Case Study

Onsite Treatment of Complex Industrial Wastewater Using the VDU System

96%+ reduction in wastewater volume

95%+ savings on disposal costs

Lower Scope 3 emissions

Compliant

No extra licensing needed

On-time wastewater treatment

Introduction

Treating complex industrial wastewaters poses significant challenges due to the highly variable and often toxic nature of the contaminants involved. Unlike domestic wastewater, industrial effluents may contain a wide range of organic and inorganic pollutants, including heavy metals, synthetic chemicals, oils, solvents, and persistent organic compounds, many of which are resistant to conventional treatment methods.

The composition of industrial wastewater can vary not only between industries but also within a single facility over time, complicating the design and operation of effective treatment systems. Additionally, some contaminants may interfere with biological treatment processes or require advanced treatment technologies such as membrane filtration, advanced oxidation, or chemical precipitation, which are costly and energy-intensive.

ICMQ Filtration Pty Ltd (ICMQ) was engaged by our client to develop a process to treat the highly complex industrial wastewater consisting of citric acid, ammonia, heavy metals oil and grease, emulsifiers, and surfactants.

Client Impact

The wastewater was produced as part of LNG plant commissioning making the timing of addressing the issue critical. Very strict environmental conditions required any treated wastewater to be of exceptionally high quality before discharge would be permitted. The nature of the client’s wastewater meant that many conventional treatment processes, including biological, coagulation or membrane filtration were unsuitable. The inability to dispose of the wastewater would result in significant project delays and costs while the cost of offsite disposal proved to be prohibitively expensive.

ICMQ Solution

ICMQ conducted extensive research and testing to develop a tailored solution for the client’s challenging wastewater treatment needs. The result was the VDU system, a modular, mobile distillation platform consisting of three integrated, linear treatment processes capable of treating the wastewater onsite and producing exceptionally high-quality treated water to meet the very strict environmental discharge criteria.

Client Outcomes and Benefits

The VDU system was deployed onsite, successfully treating the wastewater and reducing schedule, economic, regulatory, transport and environmental risks. In addition:

The system exceeded target wastewater volume reduction of 96%

There was a substantial reduction (> 95%) in offsite disposal costs

Offered a substantial reduction in Scope 3 emissions primarily due to reduced transport requirements

The wastewater treated consistently met the strict environmental discharge criteria

No additional licensing requirements for implementation and operation

The wastewater volume was treated within required timeframe

Addressing the complex nature of industrial wastewater requires a holistic understanding of the specific contaminants involved, technological advancements, and a commitment to sustainable and environmentally friendly treatment practices.

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