Anaerobic filter cuts costs, generates energy

Journal Article · Wed May 23 04:00:00 EDT 1979 · Chem. Week; (United States)

OSTI ID:6293122

Celanese Corp.'s anaerobic-filter, wastewater treatment system removes over 90% of the COD at the Celanese (Stein, Hall and Co.) guar gum plant at Vernon, Texas, and produces enough methane to provide up to 35% of the plant's natural gas needs. Wastes in the Vernon plant, whose treatment system was designed by Ford, Bacon and Davis Inc., are treated in two 2.5 million gal lagoons that equalize the waste flow to the anaerobic filter, which is a 40 ft dia, 30 ft high vessel with a 36,000 sq ft void volume. The feed to the filter is heated by a heat exchanger and injected into the vessel through a direct steam injector, which keeps the cold feed at the 98.6/sup 0/F temperature at which methane-producing bacteria thrive. The incoming wastewaters are mixed with the filter outfall at 1:1 to 20:1 ratios, depending on the pH and toxicity of incoming waste. The influent feed is brought from pH 11.5 to the pH 6.5 to 7.2, needed by methane-producing bacteria. The filter effluent flows to a 7.5 million gal aeration basin and then to a clarifier before being discharged to the city sewer system. The advantages of an anaerobic system, e.g., one-tenth the operating costs of an aerobic plant, and startup problems at the Vernon plant are discussed.

• OSTI ID: 6293122
• Journal Information: Chem. Week; (United States), Journal Name: Chem. Week; (United States) Vol. 124:21; ISSN CHWKA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320305 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Industrial Waste Management
42 ENGINEERING
424000 -- Engineering-- Pollution Control Equipment-- (1980-1989)
520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALKANES
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
BACTERIA
CONTROL
ENERGY CONSERVATION
FILTRATION
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
LIQUID WASTES
METHANE
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION CONTROL
SEPARATION PROCESSES
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL