Biological removal of organic constituents in high-Btu coal gasification wastewaters

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:6494615

Stamoudis, V C; Luthy, R G

Studies have been initiated to assess the efficiency of activated sludge treatment for removal of organic contaminants from coal gasification process effluents. Samples of pilot plant raw gas quench wastewater were obtained from the Institute of Gas Technology's HYGAS process and from the Grand Forks Energy Technology Center (GFETC) slagging fixed-bed process. These wastewaters were subjected to long term biological treatability studies, followed by detailed characterization of organic constituents. The samples were extracted using a methylene chloride pH-fractionation method to neutral, acidic, and basic fractions for analysis by capillary column gas chromotography/mass spectrometry. Influent acid extract samples of both HYGAS and GFETC wastewaters showed that nearly 99% of the total extractable and chromatographable organic material was comprised of phenol and alkylated phenols. Activated sludge treatment removed these compounds almost completely. Influent base extracts of HYGAS and GFETC samples showed alkylated pyridines, anilines, and quinolines; the GFETC sample also showed, as major components, aminopyrroles, imidazoles and/or pyrazoles, and diazines. Removal efficiency of these compounds was generally good, with the exception of certain alkylated pyridines. The influent neutral fractions of both the HYGAS and GFETC samples were comprised of cycloalkanes, cycloalkenes, naphthalene, indole, acetophenone, and benzonitrile. Alkylated benzenes, abundant in the HYGAS sample, were generally absent in the GFETC sample. Removal efficiencies for certain alkylated benzenes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and cycloalkanes and cycloalkenes were poor, especially at low influent concentrations.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA); Carnegie-Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh, PA (USA). Dept. of Civil Engineering
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 6494615
• Report Number(s): CONF-8006171-1; ON: DE81023574
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010404 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Gasification
010800* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Waste Management
520200 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACTIVATED SLUDGE PROCESS
ALKANES
ALKENES
AMINES
ANILINE
AROMATICS
AZINES
AZOLES
BIOCONVERSION
COAL GASIFICATION
CONDENSED AROMATICS
CYCLOALKANES
CYCLOALKENES
DATA
EFFICIENCY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUIDS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GASIFICATION
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HIGH BTU GAS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
HYGAS PROCESS
IMIDAZOLES
INFORMATION
LIQUID WASTES
MANAGEMENT
NAPHTHALENE
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHENOLS
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
PROCESSING
PYRAZOLES
PYRIDINES
QUINOLINES
REMOVAL
SNG PROCESSES
SYNTHESIS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER
WATER TREATMENT