Neutralization

Neutralization
• Excessively acid or alkaline wastes should not be discharged without
treatment into a receiving stream.
• A stream is adversely affected by low or high pH values.
• This adverse condition is even more critical when sudden slugs of acids or
alkalis are imposed upon the stream.
• There are many acceptable methods for neutralizing over acidity or over
alkalinity of wastewater such as;
 Methods for Neutralization
1. Mixing wastes so that the net effect is a near neutral pH
2. Passing acid wastes through beds of limestone
3. Mixing acid waste with lime slurries
4. Carbon dioxide treatment for alkaline waste
5. Adding sulfuric to alkaline waste
 Neutralization
• The material and method used should be selected on the basis of the
overall cost, since material costs vary widely.
• The volume, the kind and quantity of acid or alkali to be neutralized are
also factors in deciding which neutralizing agents to use.
 Neutralization
1. Mixing Waste:
• Mixing waste can be accomplished within a single plant operation or
between neighboring industrial plants.
• Acid and alkaline waste may be produced individually within one plant
and proper mixing of these wastes at appropriate times can accomplish
neutralization
• This method requires some storage facility for each waste to avoid slugs
of either acid or alkali.
Neutralization
 Neutralization
• If one plant produces an alkaline waste which can be pumped
conveniently to an area adjacent to a plant discharging an acid waste, an
economical and feasible system of neutralization results for each plant.
 Neutralization
2. Limestone Treatment for Acid wastes:
• Passing acid waste through the beds of limestone is one of the method for
neutralizing wastewater.
• Waste can be pumped up or down at a rate depending upon the
concentration of acid in the wastewater.
CaCO3 + H2SO4  CaSO4 + H2CO3
 Neutralization
• The reaction will continue as long as excess limestone is available and in an
active state.
• The condition can be met simply by providing a sufficient quantity of
limestone.
• Disposal of the used limestone beds can be a serious drawback to this
method of neutralization.
• The used limestone must be replaced by fresh at periodic intervals, the
frequency of replacement depends on the quantity and quality of acid wastes
being passed through a bed.
 Neutralization
• When there are extremely high acid loads, foaming may occur, especially
when organic matter is also present in the waste.
 Neutralization
3. Limeslurry Treatment for Acid wastes:
• Mixing acid waste with lime slurries is an effective procedure for
neutralization.
• The reaction is similar to that obtained with limestone beds.
• In this case lime is used up continuously because it is converted to
calcium sulfate and carried out in the waste.
• The neutralizing action of lime can be increased by heating or by
oxygenating the mixture.
 Neutralization
• It is relative inexpensive method and an increased surface area increases
the efficiency of the overall treatment process.
 Neutralization
4. Carbon Dioxide treatment for alkaline waste
• Bottled CO2 is applied to wastewater in much the same may as air is
applied to activated sludge basin.
• It neutralizes alkaline wastes on the same principle as boiler feed gas (i.e
it forms a weak acid (carbonic acid) when dissolved in water) with much
less operating difficulty.
• The cost may increase however, when the quantity of alkaline waste is
large.
 Neutralization
5. Sulfuric acid treatment for alkaline waste
• The addition of sulfuric acid to alkaline waste is fairly common but an expensive
means of neutralization.
• Sulfuric acid treatment cost twice as compared to lime slurries treatment for acidic
waste, the cost of neutralization may decrease while neutralizing large quantities of
waste.
• Storage and feeding equipment requires high maintenance due to its great acidity but
it is difficult to handle because of its corrosiveness.
• The neutralization reaction which occurs when it is added to wastewater is as follows:
 Neutralization
2NaOH + H2SO4  Na2SO4 + 2H2O