solution is heated to 120 to 130F and hydrogen peroxide and for malin are added. This process is applicable to the treatment of sodium, potassium, zinc and cadmium cyanide only. Hexavalent chromium is commonly treated by the addition of acid to reduce the pH to 3.0 or less and the addition of sodium metabisulfite, sodium bisulfite, ferrous sulfate, or sulfur dioxide gas. The above treatment reduces the hexavalent chromium to the trivalent state. The pH is then increased prior to separation of the solids pre cipitate. Precipitation and Solids Separation Metal salts are commonly removed from waste streams by adjusting the pH to the neutral range (pH 7.0 to 8.5) where many of these metal salts will become insoluble. Each metal salt has a specific pH at which its solubility is lowest. Therefore, to achieve optimum removal of each of the metal salts present, the waste streams should be segregated and individually treated. CAPCO JEN 0005295 This treatment of segregated waste streams provides the additional advantage of yielding a sludge which, is high in concentration of each process metal. This concentrated sludge is much less costly to process for recovery of metals. When the waste streams are not segregated the best pH for the most complete separation will be the pH that will provide for the removal of the most toxic metals present. The sludge resulting from precipitation of metals from waste streams that are not segregated is relatively difficult and costly to process for metals recovery. The optimum pH levels for precipitation of metals at various concentrations are shown in Figure 4. In addition to natural precipitation of metal hydrox ides, coagulants such as ferric sulfate, ferric chloride, or aluminum sulfate are used in the ranges of 100 to 300 milligrams per liter. The ef fectiveness of various concentrations of ferric sulfate on turbidity is shown in Figure 5. Figure 4. Precipitation of Metal Saits vs. pH Settling Time - Min. Figure 5. Coagulations and Settling Time vs. Concentration of Coagulant Ion Exchange Ion exchange is a method for concentrating the chemical contaminants from rinse waters so that they can be more economically treated or recovered. Basically, ion exchange removes an ion from the solution to be treated by exchanging it with a less harmful ion from the ion exchange resin. The process is cyclic. The solution being treated passes through the exchanger until the reSmTis exhausted. The resin is then regenerated to its original state by contact with a relatively strong solution of the ion originally on the resin. At this higher concentration the resin will pick up this ion and give up the ion originally recovered from the rinse water to the regenerating solu tion. The regenerating solution then becomes a relatively concentrated solution of the contam inant originally -in--the rinse water. This con centrated solution can be more easily treated or recovered. The original rinse solution being treated is now de-ionized water which can be reused in the process. The recovery of metals and process solutions for reuse- through ion ex change and evaporation is discussed in a fol lowing section of this article. From a mechanical point of view, there are two types of ion exchange systems in use: Fixed Bed, Moving Bed. Fixed bed exchanger systems usually consist of at least two exchangers containing a fixed charge of resin. An exchanger is taken out of service as it nears exhaustion and put into the regeneration cycle. The solution being treated is switched to a resin bed which still has ex change capacity. The moving bed exchanger, shown in Figure 6, enables resin rinsing, regeneration, and make up to be conducted in one exchanger which operates continuously on the solution side. Since each resin slug has less time in the exchange zone before backwash and regeneration than its fixed bed counterpart, it is less likely to become fouled. Moving bed exchangers usually find their application in the larger installations. When an ion-exchange installation is used for the purification of rinse water effluent from sev eral processes, the reclamation of the process chemicals contained in the backwash water usually cannot be returned to the original process from which they originated. In an in stallation of this type, the main function of the ion-exchange installation is to avoid waste treat ment of large volumes of rinse water effluent backwashing since all the chemicals that require treatment become available in a far more con centrated form. Where the process waste streams have been segregated the function of the ion exchanger is to return nearly all the rinse water to the process for repeated usage and allow a simplified waste treatment with regard to the volume of the total waste to be treated. The chemical and maintenance cost of the ion-ex- CAPCO JEN 0005296 Resin Reservoir operating limits on the quality of the chemical rinse solution. Backwash Water "In Conductivity Probe Resin Regen erant "In" Resin Valve Hydraulic Pulse for Resin Movement Pulsing Chamber Regeneration Column Regen*. eration of Process Solution ,, Process w"~*"Waste "In" to Sewer Figure 7. Controlled Recirculation Figure 6. "Moving Bed" Ion Exchanger change installation would have to be balanced against the water savings. Care must be taken to ensure that materials that foul the resins such as oil, organic brighteners, and wetting agents are removed in a carbon filter upstream of the ion exchanger. Also, it is important that precip itated metal salts and other suspended solids are removed from the waste stream prior to entering the ion exchanger. The ion-exchange unit should be sized so as to allow for a 20 to 25 percent drop in efficiency between backwash ings. Another approach to chemical treatment of wastes is the controlled circulation or "in tegrated waste treatment" system. The basic concept of this system is the segregation and treatment of the waste at its source. It employs a chemical cleaning .b&th to remove the con taminants carried over from the process tank, a treatment tank for addition of treatment chem icals, and a settling tank for precipitation of metal hydroxides (see Figure 7). The system is integrated into the process line. The chemical cleaning bath solution is continuously bled to the treatment tank, from there to the settling tank, and after solids separation, 80 jo 90 per cent of the liquid is pumped back to the chem ical cleaning tank for reuse. The advantages of this system include relatively low capital cost for treatment equipment, dramatic reductions in water use, improved rinsing, relatively low chem ical costs, segregation of metal sludges which are more economically recoverable. The dis advantages of the system include the need for additional rinse tanks and the need for tignt RECOVERY OF PROCESS SOLUTIONS AND METALS The systems most commonly considered for recovery of process solution and metal are ion exchange, evaporative recovery, and reverse osmosis. Ion Exchange Ion exchange systems combined with evapora tion have potentially wide applicability for the recovery of metal or the regeneration of process solutions as well as for the treatment uses discussed earlier. For example, when rinse waters from chromium plating are passed through a cation exchange column, the system may serve the function of recovering the valu able chromium chemicals by removing the im purities such as trivalent chromium, copper, zinc, nickel, and iron, in the cation exchange column, the backwash waters from which would otherwise go to waste treatment. An evaporation system allows further concentration of valuable chemicals and reuse of the rinse waters. Ion exchange systems can also be used for the maintenance of process solution quality. Alum inum can be removed from a chromic acid anodizing bath, avoiding the necessity of periodic disposal of the bath. Chromic acid, as a strong oxidizer, will deteriorate the resin to some ex tent and, therefore, concentrated chromic acid solutions should first be diluted with water be fore regeneration through an ion exchanger is attempted. Moving bed ion exchangers have been suc cessfully utilized for process solution recovery such as bright dip solutions used for aluminum r' A D^A f et m nnncoo7 which require resins to be able to accept high- water is eliminated or minimized. This technique strength oxidizing acids and have removal rates can be economically applied only to processing of large quantity of aluminum, maintaining the lines using countercurrent rinsing. In a typical process solution at the optimum aluminum con system, Figure 8, a single-effect evaporator con centration. centrates flow from the rinse water holding tank. # Evaporative Recovery The concentrated rinse solution is returned to the plating bath and the distilled water is re There are basically two types of evaporative turned to the final rinse tank. recovery systems commonly in use: the vacuum In the closed loop system, no external rinse evaporator and the atmospheric evaporator. A watw-is added for makeup except that required vacuum evaporator operates at sub-atmospheric by atmospheric evaporation. The only chemicals pressures, thus enabling evaporation to take added to the plating bath are those required for place at temperatures in the range of 130 to replacing what is actually deposited on parts and 190F. At these temperatures the oxidative break any spillage or accidental losses. The system is down of cyanide compounds is reduced. An at designed to recover 100 percent of the plating mospheric evaporator operates at atmospheric chemicals normally lost-in dragout for reuse in pressure and the normal boiling temperature of the plating cycle. the solution being processed. These types of evaporators can be utilized in either open or Reverse Osmosis t* closed loop processing cycles. Functionally, the reverse osmosis applications The open loop cycle is adaptable for partial in metal finishing are very similar to the op recovery of plating chemicals on those plating portunities available by evaporation. Theoreti installations where there is an insufficient num cally, reverse osmosis aims to apply high pres ber of countercurrent rinse tanks. A small portion sure to a suitable thin membrane, overcoming of the chemical dragout that accumulates in the the osmotic pressure, passing water through the final rinse tank is not circulated to the evapora membrane which at the same time rejects the tor for concentration. The circulation loop salt molecules and thereby separates a relatively through the evaporator is opened by creating salt-free water stream and a salt solution at a another flow path for the chemical dragout. This higher concentration than the original input was. small fraction of dragout solution not returned Rinse waters from a specific process can thereby c to the evaporator can be treated by an ap propriate chemical method before disposal. The closed loop system is an effective way to be treated, the water product returned for rins ing, and the concentrates, possibly after further concentration by evaporation, returned to the recover cyanide, metal cyanides, chromium and process. Suitable membrane materials for cya other metal-containing chemicals from plating nide and chromium type rinse water reconcentra operations so that chemical treatment of rinse tion are not yet commercially available. CAPCO JEN 0005298 POLLUTION CONTROL SEMINAR FOR THE DAIRY INDUSTRY Technology Transfer held its first industrial seminar for the Dairy Industry, entitled "Upgrad ing Dairy Production Facilities to Control Pol lution", in Madison, Wisconsin, on March 20 and 21, 1973. The program included in-depth cover age of the new water pollution control legisla tion as well as presentations on EPA enforce ment policy by Linda Huff of the EPA Region V, National Discharge Elimination Program and on the State of Wisconsin's regulatory program by Thomas G. Frangos, Administrator of the Wiscon sin Department of Natural Resources. Three technical sessions were held covering in-plant management, waste treatment, and a session on whey. The in-plant session, conducted by Robert R. Zail of Cornell University, specific ally covered waste characterization, waste meas urement and monitoring, economic alternatives of waste reduction solutions, process variation to reduce waste, recovery and salvage of waste products, recycling of fluids, instrumentation, cleaning and sanitizing solutions, and reduction of product loss through operation and mainte nance. The session on waste treatment, presented by Kenneth Watson of Kraftco Corporation, George Muck of Dean Foods, Dr. William Boyle and Dr. L. B. Polkowski of Polkowski, Boyle and As sociates, and Paul F. Hickman of the Springfield, Missouri, Department of Sanitary Services, covered treatment alternatives available for dis charge of wastes to municipal treatment plants and to waterways. The discussion included the relative advantages of joint treatment of dairy wastes in municipal wastewater treatment plants, waste treatment alternatives, and case studies of actual pollution abatement efforts by dairy production facilities. The session on whey consisted of a panel discussion of the recovery, utilization, and dis posal of whey. The discussion covered current practice and new technology applicable to the utilization of whey. A special luncheon featured a presentation by Fred J. Greiner, Chairman of the Dairy Industry Committee on Industry and Government Rela tions. The final general session included a presenta tion by Charles Marshall of J. A. Commins and Associates, an industrial management consult ant, on the optimization of financialjtrategy for pollution control investments. The discussion covered tax advantages, depreciation of equip ment, government and private sources of financ ing available, and the economics of joint treat ment with a municipality versus privately fi nanced treatment facilities. Also included in this session was a presenta tion by Kenneth Dostal of the EPA Pacific North west Water Laboratory, covering the status of the EPA Demonstration Grant Program. This seminar is scheduled to be repeated on the East Coast (Region III) in August 1973. FIFTH TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER INDUSTRIAL SEMINAR HELD IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI FOR MEAT PACKING Industry The fifth EPA Technology Transfer Industrial Seminar for FY 1973, "Upgrading Meat Packing Facilities to Reduce Pollution" was given to 160 engineers and managers from the Meat Packing Industry in Kansas City, Missouri on March 7, 8, 1973. EPA Regional Director Jerome Svore and John Dunning of thq-National Independent Meat Pack ers welcomed the attendees. Pretreatment re quirements and surcharges were discussed by Richard Frank and Permit requirements were discussed by Garry Stigall.both of Region VII. Two technology sessions were presented. The first session on "In-Plant Modifications and Pre treatment" was by A. J. Steffen of Purdue Uni versity. The second session on Waste Treatment Systems was given by Jim and Paula Wells of Bell, Galyardt & Wells. A special evening panel session was held on Odor Control. Donald Dencker of Oscar Mayer and Kenneth Ries of Armour joined Al Steffen and Jim Wells to form the panel. The final general session included a presenta tion on "Optimum Strategies for Financing Pol lution Control Investments" by Charles Marshall of J. A. Commins and Associates, and a talk on Effective Government-Industry relationships by Donald Mackenzie of the American Meat Insti tute. EPA Technology Transfer Chairman for Region VII is Lewis Young. METAL FINISHING SEMINAR The third in the series of industrial seminars on "Upgrading Metal Finishing Facilities to Reduce Pollution" was held in Portland, Oregon on May 16-17. Approximately 140 metal finishers and government officials attended the seminar. The technical sessions included a presentation on In-Process Pollution Abatement by Alan Olsen of Oxy-Metal Finishing and Edward Hanf of Ceilcote, Inc. and a presentation on Metal Finishing Waste Treatment by Dr. Leslie Lancy and Robert Rice of Lancy Laboratories. In the general ses sions Dr. William Brungs of the EPA National Water Quality Laboratory, Duluth, Minnesota, gave a stimulating talk on the Effect of Heavy Metal Discharges on the Aquatic Environment and James Commins of J. A. Commins and As sociates gave a presentation on Choosing the Optimum Financial Strategy. A status report on the EPA demonstration grants involving metal OAPOO JEN 0005299 finishing plants was given by Dr. Herbert Shovronak of EPA's Edison Laboratory. EPATECHNOLOGYTRANSFER CAPSULE REPORT #2 AVAILABLE EPA Technology Transfer Capsule Report Number 2 "Color Removal from Kraft Pulping Effluent by Lime Addition" is now being dis tributed. This capsule report describes an EPA Industrial Demonstration Grant with the Inter state Paper Corporation at Riceboro, Georgia. Lime treatment, clarification, holding in a quiescent biological pond, and final aeration were used to reduce color from the Interstate unbleached kraft mill from 1200 APHA units to 125. BOD was reduced from 41 Ibs/ton pulp (330 ppm) to 0.6 Ib/ton pulp (5 ppm). Calcium was removed in the final effluent by natural recarbonation in the quiescent lagoon. The capsule report lists the performance and economics of the system. For your copy of this Capsule Report use the order blank at the back of this newsletter. EPA TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CAPSULE REPORT #3 AVAILABLE EPA Technology Transfer Capsule Report Num ber 3 "Pollution Abatement in a Copper Wire Mill" is now available for distribution. The capsule re port describes the EPA Industrial Demonstration Grant with the Volco Brass and Copper Company at Kenilworth, New Jersey. The new system demonstrated that water con sumption could be reduced by 90% (from 200,000 gallons per day to 20,000 gallons per day) by em ploying integrated chemical rinsing and water re use. The sulfuric acid pickle was regenerated and high purity metallic copper recovered by contin uous electrolysis, eliminating the dumping of spent pickle liquor. Hydrogen peroxide was proven to be an improved secondary pickle and the chronjaies and fluorides previously used were elimi nated. The system has resulted in a $14,000 annual savings in the manufacturing operation as well as striking reductions in waste discharges. Details of the system performance and economics are high lighted in the capsule report For your copy of this Capsule Report use the order blank at the back of this newsletter. EPA/AlChE WATER REUSE CONFERENCE HELD IN WASHINGTON APRIL24-27 475 Engineers, Scientists and Environmental ists attended a four day national conference on complete reuse of industry water, jointly spon sored by EPA Technology Transfer and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Water reuse in industry was examined from the point of view of technology, economics, ad ministration, and legal procedures. Environmen talists and lawyers as well as engineers and scientists participated in the program. The keynote address by Michele Metrinko, special assistant to the EPA Administrator, stressed the point that the time for detailed solutions to pollution problems has arrived. Ms. Metrinko stressed the necessity of joint efforts between industry, environmentalists and regula tory agencies to arrive at optimum pollution con trol requirements which will protect the environ ment but not cause economic and environmental disasters by forcing unworkable technology into application. Technical sessions covered topics related to water reuse for a range of industries, including chemicals, power, petroleum refining, pulp and paper and metals production. A special session was held on the new water pollution control law which featured a discussion by J. R. Quarles Jr., EPA Assistant Administrator for Enforcement. The economics session discussed impacts on ex ports, economic benefits to citizens, the cost to industry, and the philosophy of treating water as a borrowed commodity. Proceedings from this conference will be avail able from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, 345 East 47 Street, New York, New York 10017. CAPCO JEN 0005300 Michele B. Metrinko shown here with AlChF* Executive Secretary, F. J. Van Antwerpen, save the keynote address at the EPA/AIChE Conference. EPA RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT Air-Polluted Water EPA's Western Fish Toxicology Station, located in Corvallis, Oregon, a field station of the Na tional Water Quality Laboratory in Duluth, Min nesota, devotes a majority of its research effort to a water pollution problem called "air super saturation". Why are water pollution scientists so con cerned about air pollution? Simple. The un wanted air, no matter how pure or how dirty, is dissolved in otherwise habitable water and can do great harm to aquatic life, especially fish. Thus, it is not an air pollutant in the most strict sense of the word, but rather a water pollutant Dr. Gerald Bouck, Chief of WFTS, states, "Water can be supersaturated to some minute degree by even a small amount of turbulence, however, such as huge, volumes of water plung ing over large waterfalls or over the spillways of giant dams, or thermal pollution, that causes lethal levels of supersaturation." It is appropriate that WFTS is located in Oregon, for the Northwest's mighty Columbia River just 80 miles to the north is highly super saturated during the late spring and early sum mer, primarily as the result of nine major floodcontrol and hydroelectric dams. ^^ As water plunges into basins below the dams, increased pressure forces gases from the air into solution in the water. As fish and other aquatic animals take in this unnaturafly-high amount of gas pressure through normal respiratory proc esses, small bubbles are formed in the blood stream, under the skin, and in the fins. External bubbles are easily seen with the naked eye. The affliction is called "gas bubble disease." Because the Columbia is a major migration route for the hundreds of thousands of Pacific salmon moving each year to and from spawning grounds in countless smaller tributaries, several species of this commercially-important fish are the main subjects of air supersaturation and gas bubble disease research at WFTS. The Columbia River supplies about 65 percent of the commercial and sport-caught salmon landed off the coast of Oregon and Washington, which in turn generates tourist traffic twice that of Yellowstone National Park. The combined economic impact of salmon in the Northwest is estimated to be approximately $130 million an nually. The loss of salmon means damage both to the environment and to the region's economy. Air supersaturation, through gas bubble dis ease, causes the premature death of significant numbers of salmon each year. During the spring runoff period, the Columbia River is supersaturated from the Pacific Ocean upstream for hundreds of miles, but the concen tration is greatest in pools immediately below the spillways of dams. Most species of the adult salmon remain in these pools for many hours, or even days, before finding the fish ladders that will enable them to migrate upstream. Thus, any delay in their migration may cause great damage via gas bubble disease. Since some of the migrating salmon must pass alt nine dams to return to their spawning ground, those that go the farthest are likely to suffer heaviest casualties from gas bubble disease. Gas bubble disease is similar to "the bends" or decompression sickness, suffered by skin divers. Small bubbles of gas form in the circulatory j ! j v/ ; i {} ' j j CAPCO JEN 0005301 system of the fish, blocking the flow of blood and causing weakness and a variety of other physical ailments. The tiny bubbles can cause severe eye damage by clogging blood vessels, which may then lead to protruding eyeballs and blindness. The vision impairment prevents natural reproduction via behavioral problems and infectious disease. Typically, death is caused by massive block age of blood vessels. In advanced stages, the heart chambers of the fish become "air locked" by frothy bubbles. Currently, research related to this problem is being conducted at WFTS using 2,000-gallon tanks and water supersaturated up to 130 percent with different species of fish and under varying environmental conditions. The results and future plans of this research can be obtained by con tacting Dr. Bouck at the Western Fish Toxicology Station, 200 S. W. 35th Street, Corvallis, Oregon 97330. WFTS conducts research with all life stages of fish. The adult salmon, some of them up to four feet long and weighing more than 35 pounds, are trapped by WFTS staff members on fish ladders at dams along the Columbia River. The laboratory obtains most of its juvenile salmon through artificial spawning. Roe are col lected from the adult females, fertilized, and hatched in incubators. As research progresses, WFTS hopes to reach the point of being able to release experimentallystressed salmon into the nearby Willamette River, so that the overall adequacy of water pol lution restrictions can be tested more naturally and adequately. Roe from a "ripe" female Chinook salmon will provide a new generation of test animals for WFTS research. The field station also conducts research on the effects of heavy metals and other pollutants on salmon and trout While much of the air supersaturation in the Northwest is caused by the spillage of flood water, dams in other parts of the country cause supersaturation by deliberately injecting air into the turbines for re-aeration or for reducing me chanical problems. Thermal pollution is still an other manmade cause of supersaturation. -Recording to Dr. Bouck, the cost of correcting supersaturation on the Columbia River alone could be quite high. The total cost could run between 50 million and a billion dollars, depend ing on the standards adopted, and on the super saturation standard. . NEW AUDIO/VISUAL MATERIAL UNDER PRODUCTION Technology Transfer has recently contracted for the production of two 28-minute 16mm docu mentary-type motion pictures depicting the suc cessful application and implementation of new technology. The first of these films will present the developopment and current implementation of the water quality management plan for the Alameda Creek Watershed in suburban San Francisco. This par ticular plan involves: a) upgrading two wastewater treatment facilities to "advanced waste treatment", including nutrient removal, produc ing an effluent suitable for reuse; b) conveyance of the reclaimed wastewater to a reservoir to be constructed; c) development of associated rec reational facilities at the reservoir; and d) po tential recycling of reclaimed wastewater. The cooperative efforts of the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, the City of Livermore, the City of Pleasanton, and the Valley Community Services District played a major role in development of the plan. The second film will document the successes of the Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle (METRO) in the area of environmental protec tion and enhancement. New wastewater treat ment technology applied by Seattle METRO in clude the areas of sludge dewatering, phospho rus removal, and computerized treatment and disposal methods. METRO now serves 11 cities, 18 sewer districts, and one private agency--or a total of 900,000 people in a 300 square mile area. Again, this is an example of how new tech nology can be applied through inter-jurisdic tional cooperation. Each of these films is scheduled for comple tion by the end of calendar year 1973. CAPCO JEN 0005302 SULFIDE CONTROL MANUAL IN PRINT The Technology Transfer Process Design Manual for Sulfide Control in Sanitary Sewerage Systems, prepared by Pomeroy, Johnston and Bailey of Pasadena, Califor nia, is currently being printed and will soon be available for distribution. This Manual includes information for all feasible alterna tive designs that can be used to control sulfides and minimize their effects in both new and existing sewerage systems. Specific topics covered include: Charac teristics and Properties of Hydrogen Sulfide; Occurrence and Effects of Sulfide in Sewers; Investigation in Existing Systems; Control of Sulfide in Existing Systems; and Design of Sewer Systems to Prevent Sulfide Problems. Case histories, examples, and cost estimates are presented to substan tiate the "how-to" approach of this manual. Individuals interested in obtaining, at no charge, a copy of the Sulfide Control Man ual should fill out the appropriate form in the back of this publication and forward it to Technology Transfer, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C. 20460. "HANDBOOK FOR MONITORING INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER" TO BE AVAILABLE IN AUGUST The first of the EPA Technology Transfer Industrial Manuals will be available in August of 1973. The "Handbook for Monitor ing Industrial Wastewater" provides tech nical information for manufacturers estab lishing a wastewater monitoring program. As is the case with all Technology Transfer publications the Handbook is offered as helpful guidance only and is not regulatory. Major chapters in the Handbook are: Program Planning Parameters to be Measured Analytical Considerations Sampling" Flow Measurement Data Analysis Automatic Monitoring The Continuing Program Special Considerations for Municipal Systems Training of Technicians Safety The manual is written with basic informa tion for managers in the beginning of each chapter with the more detailed technical information in the latter sections. Special emphasis is placed on minimizing the costs of monitoring and avoiding common pitfalls. For your copy of this handbook mail the form on the last page of this newsletter to Technology Transfer. harribogk MONITORING INDUSTRIAL AAASTEVWER fA 1V5. 32/ NOTICE: The new Technology Transfer telephone number is (703) 557-7700. CAPCO JEN 0005303 Where To Get Further Information In order to get details on items appearing in this publication, or any other aspects of the Technology Transfer Program, contact your EPA Regional Technology Transfer Committee Chairman from the list below: REGION CHAIRMAN 1 Lester Sutton It Rocco Ricci III Kenneth Suter IV As, B. Foster, Jr. ADDRESS Environmental Protection Agency John F. Kennedy Federal Building Room 2304 Boston, Massachusetts 02203 617 223*7210 (Maine, N.H., Vt., Mass., R.I* Conn.) Environmental Protection Agency 26 Federal Plaxa New York, New York 10017 212 264*8958 (N.Y., NJ,, P.R- V.l.) Environmental Protection Agency 6th & Walnut Streets Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106 215 597*9875 (Pa., W.Va., Md., Dei., D.C., Va.) Environmental Protection Agency Suite 300 1421 Peachtree Street, N.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30309 404 526*3454 (N.C., S.C., Ky., Tenn., Ga., Ala., Miss., Fla.) v VI VII Vltl IX X Clifford m*i*y Richard Hill Lewis Young Russell Fitch Frank Covington John Osborn V Environmental Protection Agency 1 N. Wacker Drive Chicago, Illinois 60606 312 353*S756 (Mich., Wis., Minn., III., Ind., Ohio) Environmental Protection Agency 1600 Patterson Street, Suite 1100 Dallas, Texas 75201 214 7491461 (Texas, Okla* Ark., La., N. Max.) Environmental Protection Agency 1735 Baltimore Avenue Kansas City, Missouri 64108 816 374*2725 (Kansas, Nebr., Iowa, Mo.) Environmental Protection Agency 1860 Lincoln Street Denver, Colorado 80203 303 837*3849 (Colo., Mont., Wyo., Utah, N.D., S.Dj Environmental Protection Agency 100 California Street San Francisco, Calif. 94111 415 556*0218 (Calif., Ariz* Nev., Hawaii) Environmental Protection Agency 1200 6ih Avenue Seattle, Washington 98101 206 442*1296 (Wash., Ore., Idaho, Alaska) REQUESTS FOR TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER MATERIAL Please send me the following publications at no charge. (Check appropriate boxes) PROCESS DESIGN MANUALS Phosphorus Removal Carbon Adsorption Suspended Solids Removal v Upgrading Existing Wastewater Treatment Plants Sulfide Control in Sanitary Sewerage Systems TECHNICAL CAPSULE REPORTS Recycling Zinc in Viscose Rayon Plants Color Removal from Kraft Pulping Effluent by Lime Addition Pollution Abatement in a Copper Wire Mill Upgrading Metal Finishing Facilities to Reduce Pollution BROCHURES Physical-Chemical Treatment Phosphorus Removal Upgrading Existing Wastewater Treatment Plants Carbon Adsorption Oxygen Aeration Nitrogen Control Seattle, Washington METRO Wastewater Purification at Lake Tahoe Indian Creek Reservoir Richardson, Texas INDUSTRIAL SEMINAR PUBLICATIONS Upgrading Poultry Processing Facilities to Reduce Pollution HANDBOOKS Analytical Quality Control in Water and Wastewater Laboratories n Monitoring Industrial Wastewater Please contact me regarding the loan of the following audio/visual material. (Check appropriate boxes) MOTION PICTURES (16mm sound) Richardson, Texas, Project--Title "Somebody around here must be doing something good." (15 min.) Phosphorus Removal (5 min.) VIDEOTAPES Carbon Adsorption (40 min.) Upgrading Activated Sludge Treatment Plants (40 min.) Is your name on our mailing list to receive this Newsletter? Do you want to be added to this mailing list? Yes No Name___________________________________________________ ____________________ _________________________________________ Street____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________ City____________________________________ StateZip. Note: Tear this sheet out and forward to Technology Transfer, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D. C. 20460 CAPCO JEN 0005304 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY r OFFICIAL BUSINESS PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE. $300 POSTAGE AND FEES PAID ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY EPA-335 ADDRESS LABEL )j CAPCO JEN 0005303 r "i 1 PUBLICATIONS. A continuing series of publications is being prepared and disseminated by Technology Transfer for use by the various categories of potential users. These include: Design Manuals intended for engineers directly involved in design of pollution control facilities. The manuals are comprehensive publications and include information such as theory, design criteria, identification of key parameters, cost experience, equipment, characteristics, and available experience and case histories. Technical Capsule Reports describing specific industrial pollution control projects. The reports describe manufacturing process changes, waste treatment facilities, comparison of waste characteristics before and after process and waste treatment changes, and relevant cost information for the projects. Seminar Publications covering detailed information presented at the design seminars are published and broadly distributed to the engineering community. Handbooks are issued to cover non-design technical subject areas in pollution control such as monitoring, laboratory procedures, and operations. Technology Transfer Washington, O.C. 204&. CAPCO JEN 0005306 1 Process Brochures are prepared (or administrative decision-makers and conservation groups to briefly familiarize them with new waste treatment processes. The brochures describe , the basic processes and include locations where. processes are being planned, designed, or ' operated; general cost information; and process advantages. Project Brochures describe a successful application of new technology. Reasons behind the project, the technology used, results obtained, and cost information are presented. Technology Transfer Newsletters are issued quarterly and are intended to keep interested parties informed of program activities and promising EPA research and demonstration projects. AUDIO-VISUAL MEDIA. Technical videotapes for closed-circuit viewing by small groups of engineers are available as well as non-technical motion pictures depicting successful full-scale demonstrations of new technology. EXHIBITS. Technology Transfer exhibits of new technology developments are available for large conferences of professional organizations. j < J ! CAPCO JEN 0005307 1 Additional and more detailed information on the material discussed in this publication can be obtained from the Regional Technology Transfer Chairman serving your specific area. Inquiries should be forwarded to the following addresses to the attention of Technology Transfer Chairman: Region 1 Environmental Protection Agency John F. Kennedy Federal Bldg. Boston. Massachusetts 02203 Region 2 Environmental Protection Agency 26 Federal Plaza New York, New York 10017 Region 3 Environmental Protection Agency 6th and Walnut Streets Philadelphia. Pennsylvania 19106 Region 4 Environmental Protection Agency 1421 Peachtree Street. N.E. Atlanta. Georgia 30309 Region 5 Environmental Protection Agency 1 North Wacker Drive Chicago, Illinois 60606 CAPCO JEN 0005309 Region 6 Environmental Protection Agency 1600 Patterson Street Dallas, Texas 75201 Region 7 Environmental Protection Agency 1735 Baltimore Street Kansas City. Missouri 64108 Region 8 Environmental Protection Agency 1860 Lincoln Street Denver. Colorado 80203 Region 9 Environmental Protection Agency 100 California Street San Francisco, California 94111 Region 10 Environmental Protection Agency 1200 6th Avenue Seattle, Washington 98101 CAPCO JEN 0005310 "1 Research and Use CAPCO JEN 0005311 r1 CAPCO JEN 0005312 CAPCO JEN 0005313 Program Purpose The objective of the Technology Transfer Program is to effectively impact the construction, installation, and operation of pollution control and abatement facilities, (or ensure that the latest viable technologies are transferred to potential users and eliminate the possibly large investment in obsolete facilities. The Program's primary function is to bridge the gap between research and full-scale use by evaluating and transferring newly developed successful technologies to consulting engineering firms; municipal, industrial, and State design engineers; city managers; directors of public works; industrial managers; conservation groups; and others exerting influence over the design and construction of all pollution control and abatement facilities. A further goal is to firmly establish the newly emerging technologies as practical and feasible alternatives on a national basis, to be routinely considered and evaluated in the planning of these facilities. CAPCO JEN 0005314 Program Activities SEMINARS. A series of pollution control seminars is being conducted throughout the country to present detailed information on the latest pollution control technologies and practices. Subject areas of the Municipal Design Seminars for wastewater treatment facilities are oriented to the specific needs of the geographical region in which they are held. The Industrial Seminars are aimed at making the small manufacturer aware of the alternative proven technologies available to him by addressing the air, water, and solids pollution problems of that industry. Seminar presentations are jointly conducted by EPA personnel, consulting engineers, and appropriate equipment manufacturers and industries. CAPCO JEN 0005315 CAPCO JEN 0005316 HOW CAN NITROGEN IN WASTEWATER BE CONTROLLED? Ammonia nitrogen can be reduced in con centration or removed from wastewater by several processes. These processes can be di vided into two broad categories: biological methods and physical-chemical methods. BIOLOGICAL METHODS One meth od of ensuring a low ammonia content in treated wastewater effluents is to induce nitrification to occur in the treatment-sys tem. Nitrification is merely the biological conversion of nitrogen in the form of am monia to nitrogen in the form of nitrate. Nitrification is accomplished by providing that amount of oxygen required in the bio-chemical reaction which converts am monia nitrogen to nitrate nitrogen. This is roughly 4.5 pounds of oxygen per pound of ammonia nitrogen in the wastewater. Equipment required consists basically of a tank through which the wastewater to be nitrified passes, and oxygen or air gener ating, pumping, and diffusion equipment. When the effluent from a wastewater treatment plant is discharged to a receiv ing water with a significant flow, such as a river, nitrate nitrogen may not have any adverse effects upon it. In fact, a nitri fied effluent free of substantial quantities of ammonia can offer several advantages: 1. Nitrate nitrogen provides oxygen to sludge beds and prevents the forma tion of septic odors 2. A nitrified effluent contains less sol uble organic material than the same effluent before nitrification 3. Nitrified effluents are more ef ficiently disinfected by chlorine treatment 4. A nitrified effluent reduces the oxy gen demand on the receiving waters The deciding factor in determining whether the discharge of a nitrified ef fluent to a free-flowing receiving water is acceptable is the level of nitrate nitro gen contained in it. If it is too high, then further action is necessary to control the nitrogen content of the effluent. This is also the case when treated wastewater is discharged to relatively still bodies of wa ter-such as lakes, reservoirs, and estuaries. In these cases even a highly nitrified ef fluent can have harmful effects, such as fostering algal blooms. If a nitrified effluent is determined un acceptable, there are two steps which can be taken. Each of these steps involves denitrification--the conversion of nitrate nitrogen to nitrogen gas. 1. Suspended Growth Denitrification. In this form of denitrification, nitrified wastewater flows to a tank where an or ganic compound (such as methyl alcohol) is added in proportion to the amount of nitrate nitrogen present. The end products of the reaction induced in this tank are nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide, both of which are liberated to the atmosphere. 2. Fixed Film Denitrification. As in suspended growth denitrification, an or ganic compound is added to the nitrified wastewater. However, in this form of de nitrification, the nitrified wastewater and organic compound passes through a col umn of fine media such as sand. Denitri fying bacteria are produced and attach as a slime to the media surface. The end pro ducts again are nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide, which are released to the atmos phere. Fixed-film denitrification has the added benefit of filtration, and under nor mal circumstances will produce an effluent low in suspended solids concentration. CAPCO JEN 0005317 TT" PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL METHODS There are several other means of removing nitrogen from wastewater-all of which are physical-chemical rather than biologi cal. They are: 1. Ammonia-Stripping. The ammonia nitrogen which, as mentioned previously, is present in wastewater during conven tional biological treatment can be removed by a physical process called desorption or, more commonly, "stripping." Simply stated, the wastewater is first made very alkaline by adding lime, and the ammonia is then induced to leave the water phase and enter the gas phase where it is re leased to the atmosphere. To accomplish this stripping, the wastewater is merely contacted with a sufficient quantity of ammonia free air. This contacting with air is done in a slat-filled tower very simi lar to those used in industry to cool water. It should be pointed out that ammonia stripping is limited to warm weather areas with little or no prolonged freezing. Also the impact of ammonia discharge on the surrounding environment must be eval uated on a case-by-case basis. 2. Breakpoint Chlorination. Chlorine added to wastewater reacts with the am monia nitrogen to form nitrogen gas. This may be the simplest nitrogen removal pro cess, but it has some disadvantages. One of these is the amount of chlorine required-approximately 10 parts of chlo- rine to remove one part of ammonia. Therefore, a city of 100,000 would require approximately 6 million pounds of chlo rine per year (about 30 times that required for normal disinfection purposes). The transportation and handling problems are obvious. Another possible disadvantage is that this large dose of chlorine may re sult in the formation of chlorides which would have to be eliminated by subse quent demineralization. 3. Ion-Exchange. This nitrogen remov al process involves passing ammonia-laden wastewater through a series of columns packed with a material called clinoptilolite. The ammonium ion adheres to or is absorbed by the clinoptilolite. When the first column in series loses its ammonia adsorptive capacity, it is removed from the treatment scheme and washed with limewater. This step converts the captured ammonium ions to ammonia gas, which is then released to the atmosphere by con tacting heated air with the wastewater stream, much the same as described pre viously under ammonia stripping. l in Wastewater O^^ic Compound t i j I f I fI isp/ rHIcatlon Fixed Film System Danitrllicatlon A. Wastewater Inlet B. Regenerant Inlet C. Regenerant Diffuser D. Clinoptilolite E. Underdrain System F. Treated Wastewater CAPCO JEN 0005318 HOW MUCH DOES NITROGEN CONTROL COST? The chart (right) shows the approximate national average total costs, including plant amortization (25 years at 6 percent), oper ation and maintenance for biological ni trogen control methods. Costs for nitrogen removal by breakpoint chlorination (in addition to costs for conventional treat ment) are constant at approximately 6U 1000 gallons treated. Costs for ammonia stripping and ion-exchange can vary sig nificantly depending on plant size and location, availability of materials, etc. A detailed investigation must therefore be made to determine exact costs for these two physical-chemical methods of remov ing nitrogen from wastewater. WHERE IS CONTROL OF NITROGEN IN WASTEWATER BEING APPLIED? i I 10 PUnt SiM (Million Callont ptr Day) A. Conventional Treatment Plus Nitrification Plus Denitrification B. Conventional Treatment Plus Nitrification C. Conventional Treatment This is a partial listing o'f full-scale nitro gen control treatment plants under design, construction or operation. Location Washington, D. C. Tampa, Florida Alexandria, Va. Salt Creek (Chicago), 111. Arlington, Va. Madison, Wise. Fairfax County, Va. Flint, Mich. Waukeegan, 111. Highland Park, III. Gurnee, 111. Jackson, Mich. Orange County, Calif. Benton Harbor, Mich. Owosso, Mich. Central Contra Costa, Calif. Rosemont, Minn. El Lago, Texas Flow (Million Gallons/Day) 300 60 54 50 30 30 22.5 20 20 18 17 17 15 13 6 1 0.6 0.5 Type Facility Suspended Growth System Fixed Film Denitrification Ion-Exchange Fixed Film Denitrification Breakpoint Chlorination Nitrification Ion-Exchange Nitrification Nitrification Nitrification Nitrification Nitrification Ammonia Stripping Nitrification Breakpoint Chlorination Suspended Growth System Ion-Exchange Fixed Film Denitrification WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION? * Contact your consulting engineering firm or write to: Environmental Protection Agency ( 3 Technology Transfer Washington, D.C. 20460 t 1 1 I i 11 i CAPCO JEN 0005319 Nitrogen in its many forms has long played a fundamental role in the aquatic environ ment. It is now apparent that ecological imbalances in the natural environment have been caused, in part, by the exces sive discharges of nitrogenous materials to natural waterways. Along with phospho rus, nitrogen occupies a critical role in the eutrophication of lakes. In certain forms nitrogen is one of the major nutrients sup porting blooms of green and blue-green algae in surface waters. In addition to the nutrient value of nitrogen, the oxygen demand of nitrogen forms can represent as much as 70% of the total oxygen de mand of conventionally treated munici pal wastewater. During conventional biological wastewater treatment, almost all the nitrogen contained in the wastewater is converted into the ammonia nitrogen form. Al though ammonia has very little toxicity to humans, treated wastewater effluent containing ammonia has several undesir able features:- 1. Ammonia consumes dissolved oxy gen in the receiving water 2. Ammonia can be toxic to fish life 3. Ammonia is corrosive to copper fittings 4. Ammonia increases the amount of chlorine required for disinfection CAPCO JEN 0005320 WHAT IS PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL TREATMENT? PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL TREAT MENT is an alternative to the biolog ical wastewater treatment methods now in wide-spread use throughout the country. Biological-type treatment plants basically utilize air and bacteria within the wastewater to breakdown, stabilize, and remove organic pollu tants in the waste stream. PHYSICALCHEMICAL TREATMENT is basic ally a combination of treatment plant components that do NOT rely on bac terial action during the treatment. Component processes usually found in PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL TREAT MENT plants include: CAPCO JEN 0005322 PRETREATMENT --Preliminary screen ing of floating debris and settling of sand, grit, and other large particles. This component is also used in con ventional-type treatment plants. CLARIFICATION--This component is normally a basin or series of basins where chemicals such as alum or lime are added to coagulate the waste parti cles into large masses that rapidly set tle out of the wastewater stream. Vir tually all settleable solids are removed in this step. FILTRATION--The chem ically clarified wastewater is passed through beds consisting of sand or crushed anthracite coal, or a combination of the two materials. This step will result in virtually complete removal of the remaining suspended sol ids not removed in the preceding step. ADSORPTION--In this step, the wastewater is passed through columns of activated carbon granules to remove dissolved organic material. When the capacity of the carbon to remove fur ther material is exhausted, the carbon is heated to btjm off the collected ma terial. This enables the plant to reuse the carbon, again arid again. A TYPICAL FLOW CHART! PflETAEATMENT DISINFECTION --The ad dition of disinfectant is for destruction of harm ful bacteria. Disinfection is also performed at con ventional treatment plants. CLARIFICATION FILTRATION AOSORPTIOt CAPCO JEN 0005323 FLEXIBILITY There is a great deal of flexibility in using a PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL TREATMENT system. Filtration may be used either before or after the car bon adsorption component or both be fore and after depending upon the re quired quality of the treated wastewater. Many other variations are pos sible to meet the specific water quality needs of the municipality. In some in stances, the carbon columns may be deleted with chemical clarification and filtration providing the necessary treatment. The details as to what treat ment system would be appropriate to meet your city's needs should be dis cussed with your consulting engineer ing firm. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? The chart below shows the approxi mate national average costs, including plant amortization,* operation and maintenance for a typical PHYSICALCHEMICAL TREATMENT plant. The graph is a general guide and is subject to considerable variation due to geographical locations, labor rates, and site conditions.** Based on 24-year economic life at 6 per cent Two-stage lime treatment, filtration, car bon, and disinfection. Also included are recalcinating lime and sludge incineration. WHY PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL TREATMENT? It has become evident in recent years that biological treatment is not the only solution to all municipal waste treatment problems. Biological plants are sensitive to the vagaries of weather and unusually strong wastewaters dumped into the collection system. Either may completely disrupt the treatment process and result in in adequately treated wastewater passing through the plant into the receiving waters. Many biological plants cannot provide the high degree of solids re moval and biochemical oxygen demand (commonly referred to as BOD) re moval required to meet Water Quality Standards. WHERE ARE PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL PLANTS BEING PLANNED? This is a representative listing giving an indication of the rapidly spreading acceptance of PHYSICAL-CHEMI CAL TREATMENT. The number of municipalities planning this type of treatment system is increasing rapidly. LOCATION SIZE (MILLION GALLONS/DAY) Niagara Falls, N.Y. Garland, Tex. Fitchburg, Mass. Rocky River, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio Cortland, N.Y. Owosso, Mich. Painesville, Ohio 60 30 15 10 50 10 6 5 CAPCO JEN 0005324 JL jLi more; i Water Quality Standard! become : essary;'communities and. dtieifcacrosiij the country are faced with the ptobiemf of either upgrading existing wa treatment facilities of constructing new^ facilities to meet these Standards. Ptdi-jl lie officials, planners, and engined must examine the technology, that:; j'J available and economics involvedVinJ each of the alternative solutions` to>| arrive at a responsible decision. New technology is available which can > be incorporated in the planning and-^ designing of modifications to existing .facilities or the construction of new)? facilities. One wastewater treatment concept which, has evolved in recent~; years is the system known as PHYSI CAL-CHEMICAL TREATMENT. '* 1 < CAPCO JEN 0005325 WHY MUNICIPALITIES CHOOSE PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL TREATMENT? Rocky River, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, had no secondary treatment. Upgrad ing to conventional secondary treat ment was not feasible due to the lack of city-owned property at the plantsite. By choosing PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL TREATMENT it was possible to build the plant within existing boundaries. This eliminated the necessity of con demning any of the neighborhood resi dential property, and enables them to meet Water Quality Standards and provide the flexibility for effectively handling daily flow fluctuations. Painesville, Ohio, has wastewater reaching their treatment plant which quite often contains industrial waste substances which are toxic and upset the treatment system. Tests indi cated that PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL TREATMENT would consistently produce an effluent meeting Water Quality Standards and would withstand the effects of toxic loads. Therefore, this type of treatment was chosen for the plant expansion. I l * \ | I i i WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES? 1. Smaller land area required (less than V4). 2. Higher degrees of treatment ef ficiency than conventional bio logical processes. 3. Lesser sensitivity to unusual loadings. 4. Lesser sensitivity to daily flow variations. 5. Greater design flexibility. 6. Greater operational flexibility and control. WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION? Contact your consulting engineering firm or write to: Environmental Protection Agency Technology Transfer Washington, D.C. 20460 * CPO: tin 0-410-446 CAPCO JEN 0005326 CAPCO JEN 0005327 CAPCO JEN 0005328 HOW CAN PHOSPHORUS BE REMOVED? CHEMICALS AND THEIR APPLICATION Phosphorus can be removed by the addition of chemicals at any one of four general points within a wastewater treatment plant. Utilization of chemical treatment for phosphorus removal pro vides flexibility because it can be applied in a variety of treatment plants. Every waste has its own characteris tics and several tests may need to be conducted on your city's wastewater to determine the most effective com bination of chemical(s) and dosing point(s). The details as to how and where chemi cals should be added for phosphorus removal should be discussed with your city's consulting engineering firm. Lime or inorganic salts of iron or aluminum, either alone or in combina tion with organic polymers, are very effective chemicals for removing phosphatga from the wastewater. There are a number of factors to be con sidered in the selection of the proper and most effective chemical and its dosage. 1. Concentration of phosphorus coming into the plant. 2. Water quality requirements. 3. Character xif. the wastewater. 4. Plant size. ' 5. Chemical costs, including trans portation. 6. Sludge handling and disposal. POSSIBLE CHEMICAL APPLICATION POINTS IN A TYPICAL MUNICIPAL SEWAGE TF CAPCO JEN 0005329 HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? CASE HISTORIES The overall costs for phosphorus re moval arc normally less than S0.05 per thousand gallons. Costs for handling the additional sludge produced will vary significantly according to type of plant, size of plant, chemicals used, and method of sludge disposal. In most cases, the provision of chemi cal treatment to remove phosphorus will provide significant side benefits through upgrading general plant per formance. Grand Rapids, Michigan, has a 45 million gallon per day conventional activated sludge plant. The Great Lakes enforcement conference recommended that Grand Rapids provide additional phosphorus removal. After a series of tests, it was found that ferric chloride, plus an organic polymer, could produce phosphorus removal of 80 percent. The chemicals are added in the primary stage of the treatment plant. Richardson, Texas, has a 1.6 million gallon per day 'trickling filter plant. The city fathers decided to provide phosphorus removal to improve the quality of the downstream recreational lake. The city conducted pilot studies at the treatment plant and concluded that alum applied just ahead of the final clarifier provided the most efficient phosphorus removal for their condi tions. The plant currently achieves 98 percent phosphorus removal. 1EATMENT PLANT TERTIARY DISINFECTION CAPCO JEN 0005330 p hosphorus has been identified as one of the "key" factors in the disruption of the ecological bal ance of our waters. In order to meet water quality standards, many cities will be required to reduce phosphorus to low concentrations in wastewater discharges. Excess phosphorus enters our lakes and streams and stimulates the growth of algae and other aquatic life forms, thereby causing them to grow in great profusion. This over abundance of algae in our lakes and streams causes objectionable odors and eventually results in depletion of the oxygen content of the water--thus kill ing off, or limiting, fish population. In addition to odors, there is an over abundance of undesirable solids which further affects the water quality. In con ventional wastewater treatment facili ties, phosphorus is not removed to any appreciable extent. Available techno logy now allows for effective removal of phosphorus by relatively minor modifications to existing municipal wastewater treatment facilities. Phosphorus removal technology today consists of the addition of chemicals that combine with the phosphorus and solids causing them to settle out of the wastewater. CAPCO JEN 0005331 WHO IS USING CHEMICAL PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL? Partial list of full-scale plants using or planning to use phosphorus removal. FLOW-MILLION STAGE WHERE GALLONS TREATMENT PERFORMED PER DAY CHEMICAL PRIMARY TREATMENT Detroit, Michigan Rochester, New York Grand Rapids, Michigan Bay City, Michigan Rocky River, Ohio Owosso, Michigan Painesville, Ohio Hatfield Township, Penn. Holland, Michigan El Lago, Texas SECONDARY TREATMENT Milwaukee', Wisconsin Metro Seattle, Washington Chicago South Creek Plant, 111. Pomona, California Richardson, Texas Manassas, Virginia Xenia, Ohio Texas City, Texas TERTIARY TREATMENT South Lake Tahoe, Calif. Piscataway, Maryland Santee, California Colorado Springs, Colo. 600 Steel Manufacturing Waste Pickle Liquor--(mostly ferrous with ferric chloride) 100-~ Lime 45 Ferric Chloride+Polymcr 12 Ferric Chloride 10 Aluminum Sulfate-(-Polymer 6 Lime +Alum 5 Ferric Chloride+Polymer 5 Lime 4 Lime 0.5 Aluminum Spifate 80 Ferrous Sulfate 20 Aluminum Sulfate 30 Aluminum Sulfate 2 Alum & Sodium Aluminate 1.6 Alum 1 Aluminum Sulfate & Sodium Aluminate 1 Sodium Aluminate 1 Ferrous Sulfate & Ferric Chloride 7.5 Lime 5 Lime 2 Lime 2 Lime WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION? Contact your consulting engineering firm or write to: Technology Transfer Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 trCFO : 1971 O 441* 302 CAPCO JEN 0005332 HOW CAN TREATMENT PLANT EFFECTIVENESS BE IMPROVED? The first step towards providing better wastewater treatment is to ensure that ' he treatment facility is staffed with an adequate number of qualified operation and maintenance personnel, and that these personnel are supported with ade quate budgets. It is not uncommon for this step alone to result in a significant improvement in plant performance. Where improvements resulting from provision of an adequate staff are not enough to improve treatment to re quired levels, existing plant equipment __ and arrangement must be assessed as to ' its adequacy. A choice between up grading the effectiveness of the existing plant and a major plant expansion or new plant construction must then be made. WHY UPGRADE? Economics is the basic reason behind the choice to upgrade an existing plant instead of initiating major plant expans<on or new plant construction. In iy instances, sufficient improved treatment can be achieved by making minor and relatively inexpensive changes to the existing facility. Up grading can also be utilized as an interim measure in abating pollution until the construction of new or addi tional treatment facilities is completed. CAPCO JEN 0005334 WHAT'S INVOLVED? HYDRAULIC OVERLOADING Upgrading of wastewater treatment plants can take many forms depending on the particular situation. In general, upgrading techniques may be divided into two broad groups. The first group of techniques are those that will allow the wastewater treatment plant to per form at its design efficiency even though it is hydraulically and/or or ganically overloaded. The second group of techniques in clude a number of "add on" processes that are normally used when it is de sired to increase the treatment efficien cy above the original design basis. However, in all cases the key element in upgrading is the utilization of existing plant units as much as possi ble. Several examples of plant up grading schemes are illustrated below. Several minor changes which can be made to improve treatment of a hy draulically overloaded plant are: (1) reducing unnecessary sources of wastewater, such as storm drains, roof drains, infiltration, illegal sewer con nections, etc.; (2) utilizing large inter ceptors as holding systems to even out the load on the plant; and (3) con struction of surge tanks to equalize the flow through the plant. If one or more of these three approaches is insuffi cient, modification of existing systems to accommodate the'higher flow rates --such as conversion of low-rate trick ling filters to high-rate units--should be considered next. TYPICAL UPGRADING SYSTEMS CONVENTIONAL ACTIVATED SLUDGE CAPCO JEN 0005335 ORGANIC OVERLOADING Depending upon the type of existing plant, there are a number of approaches which can be taken to relieve organic overload. For example, if the existing facility is a standard rate activated sludge plant, the designer might: (1) reduce the peak hydraulic overload byusing the interceptor sewer as a surge tank; (2) convert the process to com plete mix activated sludge; or (3) pro vide for chemical addition in the sec ondary tank to assure better settling activated sludge during troubled times. As in hydraulic overloading, construc tion of additional units may be required to assure adequate treatment. INCREASED RECEIVING WATER QUALITY REQUIREMENTS When Regulatory agencies require in creased treatment efficiency, a careful evaluation of existing facilities and their mode of operation should be made. Providing minor modifications and additions to change a treatment process to a more efficient system will in many cases be adequate. For instance, a trickling filter which has inadequate recirculation capability can be upgraded by providing recircu lation pumps and piping thus assuring that the filter is wet at low flows. BOD removal Can be increased to above 90% efficiency by this modification. Another example is that phosphorus removal is now being required at many existing treatment plants." Phosphorus removal technology is available for providing effective results and usually requires relatively minor modifications to the existing facilities. Phosphorus removal consists mainly of the addition of chemicals that combine with the phosphorus and solids, causing them to settle out of the wastewater stream. CAPCO JEN 0005336 I--Efficient utilization of the Nation's existing wastewater treatment facilities' is an important factor in solving the water pollu tion problems facing the country today. Far too many of these facilities provide insuffi cient pollutant removal, resulting in deterio ration rather than preservation of the receiv ing body of water. The main reasons for insufficient pollutant removal by a wastewater treatment facility are: 1. Inadequate plant operation and main tenance. 2. Inadequate initial design of the treatment system. 3. Increases in quantity, and changes in quality, of wastewater. 4. Higher receiving water quality standards. Today many various techniques are avail able to improve the effectiveness of existing wastewater treatment plants. EXISTING WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITIES CAPCO JEN OOOS337 CASE HISTORIES The original low-rate trickling filter plant in HUBER HEIGHTS, OHIO was built in 1956 to treat 0.7 MGD and achieve 85 percent BOD and Suspended Solids removal. By 1970, the average flow had increased to 2.3 MGD. Because of this hydraulic over loading, it was necessary to upgrade the plant to maintain desired levels of treatment. The upgrading was accom plished by replacing the primary clar ifiers with stationary screens, adding a plastic media roughing filter, expand ing the secondary clarifiers, and using the abandoned primary clarifiers as sludge thickeners. The present plant has a capacity of 4.3 MGD. The original high-rate trickling filter plant in SEDALIA, MISSOURI was designed to treat 1.25 MGD and was removing 85% of the BOD. However, the Missouri Water Pollution Control Board subsequently set a final effluent requirement of 20 mg/1 BOD which Sedalia could not meet with its original facilitiaerThe plant was upgraded by renovating the existing stone-media trickling filter to operate with plastic media, and by adding a polishing la goon after the existing secondary clar ifier. BOD removal was increased from 85 per cent to 96 per cent resulting in an effluent BOD of 20 mg/1 or less. ! ; I | j | WHERE CAN MORE INFORMATION BE OBTAINED? Contact your consulting engineering firm or write to: Technology Transfer Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 * ils. covnantT ntiriw orriat: tin o mh CAPCO JEN 0005338 GRANULAR ACTIVATED CARBON PROCESS Wastewater treatment with granular activated carbon involves two major >nd separate process operations: .HE CONTACTING SYSTEM Wastewater is contacted with the car bon by passing it through a vessel filled with carbon granules. Impurities are removed from the wastewater when sufficient contact time is provided. This system usually consists of a series of columns or basins used as contacting beds which are connected by piping to a carbon regeneration system. -THE REGENERATION SYSTEM * After a period of use, the capacity of the carbon to remove pollutants is exhausted. The contactor containing the exhausted carbon is then taken out of service and the carbon transported to a regeneration system where it is regenerated by thermal treatment. Af ter being refilled with the regenerated carbon, the contactor is returned to replace another which has in turn be come exhausted. CAPCO JEN 0005340 activated carbon installations Locations where activated carbon has been used successfully to provide ter tiary treatment include: South Lake Tahoe, California; Nassau County, New York; Pomona, California, and Colorado Springs, Colorado. Munici palities which are planning to utilize the activated carbon process independ ently of a biological treatment process GARLAND, TEXAS The expansion of the Duck Creek Plant in Garland (suburban Dallas) will incorporate physical-chemical treatment including carbon adsorption largely because of the influx of indus trial wastes into the municipal waste stream. The treatment system features gross solids removal, filtration, carbon adsorption, and chlorination. At first, PRETRgATMENT Fl COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO The existing trickling filter plant is heavily overloaded (by a factor of 2 to 3) due to a rapid increase in popu lation and development, and has been upgraded by addition of a carbon treat ment stage. The upgraded treatment system includes trickling filtration, chemical clarification by lime addi tion, filtration, and carbon adsorption. In fact, the raw wastewater entering SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIFORNIA Carbon adsorption comprises a portion of a 7.5 MGD system used to treat the effluent from a conventional activated sludge plant. This system includes chemical addition (lime), nitrogen removal (by an ammonia stripping tower), mixed media filtration, and activated carbon adsorption. The car- PRETREATMENT AERATION CLARlFl CAPCO JEN 0005341 include: Rocky River, Ohio; Owosso, Michigan; Garland, Texas; and Niagra Falls, New York. Data produced at these places clearly indicate the ability of activated carbon to produce efflu ents with very low levels of organics. A more detailed discussion of several of these installations follows: the existing trickling filter plant will be operated in parallel with the physi cal-chemical treatment plant. The physical-chemical treatment design flow will initially be 22.5 MGD. This is an example of a modular approach to plant design and construction. Ul timately the plant capacity (entirely physical-chemical treatment) will be 90 MGD. the plant is so strong that the second ary plant produces an effluent stronger than that normally produced by sec ondary treatment. Therefore, the physi cal-chemical treatment portion of the system is operating as more than just a polishing step. This stage became op erational in December 1970. The in tent was not only to upgrade effluent quality in order to meet state standards, but also to supply cooling water for the municipal power plant. :ahon FILTRATION ADSORPTION DISINFECTION bon adsorption component consists of eight carbon columns operating in par allel, with each column containing ap proximately 20 tons of granular acti vated carbon. Final effluent from the plant is colorless, odorless, free of suspended solids, with over 99 percent of the bio-chemical oxygen demand and 96 percent of the chemical oxygen demand removed. CAPCO JEN 0005342 One of the newer and more effective methods of treating wastewater in volves the use of granular activated carbon as a substance to which pol lutants are attracted and to which they adhere. One characteristic which makes carbon ideal for this purpose is its very high ratio of surface area to weight--each pound of carbon represents from 100 to 125 acres of surface area. Another important char acteristic of carbon is its extreme hard ness, a property which makes it possi ble to use the carbon over and over. Activated carbon is particularly suited for the removal of dissolved organic materials; more importantly, carbon adsorption has the capability of re' moving from wastewater those organics which are not completely removed by biological treatment. Effluents from conventional secondary (biological) wastewater treatment plants can be expected to contain 400 to 600 pounds of organics per million gallons; where as, effluents from plants using activated carbon treatment will contain on the order of 80 pounds of organics per million gallons. Carbon adsorption is used as a com ponent process in some larger treat ment scheme. Since it is a versatile process, it can be fitted into a larger system in a variety of ways and can be used for either of two purposes: 1] to upgrade existing biological treat ment by additional treatment with car bon; 2] to replace the biological treat ment process in existing as well as new plants. For example, additional treatment by carbon adsorption is an effective method of upgrading effluent quality in a biological plant unable to otherwise meet water quality require ments; it can also be a unit process in a newly constructed physical- chem ical treatment plant. CAPCO JEN 0005343 HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? The chart below shows the approxi mate national average costs, including plant amortization (24 years at 6 per cent), operation and maintenance for tertiary treatment with granular acti vated carbon. Activated carbon costs are further broken down in the following two tables. It can be observed that activated carbon treatment has a relatively high capital cost with relatively low oper ating and maintenance costs. BREAKDOWN OF TYPICAL TOTAL COSTS IN THE GRANULAR ACTIVATED CARBON PROCESS FOR A 10 MGD PUNT COST COMPONENT Ammortization Carbon replacement Operating Labor Electric Power Maintenance Other % OF TOTAL COST 40 20 12 12 10 6 100% COST OF CARBON ADSORPTION BREAKDOWN OF TYPICAL CAPITAL COSTS IN THE GRANUUR ACTIVATED CARBON PROCESS FOR A 10 MGD PUNT FUNCTION -- - % OF 'CAPITAL COST Carbon contacting 61 (Carbon inventory 20) (Carbon contactors and auxiliary equipment 41) Carbon regeneration 12 I Pumps 27 I 100% PLANT $IZC (MODI ADVANTAGES OF ACTIVATED CARBON TREATMENT The following advantages have been suggested for physical-chemical treat I ment plants (which normally include activated carbon system): a) Land area requirements may be significantly less than those for conventional biological plants, perhaps only one- fourth or one-third as much. b) A wider variety of pollutant can be removed than by con ventional biological treatment. c) Process control is more reli- able than in biological plants. Physical-chemical treatment plants using granular carbon are relatively insensitive to "upsets," changes in organic loading, or surges in flow. The physical-chemical treatment plants therefore lend them selves more readily to auto mation. d) Plant expansion is more read ily obtained because of the modular nature of the process. | WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION? j Contact your consulting engineering Environmental Protection Agency ' firm or write to: Technology Transfer Washington, D,C. 20460 * GPO : 1972 0 -467- $62 CAPCO JEN 0005344. CAPCO JEN 0005345 WHAT IS OXYGEN AERATION? One common, or conventional, method of treating wastewater is the activated sludge process. This process-as all bio logical treatment processes-functions by contacting wastewater with bacteria able to break down organic material and there by reduce the amount of pollutants in the wastewater. The bacteria utilized in the activated sludge process to perform this operation are contained in the material settled out of a wastewater stream after oxygen is introduced into the system. This mass of settled solids, called activated sludge, is then mixed with the wastewater being treated. Introduction of oxygen in to the system, and mixing of the activated sludge with the wastewater both occur in the same tank, as can be seen from the accompanying schematic diagram. Historically, this required oxygen has been provided by the introduction of atmos-,-pheric air into the treatment system. Oxygen gas. however, possesses certain characteristics which can make its use. in lieu of atmospheric air. advantageous. One of these is the high partial pressure of pure oxygen. Since air contains only about 21 percent oxygen, the use of pure oxygen instead of air in that portion of the treatment system needing oxygen in creases the oxygenation capacity by a fac tor of nearly five. As a result, smaller aeration tanks can be used to treat the same amount of wastewater. This utiliza tion of pure oxygen rather than atmos pheric air to provide the oxygen required n treating sewage is oxygen aeration. WHAT ARE THE APPLICATIONS OF OXYGEN AERATION? Oxygen aeration can be used for the con struction of new facilities and for up grading the capacity and performance of existing overloaded secondary treatment facilities. Several applications include: 1. Upgrading of existing overloaded ac tivated sludge plants by conversion from air aeration to oxygen aeration. 2. Upgrading of existing trickling filter plants by adding oxygen aeration as a second stage biological step in the treatment system. 3. New plant construction, both with and without primary sedimentation. CAPCO JEN 0005346 SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OFJViJULTI-STAGE OXYGEN V WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF OXYGEN AERATION? Potential benefits, depending on tlte spe cific installation and application. include: I. Improved leltability of treatment per formance d. Reduced waste sludge production a. Increased plant oiganic loading ca pacity 4. improved resistance to to.\ic sub stances 5. More effective odor control o. Reduced power requirements ' Higher dissolved oxygen content m the treated effluent Generally speaking, there is also an eco nomic advantage over conventional aera tion methods for plants with capacities greater than 5 million gallons a day. in the smaller capacity plants, the major ad vantages involve greater acceptance of un usually strong loads and greater treatment process reliability. WHAT'S INVOLVED? This schematic diagram depicts the equip ment involved and operation of a typical multi-stage oxygenation system. Basic dif ferences between this system and a con ventional air aeration system are the tank CAPCO JEN 0005347 the type of mixing device arc variables that depend on waste characteristics, plant size. land availability, treatment require ments and other similar considerations. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? The chart below depicts representative total treatment cost ranges for oxygen aeration activated sludge plants. The costs shown are for construction of new treat ment facilities and include operation, maintenance and capital amortization < 51 a''f-25 years) costs for primary treat ment. secondary treatment, and sludge handling and disposal facilities. AT I ON SYSTEM covers and compressor units. High purity oxygen ('>0-100'") enters the lust -use of the sy stem and (lows concur rent l\ with the wastewater being treated through the oxygenation basin. Pressure under the tank covers is essentially atmos pheric jnd sufficient to maintain control and present hack mixing from stage to stage. This allows fot efficient oxygen uti lization at low power requirements. Mix ing within each stage can be accomplished either with surface aerators or with a sub merged rotating sparge system (shown). The selection of the number of stages and ATER TREATMENT pppu-fcq CAPCO JEN 0005348 A new wastewater treatment process has been developed which utilizes oxygen-enriched air or pure oxygen. This process is termed oxygen aeration or. more simply, oxygenation. The potential of oxygen aer ation has resulted in an extremely rapid acceptance by consulting engineers, mu nicipalities. and industries. The first fullscale application of the oxygen aeration process to the treatment of municipal wastewater occurred in 1969 under a dem onstration contract from the U.S. Environ mental Protection Agency's forerunner, the Federal Water Pollution Control Ad ministration. In this demonstration pro ject, a total of 1.25 million gallons per day of sewage was treated. Today, just three years later, over 35 full-scale muni cipal wastewater treatment plants which will utilize the oxygen aeration process are in various stages of design and con struction. The total amount of sewage to be treated by these plants exceeds 1.5 bil lion gallons a day. CAPCO JEN 0005349 A\ WHO IS USING OXYGEN AERATION? Below is a partial lisimuT^TTiill-soale mu nicipal wastewater treatment plants cur rently using or planning to use oxygen aeration. Location Deiioit. Michigan Midd!e-e\ Comm * VJ Last Bax MUD. Calif. Loumille. K>. Miami. Lla. Hollt u.i.>J. Ha. Danville. Ya. Luclid. Ohio Yevw.mn Creek. VN .(". Decatur. III. Lasettewl'e. VC Salem. Ore-con \eu Rochelle. \.Y. fan tax (Vaaij. Va. Jac.xsoir.tlle. 1 la Speeduav. I;;j, M.-reunion. V C Deer Park, r.'x.iBaltimore. MJ. Size (Million Gallons/Day) 500 1 20 i:u 105 XX 24 22 Z\i iN !t> i 14 i: !() 10 s t't 5 WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION? Contact your consulting engineering firm or write to: Technology Transfer Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 GPO . 1973 O - 6*9S t | j t j CAPCO JEN 0005350