SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT OPERATION WITH OBERLIN FILTER TECHNOLOGY
Turbidity (NTU)
TSS (ppm)
Aluminum (ppm)
Lead (ppm)
Zinc (ppm)
Copper (ppm)
Uranium (ppm)
Capacity (gpd)
Flux (gfd)
Toxic Water Cleanup
For over 50 years Oberlin Filter has aided in the removal of harmful toxins from contaminated waters. We have an extensive and successful record of wastewater treatment and reclamation in a number of applications. We have supplied equipment to many local and federal large-scale projects where extreme filtration was required for highly contaminated water. These hazardous applications involve removing heavy metals, toxic chemicals and radioactive particles from contaminated water. Our ability to handle this type of extreme filtration has been demonstrated in our work with chemical weapons destruction programs. The Blue Grass Army Depot is one such program.
Groundwater Chemical Contamination Cleanup
The Oberlin Filter technology has proved to be a crucial instrument in cleaning toxic water that gravely affects human health. Here’s example where the Oberlin Filter was an integral part in cleaning up a community’s water supply that was contaminated by industrial waste. A large industrial company used a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid – abbreviated as PFOA or C8 in it’s manufacturing process. The PFOA contaminated the nearby area's drinking water. The Oberlin Filter technology paired with a carbon bed filter successfully cleaned up the water supply and made it economical to do so.
Chemical Weapons Destruction Program : Bluegrass Army Depot
The Blue Grass Army Depot has been storing chemical weapons since 1944 in Richmond Kentucky. The facility has been home to over 500 tons of chemical weaponry ranging from mustard gas to VX nerve agent. In the process of destroying these weapons, toxic wastewater is produced. Oberlin Filter removed a mixture of chemicals from this wastewater including nitrates, organic salts and aluminum hydroxide preventing irreparable harm to the environment.
In Detail:
Contractor was General Atomics in San Diego, CA for the Bluegrass Army Depot, KY – Customer needed very low TSS in treated water stream for further treatment. The solution is a mixture of chemicals including nitrates, organic salts and aluminum hydroxide. OFC reduced the solids from >100,000 ppm to <10 ppm. The clarity went from >1000 NTU to < 5.
Groundwater Mixed Metals Removal
This mixed organics/metals contaminated groundwater was chemically treated to destroy the toxic organics and the resultant effluent was treated be the Oberlin Microfiltration technology. As shown on the below table, excellent metals removals were obtained basically to detection limits. Flux was reasonable (1750 gfd) considering the high 50 ppm Fe content; cakes passed the TCLP test; and filtrate turbidity and TSS were outstanding at 0.05 NTU and 0.03 ppm, respectively (i.e. better than distilled water).
Nuclear Wastewater Cleanup: Savannah River Site, Aiken, South Carolina
The Savannah River Plant produced nuclear materials for the U.S. Department of Energy. Metal finishing, aluminum forming and various cleaning operations produce hazardous, radioactive wastewater contaminated with heavy metals. Principal metals in the wastewater include uranium, aluminum, nickel, lead, zinc, copper and chromium. The Oberlin microfiltration system was used to remove these toxic submicron particles. The filtered water reached the standards of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System limits, was safely discharge into the Tims Branch Creek in South Carolina.
* Actual State discharge permit values.
--
31
3.2
0.43
0.32
0.21
0.5
--
--
0.32
1.4
0.95
0.2
<0.1
<0.1
0.01
60,000
1,200
110
687
127
1 .6
0.5
2.0
2.3
35,000
---
Property Raw Wastewater Oberlin Filter Discharge Limits*
NR
30
NR
150
130
300
---
Must Pass
0.05
0.03
<100*
10
<5*
<10
1750
Yes
160
180
50,000
40
300
14,000
---
No
Turbidity (NTU)
TSS (ppm)
Fe (ppb)
Cr (ppb)
Ni (ppb)
Zn (ppb)
Flux (gfd)
Cakes Pass TCLP?
Property Raw Groundwater Oberlin Filter Discharge Limits**
GROUNDWATER MIXED METALS REMOVAL WITH OBERLIN FILTER
* Detection limit
** Based on EPA Chronic Toxicity Tests..
NR= Not Regualted
Chemical Weapons Destruction Program:
The Pueblo Chemical Depot
The Pueblo Chemical Depot is located in Colorado and has stored over 2500 tons of chemical weapons. This number accounts for approximately 7 percent of the United States' stockpile. The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) will safely destroy 2,611 tons of mustard agent in mortar rounds and artillery projectiles stored there. The Oberlin Filter has a vital role in sludge dewatering system in their Zero Liquid Discharge process. The dewatered sludge has a minimal amount of moisture and suitable for safely disposing in a landfill.
The Oberlin Filter, shown in this photo, has been installed inside the Filter Press Building of the Brine Reduction System. The Oberlin Filter will dewater solids pumped from the bottom of the crystallizer, producing a salt cake with minimal moisture, suitable for land disposal.
Oberlin Filter at the Pueblo Chemical Weapons Destruction Program
