A chemical manufacturer in Newark, New Jersey, makes alkyd and latex resins for the coating industry. Its manufacturing process produces water of esterification which contains xylene, ethyl benzene, ethylene glycol, and high BOD. Discharge to the local sewage authority must meet permit limitations for various parameters, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and BOD (biological oxygen demand). If permit levels are not met, the company would be required to transport the liquid, at a cost that could exceed $.70/gallon.
Because of space constraints, the company wanted a small system that could treat the liquid by-product on site. Their consultant, Environmental Engineering Consultants, recommended a CAP™ Clean Water Plant for a pilot test. Working under their existing permit, a model CWP-1000 was placed on-site to treat approximately 18,000- to 19,000-gallon batches several times each year.
"The CWP allows the company to have a personalized water treatment system that consistently keeps contaminants down to acceptable levels," says Pradeep Lamba, environmental engineer for EEC. "The CWP will easily pay for itself many times over during the life of the equipment."
Critical VOCs and BNAs, such as: benzene, chlorobenzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, xylene, naphthalene, and phenol, were reduced to non-detectable levels. Total suspended solids (TSS) were reduced to 4 mg/l, resulting in water of high clarity. Moreover, BOD, which typically ranged from 60,000 to 500,000 mg/L, was drastically reduced.
The CAP™ Clean Water Plant is an advanced biological treatment system which oxidizes contaminants in water. The unique design of this bio-oxidizer allows for treatment to take place in a small space, thus allowing the small end-user to have its own personalized water treatment plant. For more information about the CAP™ Clean Water Plant and the CAP™ Clean Air Plant, contact sgblue, inc., 229 Airport Road, Suite 7-101 Arden, NC 28704 p: 877-219-7111; email: awsi@cleanairplant.com; website: www.cleanairplant.com.
