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Some of the major issues in wastewater treatment systems include energy consumption, treatment chemical costs, and sludge management.
FREMONT, CA: Operators of industrial wastewater treatment systems face severe challenges that can significantly impact overall performance. These can be divided into five major categories, including:
● Costs of treatment chemicals
● Footprint and facilities
● Addressing sludge
● Operator proficiency and competencies
● Energy usage.
With rising running expenses for materials and manpower and increasingly rigorous environmental requirements, we must assess the issues that industrial wastewater treatment system operators face today.
Key issues in operating industrial wastewater treatment systems
Footprint and facilities: Top of the list of challenges for many wastewater treatment applications are the footprint and technology necessary to address new pollutants added to discharge permits, increasingly strict discharge limitations, and compliance. In certain instances, productivity is prioritized over pollution prevention. When this happens, operators may struggle to produce compliant effluent. Older technologies may require more physical effort and more space than newer technologies. The reduction of footprint and operating efficiency are essential factors that have driven innovation in the industrial wastewater treatment sector.
Dealing with sludge: Some industrial wastewater treatment systems have to go back to employing inorganic coagulants. Inorganic coagulants are inexpensive, but their low molecular charges necessitate heavy chemical doses. These inorganic coagulants will affect pH, which may result in pH noncompliance. Frequently, these inorganic coagulants bind to hydroxide molecules in wastewater, creating huge floc particles. These large floc particles retain water, resulting in high amounts of sludge. If these sludges cannot be effectively dewatered, higher disposal charges may be imposed, increasing operational costs.
Treatment chemical costs: Many industrial wastewater treatment systems use chemicals to help separate contaminants from the wastewater. Recently, supply chain issues have challenged industrial wastewater treatment operations. Product shortages, replacements, and price rises have created a demand for innovative technology. Wastewater operators have had to think outside the box in order to meet operational objectives.
Energy consumption in wastewater systems: Wastewater treatment systems require a lot of energy to operate the treatment equipment. Frequently, energy is the most expensive component of operating a treatment system. Biological processes necessitate the addition of large amounts of oxygen to the wastewater to maintain the microbiological organisms that reduce BOD, ammonia-nitrogen, and phosphorus. Oxygen is applied via massive aeration blowers. Blowers can also be employed in large equalization basins to homogenize wastewater and reduce variations in the waste stream.
Many emerging technologies are being utilized to remove pollutants and create potable and non-potable reuse waters. These frequently employ fine pore filtration, such as microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis. These technologies require high pressure to push wastewater through the membranes, which is accomplished with huge pumps with significant horsepower demands.
