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Selenium separation and recovery from bioreactor sludge

A bioreactor, a technology for recycling selenium, applied in chemical instruments and methods, biological water/sewage treatment, water pollutants, etc., can solve problems such as the toxicity of selenium

Inactive Publication Date: 2013-08-14
GENERAL ELECTRIC CO
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

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Problems solved by technology

[0004] However, selenium also becomes toxic at very low concentrations

Method used

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  • Selenium separation and recovery from bioreactor sludge
  • Selenium separation and recovery from bioreactor sludge

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Embodiment Construction

[0016] In the process of removing or recovering selenium, a feed stream of selenium-containing wastewater enters a bioreactor. For example, the feed stream may be flue gas desulfurization blowdown from a coal-fired power plant. In the bioreactor, microorganisms convert soluble forms of selenium into insoluble elemental selenium. The bioreactor may be an ABMet™ reactor, available from GE Water and Process Technologies, a business of the General Electric Company. In this form of bioreactor, the water to be treated flows through a bed of fixed media that supports microorganisms. Elemental selenium is retained in the bioreactor as particles along with the biomass. The treated water flows out of the bioreactor, preferably with selenium concentrations reduced below discharge limits. The bioreactor is periodically flushed, producing a sludge containing biomass, elemental selenium, ions and suspended solids present in the feed stream.

[0017] International Publication No. WO 2007...

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Abstract

Wastewater containing soluble selenium is treated in a bioreactor. Microorganisms in the reactor reduce the selenium to elemental selenium, which is insoluble. The elemental selenium is discharged from the reactor in waste sludge. The sludge is treated to recover selenium. In one method, the sludge is washed with chemicals, for example surfactants, and agitated to disrupt the adhesion of the selenium particles to the cells. The selenium particles are then separated from the cells using a physical separation process such as a centrifuge or differential filtration. In another method, the sludge is de-watered or dried to a very high solids content. The selenium particles are dissolved using an oxidizer under high pH conditions. A solids fraction is removed from the resulting slurry. A resulting selenium brine is further refined to recover the selenium.

Description

field of invention [0001] This specification relates to wastewater treatment for the removal and recovery of selenium from wastewater. Background of the invention [0002] The following paragraphs are not an admission that any of the information below is common general knowledge or citable as prior art. [0003] Selenium is an essential trace element for human health. Selenium is also a valuable non-metal with several useful properties. For example, selenium has photovoltaic and conductive properties that make it useful in photovoltaics and electronics. Selenium is also used as a pigment in glass and vitamin supplements and fertilizers. [0004] However, selenium also becomes toxic at very low concentrations. Selenium accumulates in the bodies of plants and fish that grow in selenium-contaminated water, and in the bodies of wildlife and humans that eat those plants and fish. In humans, elevated selenium concentrations can cause neurological damage and loss of hair and n...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(China)
IPC IPC(8): C01B19/02C02F1/58C02F3/34C02F103/34
CPCC02F2101/106C02F1/76C02F9/00C01P2004/32C02F11/14C02F11/127C02F1/461C01P2004/62C01B19/02C02F1/444C02F1/722C02F11/13C02F11/131Y02W10/37
Inventor J.N.森斯特加德T.M.皮克特
Owner GENERAL ELECTRIC CO