CHE4173 Sustainable Processing II

Problem sheet 4
Q1 (Calculating COD and estimating BOD)
a)

A plant has two waste water streams, as summarised in the table below.
Stream 1
Contaminant
Heavy hydrocarbon (CnH2n)
Mass loading (kg/h)
28
Waste stream flowrate (t/h)
50
BOD5/COD: Heavy hydrocarbon 0.3, Phenol 0.5

Stream 2
Phenol (C6H5OH)
1.88
20

a)

What is meant by the terms COD and BOD5?

b)

Estimate the COD and BOD5 of both streams, using the data provided.

c)

What additional uncertainty results for the calculation of BOD5, if these two streams are
both treated by the same biological treatment process?

Q2 (Obtaining the water limiting data)

The reactor shown in the figure below is part of a water network. Extract the limiting data for a water
minimisation study, given that the reactor cannot accept contaminated water.
Reactants

Fresh water
100 t/h

Waste water
40 t/h
100 ppm contaminant
Products

Q3 (Water reuse & Multiple water sources)

The process is supplied with freshwater at 0ppm. The table below lists the limiting data for a water
network
Operation
1
2
3
a)

Limiting Flow
[t/h]
10
55
40

Mass
[g/h]
1000
8250
4000

CCin
[ppm]
0
100
300

CCout
[ppm]
100
250
400

Draw the limiting water composite curve and obtain the target for minimum fresh water flowrate
for re-use only.
b) Design a water-use network, which achieves this target. Draw the network as a conventional
flowsheet.
c) If a second water supply with 50ppm water is available and is cheaper than pure water, calculate
new targets for both water sources which minimizes the amount of pure water required.

Q4 (Water reuse with flowrate constraints)

The table below gives the limiting water data for a process with four water-using operations. The main
contaminant in this system is suspended solids (SS).
Operation
Paper machine

Cin, max
(ppm)
0

Cout, max
(ppm)
100

Mass load
(kg/h)
2

flim
(t/h)
20

Steam stripping

50

100

1.5

30

Pulping

50

400

10.5

30

Direct contact cooling

10

20

(100% water loss)

You are required to carry out a water minimisation study for the process. An important constraint is that the
limiting flowrates must be used in each operation
a) Target the minimum fresh water consumption and wastewater generation, assuming that re-use of water is
possible.
b) Design a network to meet the targets. Show all steps and report the design as a conventional flowsheet.

Q5 (Targeting and design of water treatment processes)

A chemical process has three major water-using operations that are contaminated mainly by NH3. The
effluent data are given in Table 3. The effluent streams are currently combined and sent to a stream
stripper to remove NH3 from wastewater. The environmental discharge limit for NH3 is 30ppm.
Table 3Effluent data
Stream

C (ppm)

Water flowrate (t/h)

300

50

150

30

80

20

a) Construct the effluent composite curve for this process.

b) What is the minimum treatment flowrate for the steam stripper (removal ratio of the steam stripper
= 90%)
c) Design a distributed-treatment network that achieves the minimum treatment flowrate target in
part (b). Draw the final design as a conventional flowsheet, giving flowrate and concentration
levels for all wastewater streams.
d) Discuss why pH is important for the removal of some gases such as NH3 and H2S by steam
stripping.
e) What options should be considered for this plant, if the environmental limit was reduced to 20ppm?

Q6 (Wastewater treatment targeting and design)

Wastewater treatment systems are to be designed for a chemical process that has four major waterusing operations. The data for wastewater flowrate and concentration levels are shown in the table
below. The environmental regulation limit is 50 ppm.
Operation

Conc. [ppm]

Flowrate [t/h]

500

50

350

40

250

30

150

35

a) Draw the effluent composite curve.

b) A treatment process is available which operates with a 90 % removal ratio. Determine the minimum
treatment flowrate when the distributed treatment system is applied.
c) Design a distributed treatment network that achieves the minimum treatment flowrate from part (b).
Represent the final design as a conventional flowsheet, giving flowrate and concentration levels for all
the wastewater streams.

Andrew Hoadley
20 August 2008