Wastewater Treatment Mixing
Did you know that our mixers have a number of industrial uses? Among other things, they can be used when treating wastewater. Here’s what you need to know about this very specific purpose.
What Is Mixed into Wastewater to clean it?
Wastewater usually contains a number of different compounds many of which can be quite harmful. This is why it’s called “wastewater.” However, it can be cleaned by introducing some very important chemical mixtures that will change the composition of the wastewater, cleaning it up. The first of these is a limeslurry. Lime is incredibly importantbecause it can change the overall acidity of the water. However, it’s crucial that the lime slurry is allowed to fully penetrate the water, as it’s a solid that can easily sink to the bottom, where it won’t do any good. It needs to be consistently suspended throughout the water.
The other key component, although there are plenty of other minor ones that play specific roles, to cleaning wastewater is activated carbon slurry. This is what cleans organic compounds from the water. It can also control how the finished water looks, smells, and tastes. Like lime slurry, this one needs to be thoroughly mixed into the water as well. It has a tendency to float, making it easy to remove. However, if the mixer isn’t doing its job, then only the top portion of the water is cleaned by the activated carbon slurry.
The Mixing Process
In order to clean the wastewater, a two-stage process is done. The first is called flash mixing. As the name implies, this process takes place at a high rate of speed for a shortened period of time. The best type of blade for this stage is one an impeller-style with a pitch blade. This blade will agitate the liquid throughout the container that it’s placed in, ensuring that those slurries are able to fully penetrate and treat it.
The second stage is called flocculation. This is done much slower, and with an airfoil impeller that moves at a low shear pumping speed. The micro-flocs that were formed during the first stage will move about the water and adhere to any of the harmful particles, cleaning the liquid in the process.
Do you need EvenMix® devices so that you can treat wastewater? Or do you have any questions about the process? We’re available to answer other questions as well, including which mixers will best meet your needs. You can reach us at (440) 236-6677 or via the contact form on our website.
