Activated Carbon Adsorption For Wastewater Treatment

Jerry. R. Perrich

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9781315890364
• eBook ISBN: 9781351086363
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Environmental Management
• Index: Technology & Engineering

This volume is a guide to the state of the art of activated carbon adsorption technology as applied to wastewater treatment. This book surveys this body of knowledge and is a detailed description of current technology.

Chapter 1

WASTEWATER CHARACTERISTICS AND TREATMENT

D. L. Ford

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I.	Characteristics of Wastewater
	A.	Design Flows
	B.	Municipal Wastewater Flow
	C.	Industrial Wastewater Flow
	D.	Composition of Municipal and Industrial Wastewaters
		1.	Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
		2.	Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)
		3.	Total Organic Carbon (TOC)
		4.	Total Oxygen Demand (TOD)
		5.	Oil and Grease
		6.	Phenolic Compounds
		7.	Acidity and Alkalinity
		8.	Suspended Solids
		9.	Dissolved Solids
		10.	Ammonia Nitrogen and Sulfur Compounds
		11.	Heavy Metals
	E.	Summary
II.	Capability of Activated Carbon Systems To Comply With Effluent Guideline Requirements
III.	Theory and Properties of Activated Carbon Adsorption
	A.	Theoretical Concepts
	B.	Factors Which Influence Adsorption
		1.	Molecular Structure
		2.	Solubility
		3.	Ionization
		4.	Temperature
		5.	Adsorption of Mixed Solutes
	C.	Properties of Activated Carbon
		1.	Total Surface Area
		2.	Carbon Density
		3.	Particle Size Distribution
		4.	Adsorptive Capacity
	D.	Regeneration
IV.	General Description of Activated Carbon Systems
	A.	Downflow Fixed-Bed Columns
	B.	Countercurrent Pulse-Bed Columns
	C.	Upflow-Downflow Columns
	D.	Summary
V.	Design Consideration and Process Alternatives
	A.	Alternative 1
	B.	Alternative 2
	C.	Alternative 3
	D.	Alternative 4
	E.	Alternatives

EDITOR’S SUMMARY

A wastewater stream must be defined and characterized with respect to flows and composition before realistic treatment alternatives may be considered. Several common parameters and analytical techniques are discussed. Activated carbon adsorption is one of many potential wastewater treatment technologies and is suitable under certain conditions. Factors influencing the selection of activated carbon adsorption as a treatment alternative are discussed.

I. CHARACTERISTICS OF WASTEWATER

The characterization of wastewaters, both quantitatively and qualitatively, is the logical beginning for evaluating process applicability. A brief discussion of this characterization program is described as follows.

A. Design Flows

The volume of wastewater to be treated, either municipal or industrial, is paramount in indicating not only the hydraulic design features of a treatment facility, but also the pounds of pollutants to be removed and the unit process size requirements based on kinetics of this removal. The development of design wastewater flows for municipalities and industries are discussed individually.

B. Municipal Wastewater Flow

The volumes of municipal wastewater flow have traditionally been projected on a per capita basis, making allowances for the maximum hourly quantity of connected flow as well as infiltration principally attributed to storm runoff. The guidelines for selecting the per capita flow and infiltration contribution should be sufficiently flexible to reflect local conditions (e.g., geographical location, economic structure, water use history of the area to be sewered, and the routing of the conveyance system with respect to location of storm runoff). The general guidelines established by the Texas State Health Department, for example, provide a residential per capita contribution of 80 to 200 gal/day. This suggests an infiltration allowance of 500 gal/day/in. diameter of pipe per mile, and indicates peak design flow to be 250% of average flow when considering primary mains and interceptors.

C. Industrial Wastewater Flow

The design flows for industrial complexes, as graphically illustrated in Figure 1 generally consisting of the following:

FIGURE 1. General sources of wastewaters.

1. Base process flows resulting from normal production operations

2. Sanitary sewage

3. Contaminated storm runoff

4. Other sources (extraordinary dumps, tank draining, ballast discharge, spills, etc.)

The base flow and sanitary contribution can be measured in open channels or closed conduits using a variety of methods such as automatic metering devices, weirs, or less sophisticated equipment. Care should be taken to insure flows are measured during workday and weekend operations, different work shifts, and during sufficiently long periods of time to reflect the statistical reliability.

Within the last decade, contaminated storm runoff has become an area of increasing concern within industrial complexes. Storm flow is intermittent and unpredictable in nature, and little data has been collected to typify its characteristics. The level of flow and degree of contamination varies with time during the course of the storm, as well as with each individual area within an installation, as each has its own geometric characteristics which influence patterns of surface runoff.

D. Composition of Municipal and Industrial Wastewaters

Municipal or domestic effluents contain soluble, suspended, and colloidal organic materials, primarily of human origin, which exert a deleterious impact on receiving bodies of water unless properly treated. Most of these constituents are biodegradable and sorptive, inferring that biological systems and activated carbon are applicable methods for treatment. Conversely, industrial wastewaters contain a myriad of organic and inorganic pollutants, the removal of which depends on many factors. For this reason, biological and/or activated carbon systems must first be evaluated in terms of process efficiency before being selected as the proper mode of treatment. A comprehensive wastewater characterization ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• Chapter 1 Wastewater Characteristics and Treatment
• Chapter 2 Activated Carbon
• Chapter 3 Activated Carbon Adsorption
• Chapter 4A Development of Design Parameters
• Chapter 4B Development of Design Parameters
• Chapter 5 Contacting Systems
• Chapter 6A Regeneration Systems
• Chapter 6B Regeneration Systems
• Chapter 7 Total Process Design and Economics
• Chapter 8 Component Equipment Design
• Chapter 9 A Guideline to Operational Procedures and Design for Granular Carbon Systems Wastewater Applications
• Chapter 10 Safety Aspects of Activated Carbon Technology
• Appendix I, Additional Reading List
• Appendix II, Activated Carbon Suppliers
• Index