Introduction:
In petroleum refinery, the treatment of catalyst washing wastewater poses significant challenges due to its high concentration of Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). Traditionally, pretreatment processes have been employed before membrane filtration to reduce the load on the filtration system. A 6-month pilot test was conducted in a refining enterprise to assess the feasibility of reclaiming catalyst washing wastewater without pretreatment, utilizing the PolyCera Hydro ultrafiltration (UF) membrane.
Background:
The catalyst washing wastewater typically exhibits high TSS levels ranging from 120 to 500 mg/L, turbidity between 50 and 120 NTU, and COD concentrations of 150 to 1500 mg/L. The absence of pretreatment before membrane filtration underscores the challenge posed by the complex composition of the wastewater.
System Overview:
The pilot system employed the PolyCera Hydro UF membrane to filter catalyst washing wastewater. A flowchart of the pilot system illustrates the filtration process.
Results:
During the pilot test, the PolyCera Hydro UF membrane demonstrated robust performance:
- Operating flux ranged from 40 to 60 LMH, with a transmembrane pressure within 2 bar.
- The membrane filtrate exhibited turbidity levels of less than 0.2 NTU, indicating efficient removal of suspended solids.
- System recovery rate exceeded 90%, highlighting the membrane’s ability to consistently produce reclaimed water.
- Chemical cleaning of the membrane was required every 3-6 weeks, indicating manageable membrane fouling.
Value Proposition:
The successful reclamation of petrochemical catalyst washing wastewater without pretreatment validates the efficacy of PolyCera UF technology in treating complex wastewater streams efficiently. By directly filtering wastewater with high suspended solids, salts, and organic matter, PolyCera membranes offer a streamlined and effective solution for wastewater treatment in petroleum refining processes.
Conclusion:
The pilot test demonstrates the potential of PolyCera Hydro UF membranes to address the challenges associated with catalyst washing wastewater in petroleum refinery. The results underscore the efficiency and reliability of PolyCera UF membranes in treating complex industrial wastewater streams, offering a promising solution for sustainable water management in the refinery industry.
Keywords
Catalyst washing wastewater, PolyCera Hydro ultrafiltration membrane, Petroleum refinery, Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Wastewater treatment.