New membrane technology for removal and recovery of chromium from waste waters

✍ Scribed by Ho, W. S. Winston ;Poddar, Tarun K.

• Publisher: American Institute of Chemical Engineers
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 134 KB
• Volume: 20
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0278-4491
• DOI: 10.1002/ep.670200115

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

We have developed new supported liquid membrane (SLM) technology for removal and recovery of chromium from waste waters. The technology not only removes the Cr (VI) to less than 0.05 ppm in the treated effluent allowable for discharge or recycle, but also recovers the product at a high concentration of about 20% (62.3% Na~2~CrO~4~) suitable for resale or reuse. In other words, we have achieved the goals of zero discharge and no sludge. The chromium flux in its entire range from low Cr (VI) concentrations in the feed solution to high feed concentrations, at which the carrier saturation of the facilitated transport mechanism occurs, has been in good agreement with a film model. The stability of the SLM has been ensured by strip dispersion, where the aqueous strip solution is dispersed in the organic membrane solution in a mixer. The strip dispersion formed is circulated from the mixer to the membrane module providing a constant supply of the organic solution to the membrane pores.