Sulfate Removal from Industrial Wastewater: Etringite Precipitation for Stable Discharge Conditions in the Building Materials Industry

Sulfate Removal from Industrial Wastewater: Etringite Precipitation for Stable Discharge Conditions in the Building Materials Industry

For a fibre cement production site in Belgium, EnviroChemie implemented a wastewater treatment plant for the targeted removal of sulfate from process wastewater. The objective was to ensure reliable pre-treatment prior to further treatment in the customer’s neutralization system.

What we did

EnviroChemie supplied a continuously operated Envochem® COL HD wastewater treatment plant, including sludge treatment, chemical storage and dosing systems, as well as a process control system with visualization and remote access.

Task
Solution
Benefits

Task

At the site, a continuous wastewater flow of approximately 190 m³ per day is generated, containing high sulfate concentrations. For downstream treatment, the sulfate content needed to be reliably reduced below the specified limit. In addition, elevated temperatures and fluctuating wastewater compositions had to be managed, requiring a robust and precisely controlled process.

Solution

An Envochem® COL HD wastewater treatment system is used in continuous operation. After cooling, the wastewater undergoes a multi-stage chemical-physical treatment process. By precisely dosing aluminum salts and lime, ettringite is formed, binding sulfate chemically and removing it from the wastewater. Dosing is controlled inline based on measured sulfate concentrations. The resulting flocs are then settled, and the sludge is dewatered.

Benefits

The system enables reliable reduction of high sulfate concentrations to the required target levels in continuous operation. Precise process control ensures stable performance even under fluctuating conditions while optimizing chemical consumption. Integration into the existing infrastructure, along with the reuse of sludge within the production process, results in a cost-effective and resource-efficient solution.

Contact

General contact

General contact

+49 6154 6998 100