How to remove Silica from Wastewater?
The removal of pollutants from wastewater, such as silica, may be a difficult task!
Cooling towers, boiler-blow feed water or boiler blow-down water, carwashes, semi-conductor factories, and steam injection oil recovery wastewater are some examples of industries that must remove silica from water before release or reuse. In fact, every sector that processes wastewater for discharge or reuse frequently confronts the difficulty of eliminating silica from process water.
The majority of the time, silica in water is naturally occurring. Some of it is created by humans, such as carwash water.
Classification of Silica
Silica is divided into two types: reactive silica and colloidal silica. Silica, in whatever form it exists, must be removed prior to treatment, reuse, or disposal/discharge. Lime softening, ion exchange, and reverse osmosis are the most common ways for extracting silica from a waste stream.
1: Reverse osmosis
To remove silica, reverse osmosis or other membrane methods might be troublesome. Because of the abrasiveness of the particles, silica, like glass, will create holes in the membrane and reduce the efficacy of the membrane. Heavy metals clog membranes, causing them to collapse. Membrane systems should be pre-treated to remove the elements that foul membranes. If pre-treatment is performed prior to membrane treatment, membranes will work ideally without the need for costly replacement.
2: The exchange of ions
Ion exchange is defined as the exchange of ions between two electrolytes. Most commonly, the phrase refers to the purification, separation, and decontamination of aqueous and other ion-containing solutions using solid polymeric or mineral ion exchangers.
Ion exchange works quite well for silica removal; however, the downside of this approach is that the resin exchangers must be refilled and replaced on a regular basis, which adds major continuing expenditures to the process.
3: Lime softener
Lime softening is one of the most frequent ways for eliminating silica from wastewater, such as that is used to build up cooling towers, boilers, or boiler blow-down water. Lime softening employs the addition of lime (calcium hydroxide) to precipitate hardness (calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate) ions.
Silica particles are absorbed by magnesium and calcium hydroxide flakes. These flocs can then be sent through a clarifier or filter, where the separated silica can be disposed of. The percentages of chemicals that must be added, must fluctuate as the proportion of silica in the water varies.Heavy metals will often be found in the sludge (settled floc) and will necessitate the additional price of removal into a hazardous waste facility.
Lime softening often necessitates a significant capital investment and can be costly owing to the amount of chemicals used and the disposal costs of huge volumes of residuals produced, particularly if hazardous waste facilities are required.
A straightforward, cost-effective, and time-saving method of silica removal!
Electrocoagulation (EC) is an effective method for removing silica, heavy metals, and other pollutants from aqueous solutions. Electrocoagulation efficiently eliminates a wide spectrum of impurities with a single system by using clean electricity. The EC renders wastewater components "separable." Heavy metals are transformed from ion to oxide forms, which allows them to be disposed of in a non-hazardous landfill.
What happens in electrocoagulation?
Electrocoagulation is the clear economic and environmental choice for industrial, commercial, and municipal wastewater treatment because it employs technologies that precipitate out large quantities of pollutants in a single operation.
What does EC chambers include?
The EC chamber is made up of flat metal blades that are parallel to each other. Untreated water is put into the chamber's bottom and is uniformly spread as it goes upward through the blades. The first and last blades are subjected to direct current.
The liquid subsequently transforms into a conductor, enabling current to flow freely throughout the chamber. This causes an influx of electrons into the water, which neutralizes charged particles and causes them to precipitate out of solution. Furthermore, when exposed to electricity, the metal blades emit charged metal ions that function similarly to chemical coagulants.
Conclusion
EC has been widely acknowledged as a cost-effective method of treating a wide range of difficult wastewater treatment applications, and it is available in quantities ranging from 1 gpm to multiples of 2,500 gpm.
What do we offer?
If you want to know more about the removal of silica from wastewater, then you are at the right place!
Netsol Water is Greater Noida-based leading water & wastewater treatment plant manufacturer. We are industry's most demanding company based on client review and work quality. We are known as best commercial RO plant manufacturers, industrial RO plant manufacturer, sewage treatment plant manufacturer, Water Softener Plant Manufacturers and effluent treatment plant manufacturers. Apart from this 24x7 customer support is our USP. Call on +91-9650608473, or write us at enquiry@netsolwater.com for any support, inquiry or product-purchase related query.
