High Solid Inorganic Chemicals Processing and Product

Source: New Logic Research, Inc.
New Logic Research, Inc.cturer of membrane filtration and solids separation equipment, <%=company%> of Emeryville, CA has now several new and existing projects with major high solid inorganic chemical producers for the use of its technology. New Logic's Vibratory Shear Enhanced Process (VSEP) is being used for the dewatering of high solid inorganic chemical streams and recovery of these materials from the effluent streams. Some of the higher value applications include the manufacturing of titanium dioxide (TiO2), calcium carbonate (CaCO3), and Kaolin clays. The VSEP is able to dewater these inorganics up to 72 percent solids in a single pass. Other alternatives (such as evaporators and centrifuges) are very expensive to operate due to the high energy consumption as well as the expensive capital equipment.

The advantages of using VSEP for inorganic chemical production/recovery are as follows:

  • Product is produced with low energy consumption (reduced load on dryer)
  • No chemical treatment is required
  • Permeate produced is sewerable and needs no further chemical treatment
  • Membrane is easily cleaned using hot water
  • VSEP reduces the loading on other process equipment
  • VSEP requires a small footprint
  • VSEP provides continuous operation
  • VSEP is now a commercially proven technology

As a case in point for economic evaluation of using VSEP for treatment of high solid inorganic chemical streams, the economics for dewatering titanium dioxide is presented. For a 3 tons per hour TiO2 product recovery facility, a simple payback period of less than one year is estimated. The primary savings result from the reduced load on the dryer energy requirements. If the cost savings from product recovery is also included, the recovery of this product alone can pay for the cost of VSEP treatment system in less than a few days New Logic's VSEP technology is being incorporated into various applications for water pre-treatment, recycling and wastewater treatment. It can filter streams containing a variety of contaminants without the fouling problems exhibited by some conventional membrane systems. The process not only filters suspended solids but also reduces BOD, COD and color bodies. The result is a clear, reusable water stream and a concentrated sludge. The key factor to VSEP's performance and resistance to membrane fouling is its ability to generate shear forces at 150,000 inverse seconds which is ten times greater than the shear in conventional cross-flow systems.

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