TREATMENT OF WASTEWATER

Abstract: Biological purification of condensate from a process for the manufacture of sheets of disintegrated lignocellulose-containing material, such as fibreboard produced according to the dry method or particle board, where the condensate contains formaldehyde. The condensate is treated in several steps in a treatment vessel (2) divided into sections (3-7). The purification is carried out substantially with the help of a microorganism of the species Trichoderma.

Description: Treatment of astewater This invention relates to the cleaning of wastewater (condensate) from a process for the manufacture of sheets of disintegrated lignocell- ulose-containing material. Such processes can be intended for the production of fibreboard according to the dry method, for example hardboard or medium density fibreboard (MDF) . It also includes processes for the manufacture of particle board. Ihe starting material is lignocellulose- *** containing material, such as wood, straw, bagasse etc. At the manufacture of fibreboard of MDF-type, the fibre material first is defibered under pressure in a refiner, and thereafter binding agent is mixed with the fibres. After that, drying is carried out, usually in a tube drier with gas at high temperature, where the gas absorbs the moisture from the fibres. After the drying, fibres and gas are separated, and the fibres are trans¬ ported to a lay station where the fibres by means of an air jet are deposited on an air pervious support so that a fibre mat is formed. Another method is to distribute the fibres mechanically on a dense web. The mat thus formed is then hot pressed in the production line to form a complete MDF-board. Ihe binding agent used normally is glue of the type urea formaldehyde resin. -Ihis implies that at the drying of the -material a greater or smaller amount of water-soluble formaldehyde follows along with the drying gas. As the moisture quotient prior to the drying can be about 100 % and after the drying 10 %, consequently large liquid amounts are here involved. After the drying gas has been separated from the fibre material, for example in a cyclone, the liquid content is condensed out of the gas. Ihis wastewater (condensate) contains a considerable amount of iπpurities, for example formaldehyde in aqueous solution. Ihis wastewater must be purified before it can be discharged or recycled. Solid material, for example, can be separated by screening or sedi¬ mentation, and COD can be reduced satisfactorily by normal biological purification. Ihe degradation of formaldehyde, however, causes problems in conventional purification processes. Ihe manufacture of particle board, where binding agent of type urea formaldehyde resin is used, also produces fomaldehyde-contain¬ ing condensate. Ihe handling problems of the condensate in this case are the same as described above in connection with fibreboard manufacture. The present invention implies that the formaldehyde content in the wastewater can be reduced considerably by utilizing a micro- -organism (sponge) of the species Trichoderma. The characterizing features of the invention beco s apparent from the attached claims. Ihe invention is described in greater detail in the following, with reference to the accoπpanying drawing showing an embodiment of a system for reducing formaldehyde according to the invention, in which drawing Fig. 1 is a schematic lateral view of a cross- -section of the system, and Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the system. Wastewater in the form of condensate from a drier in a plant for the manufacture of MDF-board is supplied to a buffer tank 1. From there the wastewater is pumped to a treatment vessel 2, which is divided by partitions into a plurality of sections 3-7 separated from each other. These sections are arranged in series so that the wastewater passes through the sections in steps. In each section 3-7, a number of disks 8 are mounted rotatably on a horizontal shaft 9, so that the disks partially, preferably to about half their size, are iπmersed below the liquid level in the section. Ihe disks 8 should have a diameter of at least 0,5 m and can be located in a spaced relationship of l-3cm. The disk thickness can be 2-3 cm. A suitable disk material is cellular plastic, for exaπple polystyrene, and the disks can be provided on their surface with a fine net. Micro-organisms of the type Trichoderma Harzianum are supplied to one or several sections, while bacteria for conventional biological purification can be supplied to the renaming sections. The micro-organisms need be added only at the starting of the process, whereafter they are self-generating. According to the embodiment shown, the first three sections 3-5 contain the sponge in question, and the renaming two sections 6,7 contain bacteria for biological purification. The purification process takes place under aerobe conditions, and oxygen is supplied to the micro-organisms in that they cone into contact with air. Ihe wastewater is passed after the treatment vessel 2 through a collecting tank 10, before it can be discharged. The step-by-step purification, alternatively, can be carried out in other devices, for example biological filter, bioro or or similar equipment, which coπprises surfaces on which the micro- -organisms can deposit. Example: In a system with a treatment vessel of 1,2 m divided into five sections according to above, the total surface area of the disks was 60 m , and the rotation speed was 5 rpm. The amount of treated wastewater was 1 m /2k hours. The staying time for the liquid in the treatment vessel is slightly above 2-4 hours. Ihe ambient air temperature was controlled, and the best result was obtained at 25-30 C. A significantly reduced efficiency was observed at temperatures below 20 C and above 40 C. The pH-value should be in the interval 4-9, preferably 7-8,5. Ihe added wastewater had a formaldehyde concentration of 250-600 mg/1, COD was -450-900 mg/1, and pH was 4,5, which corresponds to the values for a condensate from a normal fibreboard manufacture (Ex. I) . For testing the efficiency, additional formaldehyde was added to the condensate, so that the formaldehyde concentration was 650-1300 mg/1, COD was 500-1000 mg/1, and pH was 6-7 (Ex. II). With the ingoing concentrations according to above, the formaldehyde content was reduced in steps in the five sections as follows: Location Measured concentration m /1 Before step 1 In step 1 tι it 2 It tt -z it it [ tt It c After step 5 COD was simultaneously reduced as follows Location Measured concentration mg/1 I II Before step 1 486 1090 In step 3 56 260 After step 5 36 48 The pH-value at these tests varied as follows: At the addition of nutritional matters, proteins, vitamins and minerals, certainly an increased growth of the micro-organisπe on the disks could be observed. This growth, however, did not cause clogging of the space between the disks. The tests showed, that the system operates excellent without nutrition supply. The micro-organisms accumulated on the disks must be removed periodically, for example mechanically or by water sprays. When the system is taken out of service, water containing fomal¬ dehyde in an amount of at least 100 mg/1 must be added in order to maintain the micro-organisms when no other condensate is available. On the basis of these test results, a system could be dimensioned as follows: The treatment vessel should have a volume of 100-150 m divided into 6 sections. 3 3 Capacity: at least 4 m /h or 9 /24 hours. 2 3 The total surface area on the disks should be 100 m /m treated condensate, and the disk diameter should be 2,5-3 . The spacing between the disks should be sufficiently great to avoid clogging,preferably 2-3 m. The capacity of the buffer tank 1 should correspond to the volume of condensate to be treated per 24 hours. The final collecting tank 10 should have a capacity corresponding to two hours treated condensate. Ihe condensate should be screened before the treatment in order to remove fibres following along. Ihe invention, of course, is not restricted to the embodiments shown, but can be vari d within "Che scope of the invention idea.

Claims: AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 6 June 1991 (06.06.91); original claims 1, 2, 6-8 replaced by new claim 1; claims 3, 4, 5 and 9 renumbered as claims 2-5 (1 page)] 1. A method of biological purification of condensate from a process for the manufacture of sheets of disintegrated lignocellulose-containing material, such as fibreboard produced according to the dry method or particle board, where the condensate contains formaldehyde, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the formaldehyde concentration is over 100 mg/1 and the purification is carried out in several steps substantially with the help of a micro¬ organism of the type Trichoderma Harzianum, whereby the temperature during the treatment is maintained in the interval 20-40°C, preferably in 25-35°C, and the pH-value is in the interval 4-9, preferably 7-8,5. 2. A method as defined in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the purification is carried out in several steps in series, in that the condensate is pumped between different sections (3-7) in a treatment vessel (2) . 3. A method as defined in claim 2 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the micro-organism is allowed to grow on several rotatable disks (8) , which are partially immersed below the liquid level in each section in the vessel (2) . 4. A method as defined in claim 2 or 3 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the micro-organism is added in at least three steps, and that in at least one subsequent step bacteria for conventional biological purifi¬ cation are added. 5. A method as defined in anyone of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the purification process takes place under aerobe conditions, and oxygen is supplied to the micro-organism in that it comes into contact with air.

Inventors: LARSSON LEIF L, SAAFSTROEM CHRISTER K S, LARSSON, LEIF, L., SAAFSTROEM, CHRISTER, K., S.
Applicants: SUNDS DEFIBRATOR IND AB, SUNDS DEFIBRATOR INDUSTRIES AKTIEBOLAG
Application year: 1991
Main classification: C02F3
IPC codes: C02F3, C02F9