electro coagulationtechnology assessment - final

Reference: Electro coagulationTechnology Assessment - Final

Report

Technology Assessment for LSI Electro-Coagulation.

Prepared by:

Brad McLean Engineering & Management Consultant.

Prepared for:

Philip Thompson CEO iota Services Pty Ltd.

Prepared: 8 May 2015.


Introduction:

iota have been approached by Liquid Solutions International to consider

participating with Liquid Solutions International in development and proving of

applications for an electro-coagulation technology. The applications being

considered in the context of this proposal relate primarily to the treatment of

wastewater anywhere along the train from production to end reuse or disposal.

Before participating in the venture iota wish to assess the capability and

potential market for the technology to inform their consideration of a commercial

business case.

This report makes a concept level assessment of the potential for the electro-

coagulation device to have place in the treatment technology market in the

water industry.

The assessment has been undertaken in four parts:

1. A comparative capability assessment.

This provides a qualitative assessment of the capability of the Electro-

coagulation technology in comparison with other common technologies.

2. A comparative cost assessment

This will provide a comparative assessment of capital and operating costs

for a selection of similar technologies (e.g. chemical coagulation) or

management alternatives (paying for trade waste disposal).

3. A market assessment

This describes which market segment/s are best suited to the

characteristics of the technology.

4. A collated assessment

This provides an overall qualitative assessment of the potential of the

technology to have a place in the water industry market.

A positive finding for the device in this assessment does not guarantee success

for the device, it merely identifies that there is potential for the device to be

competitive in the marketplace at this point in time. Actual success will depend

on the development and marketing strategy from this point forward and

appropriate opportunities presenting in the market.


Electro-coagulation technology in general.

Electro-coagulation (EC) is an electrochemical technique for treating polluted

water. It uses electricity to create coagulating chemicals in the reaction vessel

rather than adding the chemicals. It has been successfully applied for treatment

of soluble or colloidal pollutants in various industrial effluents including, effluent

from food industries, tanneries, mechanical workshop (soluble oil)

polymerization manufacture, and wastewater textile industries containing heavy

metals, suspensions solids, emulsified organics and many other contaminants

(Erick Butler et al. 2011).

Typically electro-coagulation applies a DC voltage across a circuit made up of

two electrodes which are immersed in the water that is being treated. One of

the electrodes is a passive electrode that acts as the cathode in the electrical

circuit and one sacrificial metal electrode that acts as the anode.

The sacrificial anode is made of other iron or aluminium which release iron(Fe)

or Aluminium (Al) ions which form metal hydroxide coagulants in the water

being treated. This is similar to dosing with Alum (Al2(SO4)3) or Ferric

(Fe2(SO4)3) in traditional flocculation processes. Both of these combine with

alkalinity in the water to form metal hydroxides similar to those formed in

electro-coagulation.

Electro-coagulation has the ability to remove colloidal particles (particles

between 1m and 1 nm in diameter). These are difficult to remove with

traditional flocculation–coagulation as they are difficult to chemically flocculate

to a sufficient size to settle. The electric fields in electro-coagulation cause the

colloidal particles to move, increasing the likelihood of colliding with other

particles and increasing the potential for flocs to form.

The cathode is either a similar metal or a more durable metal. Here water is

hydrolysed by the electrical current to form hydrogen gas and hydroxide ions as

well as chloride ions being converted to chlorine gas.

The hydrogen can facilitate flotation of lighter solid material suspended in the

water enabling separation of solids from the liquid phase. The suspended

material may be flocculated solids present in the water or solids formed by

precipitating dissolved material.

The chlorine gas is similar to traditional chlorine disinfection so the process has

the potential to provide some level of disinfection depending on the nature of the

water being treated and the amount of chlorine generated.


The hydroxide ions combine with heavy metals to form insoluble metal

hydroxides that precipitate and can be settled out.

Hydrogen and hydroxide ions also bond to oils in emulsions, breaking the

emulsion and separating the oil and the water phase allowing oil and grease to

be floated and skimmed off the water.

Electro-coagulation relies on a level of salinity in the water to conduct electricity

and make the circuit that allows the electrochemical reactions to occur. Salinity

below 400 mg/l total dissolved solids begins to impact on the effectiveness of

the electrochemistry. The efficiency of treatment increases with increasing

salinity in the water being treated as lower power is is required to achieve the

same current across the electrodes.

Specific features of the LSI Technology

The Electro-coagulation device marketed by LSI International has some unique

features aimed at addressing some of the shortcomings of traditional electro-

coagulation devices. The technology uses two passive electrodes in conjunction

with recycled material as the sacrificial element. This aims to eliminate loss of

performance due to erosion of the anode as it is electrolysed. It also regularly

reverses the polarity of the two passive electrodes to avoid build-up of any

electrolysis product that may be deposited on the electrode. Deposits on the

electrode have the potential to increase the resistance in the electrical circuit

and increase power consumption.

These two measures aim to provide a machine that is more efficient to operate

by maintaining peak performance for long periods and having a low cost

sacrificial metal material that is simple to replace.


Comparison of capability.

Capability requirements for wastewater treatment technology can be

categorised into:

Solids Separation:

Physical separation of suspended solid material from the water by

floating, settling, centrifuging or filtering. The smaller the particles

the more difficult they are to separate. Depending on size and

nature of the suspended solids chemicals may be required to

flocculate pollutants into agglomerated particles that can be settled

or floated from the water. Typical flocculants includes iron (Ferric),

Aluminium (Alum) or poly-electrolytes

Oil & Grease Separation:

Physical separation of oil and grease from the water phase. If the

oil and grease is separate from the water phase it typically floats

and can be skimmed off. If it has emulsified with the water

(dispersed into the water and bonded to the water molecules) then

the emulsion needs to be broken to achieve separation.

Biological Digestion:

Using bacterial processes that use pollutants as their energy source

to move the pollutants within the water into solids or into gases.

Typical bacterial processes are:

o converting carbon compounds to methane, or carbon dioxide

gas that can be released to the air or captured and used.

o converting nitrogen compounds to nitrogen gas that is

released into the atmosphere

o converting carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus into bacterial

biomass that can be settled and removed as sludge.

The capability of biological processes for a particular wastewater

stream is a function of the relative ratio of carbon, nitrogen and

phosphorus in the water and whether other pollutants in the water

will biochemically inhibit the bacteria or physically prevent the

processes from ocurring.

Chemical Precipitation

Using chemicals to precipitate pollutants into agglomerated solids


particles that can be settled or floated from the water. Typical

precipitation processes include:

o Adding aluminium (Alum), Iron (Ferric) and/or Calcium (Lime)

to precipitate dissolved phosphorus allowing it to settle as

solids.

o Adding Hydroxide (Lime or Soda) to precipitate dissolved

heavy metals as metal hydroxides

Chemical Oxidation:

Using aggressive chemicals to oxidise organic and inorganic

pollutants into gases or into less harmful compounds. These are

typically used to treat chemicals that are otherwise difficult to treat

like pesticides, residual chemicals that cause colour, taste and

odour or toxic compounds that inhibit bacterial processes.. These

pollutants can be oxidised to carbon dioxide, water and common

salts. Typical chemical oxidation agents include ozone, hydrogen

peroxide, or hydroxyl radicals. Hydroxyl radicals are produced by a

number of processes known as advanced oxidation processes.

Disinfection:

Using bacterial agents to damage the physical structure,

biochemistry or reproduction capability of pathogenic organisms so

that the health risk is reduced to an acceptable level. Typical

disinfection agents include:

o Chlorine which is added to the water as either chlorine gas or

hypochlorite.

o Chlorine dioxide which is typically generated on site and

added to the water as a gas.

o Ozone which is typically generated on site and added to the

water as a gas.

o UV light which is applied by passing the water through a

chamber fitted with UV lamps.

Residuals Removal.

This is used to remove low level very small residual particles or

dissolved from otherwise clean water. Typically this is achieved by

filtration with ultrafine pore filters, by adsorption or by ion

exchange.


A typical wastewater treatment application will require one or more of

these capabilities depending on the source of the wastewater and the final

quality that is required.

A qualitative assessment of the capability of electro-coagulation has been

made in two parts:

1. By assessing the extent that it and other technologies provide the

range of capabilities outlines above. This is summarised in Table 1

below.

2. By assessing the extent that it and other technologies are capable

of removing the various pollutants that are typically present in

wastewater. This is summarised in Table 2 below.

An assessment has also been made of the operating characteristics of the

various treatment technologies. This is summarised in Table 3 below.


Table 1 Comparison of Capability

Technology Type Examples Solids Separation

Oil & Grease Separation

Bacterial Digestion

Chemical Precipitation

Chemical Oxidation

Disinfection Residuals Removal

Oil/Grease Interceptors

Grease Trap

Screening & Filtering

Barrel Screen, Belt Press

Larger particles

Sedimentation Settling Tank, Lamellar Settlers. Dosed with Alum, Ferric, Polyelectrolyte, etc

Activated Sludge Aeration tank & clarifier

Membrane Bioreactor

Aerated tank with submerged membranes.

Anaerobic Digestion

UASB.

Ozone Dosing

Chlorine Dosing

Membrane Filtration MF, UF, RO

Evaporation Mechanical Driers Vacuum Driers

Electrocoagulation LSI EC Device with settling tank.

Legend: Full Capability Partial Capability Possible Capability depending on

circumstance Not Capable


. Table 2 Comparison of Pollutant Removal

Technology Type Examples Suspended Solids

Oil & Grease

Soluble COD/BOD

Nitrogen Phosphorus Pathogens Heavy Metals

Trace Organics

Colour


Grease Trap

Screening & Filtering Barrel Screen, Belt Press

Larger particles

Sedimentation Settling Tank, Lamellar Settlers. Can be dosed with Alum, Ferric, Polyelectrolyte, etc

Activated Sludge Aeration tank & clarifier

Membrane Bioreactor Aerated tank with submerged membranes.

Anaerobic Digestion UASB.

Ozone Dosing

Chlorine Dosing

Membrane Filtration MF, UF, RO


Electrocoagulation LSI EC Device with settling tank.

Legend: Readily removes substantial amounts Readily provides partial removal or

removal of smaller amounts Possibly removes smaller amounts depending on circumstance

Not Capable of removing


. Table 3 Comparison of Operational Characteristics

Technology Type Examples Start Up Operational Effort Maintenance Effort Complexity Operator Skill


Grease Trap Immediate start at full production.

Low Regular emptying and cleaning.

Simple passive device Low

Screening & Filtering

Barrel Screen, Belt Press

Needs tuning to optimise

Moderate monitoring Regular cleaning and maintenance of moving parts

Simple to moderate mechanical device

Moderate

Sedimentation Settling Tank, Lamellar Settlers. Can be dosed with Alum, Ferric, Polyelectrolyte.

Settling Immediate. Dosing needs time to be optimised

Low to moderate to monitor and regulate dosing

Moderate maintenance of mechanical equipment.

Simple to moderate mechanical devices for dosing and settling tank

Moderate

Activated Sludge

Aeration tank & clarifier

Needs weeks to grow biomass.

High effort to monitor and manage set points.

Significant mechanical & electrical and control maintenance

Moderate to complex aeration and clarification equipment

High

Membrane Bioreactor

Aerated tank with submerged membranes.

Needs weeks to grow biomass.

High effort to monitor and manage set points.

Significant mechanical & electrical and control maintenance plus membrane cleaning

Complex system with aeration, membranes and pumping systems

High

Anaerobic Digestion

UASB. Needs weeks to grow biomass.

Moderate effort for biogas control.

Low process maintenance. High effort on biogas equipment

Complex System with gas collection

High

Ozone Dosing Needs extended commissioning to ensure safety

High effort to monitor and manage safety and performance

Intensive management to maintain safety.

Complex process with complex chemical safety

High

Chlorine Dosing Needs careful commissioning to ensure safety.

Moderate effort for process. High effort for safety

High effort to maintain function in highly corrosive environment.

Simple process but complex chemical safety

High

Membrane Filtration

MF, UF, RO Quick to start, some time to optimise.

High effort to manage performance and backwash.

High effort to maintain high pressure equipment and membrane function

Complex control and backwash

High



Quick to start Low to moderate effort Moderate effort to maintain mechanical equipment

Simple process with moderate control.

Moderate

Electrocoagulation

LSI EC Device with settling tank.

Immediate start at full production.

Low to moderate effort manage and top up sacrificial material and manage solids handling.

Low to moderate effort to maintain simple electrical equipment.

Simple process set control. Low - moderate

We can see from the comparisons of treatment capability that the electro-coagulation technology can provide a similar

treatment profile to the physical and chemical based treatment but with some advantages.

It has the potential for chemical oxidation, disinfection and residuals removal where physical processes don't provide this.

It has the capacity to deal with suspended solids and oil and grease where the chemical processes don't.

In terms of pollutant removal the electro-coagulation process on its own cannot compete with biological processes in

applications where removal of soluble COD/BOD and nitrogen is important

It can however provide heavy metal removal, colour removal and potentially removal of trace organics where the physical

processes do not.

Electro-coagulation is also a relatively simple process with low to moderate operational and maintenance requirements.


Cost Comparison

We can see from the comparison of capability undertaken above, different

technologies have different capabilities. This means the technologies are not

directly comparable on cost but need to be assessed for relative value given a

particular scenario.

For the sake of a comparison however, a technology will have potential

applications if the cost is lower than technologies that provide similar or greater

levels of treatment and is lower in cost than alternative management options.

To enable such a comparison indicative costs have been derived for a 100kL/day

wastewater stream for the different treatment technologies and for trade waste

discharge as a management option. The cost data for the different technologies

is derived from literature and from personal experience. The cost data for trade

waste disposal is derived for an example wastewater stream using South East

Water's trade waste charges. Within the scope of work in this report these costs

are indicative only. They are appropriate for relative comparison but should not

be interpreted as absolute costs for the technology in a particular application.

It is also useful to consider the footprint required for the technology. While this

is not reflected in the capital and operating cost it is a real cost to the owner of

the treatment technology.

The example wastewater characteristics used to derive the costs are:

Characteristic Value

Flow 1000 kl/day

COD 2000 mg/l TSS 1000 mg/l

Nitrogen 50 mg/l Phosphorus 10 mg/l

This comparison is provided in Table 4 below.

It can be seen from the comparison that electro-coagulation has the potential to

be lower in cost that trade waste discharge. It is relatively low in capital cost

and within the range of operating cost for comparator technologies.


. Table 4 Comparison of Costs

Technology Type Examples Capital Cost Operations & Maintenance Cost

Footprint

Oil/Grease Interceptors Grease Trap $30k to $50k $10k to $20k small

Screening & Filtering Rotating Screen, Belt Press

$60k to 120k $ 150k to $250k

$140k to $180k $280k to $350k

Moderate

Sedimentation Settling Tank, Lamellar Settlers. Can be dosed with Alum, Ferric, Polyelectrolyte, etc

$400k to $600k (DAF)

$60k to $100k (DAF) Moderate

Activated Sludge Aeration tank & clarifier $3 to $6M $300k to $600k Large

Membrane Bioreactor Aerated tank with submerged membranes.

$4M to $5M $1.4M to 2.0M Moderate to Large

Anaerobic Digestion UASB. $1.0 to1.5M $150k to 225k Moderate to Large

Ozone Dosing ~$600k ~$30k Moderate

Chlorine Dosing ~$200k ~$15k Moderate

Membrane Filtration MF, UF $500k to $1.5M $40k to $60k Moderate


$1 to $2M $6 to $8M Small - Moderate

Electrocoagulation LSI EC Device with settling tank. $150 to$300k $200 to $500k Small - Moderate

Trade Waste Discharge $1.2M None


Market Assessment

A market characterisation has been undertaken for water industry related

applications with a focus on the sewerage end of the industry. The sewerage

focus has been chosen as the recycled material used in the device does not

readily lend itself to water treatment application without further development.

This assessment has been collated by looking at the opportunities that are

available through the sewerage cycle from the initial creation of the wastewater

through treatment to recycling and reuse of the water.

At each potential point of application in the sewerage cycle an assessment has

been made of:

the features and characteristics that are typically important for the

application,

the potential for electro-coagulation to provide those features and

characteristics, and therefore

the suitability of electro-coagulation for the market segment.

This assessment is provided in Table 5 below.


. Table 5 Market Analysis

Market Segment

Description Segment Characteristics Capability matches with EC. Market Opportunity

So

urc

e T

rea

tmen

t

On site treatment of wastewater from commercial or industrial enterprises to minimise or avoid discharge to sewer.

Smaller scale. Typically coarse treatment to reduce to discharge standard or for product recovery. Driven by Return on Investment Small footprint usually important Need simple low input technology that is reliable to operate. Often batch treatment. Often, heavy metals, toxicants or hard to treat compounds

Small footprint. Simple to operate. Fast start up suits batch processing. Can be lower cost than discharge to sewer. Don't need and often don't want biological processes. Efficient solids removal Heavy metal removal advantageous. Potential for capability for hard to treat compounds. More likely to find higher salt streams that favour electrocoagulation.

Opportunity in at source applications where solids removal and/or metals, and/or trace toxicants is the priority. Particularly for higher salt streams.

Se

we

r M

inin

g

Extraction of sewage from the sewerage system for treatment and reuse. Solids are typically returned to the sewerage system

Smaller Scale. Needs high level of treatment, typically solids removal plus biological treatment to remove dissolved carbon and nitrogen and then disinfection. Small footprint often an advantage. Driven by minimum overall cost

Possible match with solids removal step. Cannot provide dissolved carbon and nitrogen removal. Disinfection capacity may or may not be adequate.

Not seen as a priority market. Would need to be paired with other technologies to provide a full treatment train.

Tre

atm

en

t

Pla

nt

-

Pri

mary

First stage of treatment at a treatment plant providing removal of gross solids and the majority of suspended solids.

Larger Scale. Driven by minimum overall cost. Have resources to provide operational support and control. Long term view favours low operating cost options

Solids removal in capability set. Unlikely to be competitive on operating cost. Simple to operate less of an advantage. Scale up presents a challenge as it would require multiple cells to keep current at a manageable level.

Not seen as a priority market as electro-coagulation is unlikely to be competitive


Tre

atm

en

t P

lan

t -

Se

co

nd

ary

Second stage of treatment process at a treatment plant providing removal of soluble carbon, nitrogen and possibly phosphorus.

Larger Scale. Driven by minimum overall cost. Have resources to provide operational support and control. Long term view favours low operating cost options. Biological treatment almost exclusive technology of choice as it minimises total energy requirement.

Biological treatment not in capability set. Phosphorus removal is a strong capability. Cost for P removal is unlikely to be competitive as an add on as most of the requirements for chemical dosing for P removal would already be available.

Unlikely to be a viable market.

Tre

atm

en

t P

lan

t

Tert

iary

An additional stage of treatment at a treatment plant where it is required to remove residual suspended solids, colour, and/or trace organics.

Larger Scale Driven by minimum overall cost. Have resources to provide operational support and control. Long term view favours low operating cost options.

Capability set potentially aligned. All tertiary treatment options are more expensive so operating cost may be comparable. Scale may present a challenge as multiple cells would be required losing efficiency of scale. Would need to assess whether LSI technology adds any new residuals from the sacrificial material.

A market to keep a watching brief and assess on a case by case basis. Opportunities where the residual contaminant is well suited to electro-coagulation may be a viable market.

Tre

atm

en

t P

lan

t

Dis

infe

cti

on

Removal of pathogens to make treatment plant effluent safe for discharge into the environment

Larger Scale Driven by minimum overall cost. Have resources to provide operational support and control. Long term view favours low operating cost options. Clean, low residual options a priority. Quality assurance on the treatment process an important consideration

Disinfection capability would need to be proven. A quality control mechanism and protocol would need to be developed. Would need a stream with sufficient levels of chloride to enable chlorine generation and higher total salinity to enable sufficient current. Electro-coagulation may have added value by providing additional functionality that is not normally associated with disinfection.

A market that requires some development work. If disinfection capability stands up then keep a watching brief and assess on a case by case basis. Opportunities where solids removal (eg algae) is a valuable bonus may be a viable market.


Wa

ter

Re

cy

clin

g

Additional treatment on the end of a treatment plant to generate water suitable for recycling. Typically disinfection with the possibility of a requirement to remove low levels of algae, suspended solids or residuals and potentially salinity reduction.

Small to Medium Scale Driven by minimum overall cost. Have resources to provide operational support and control. Long term view favours low operating cost options. Clean, low residual options a priority. Quality assurance on the treatment process an important consideration Ability to tolerate water quality variability (eg Algae) a benefit. Low salinity is important in most applications.

Disinfection capability would need to be proven. A quality control mechanism and protocol would need to be developed. Would need a stream with sufficient levels of chloride to enable chlorine generation and higher total salinity to enable sufficient current. Salinity requirement may not be compatible with some recycled water uses. Electro-coagulation may have added value by providing additional functionality compared to traditional processes. With development algae removal may be viable as a standalone process. Solids removal and electrical action may mean electro-coagulation is a useful pre-treatment step for membrane treatment processes, particularly RO.

Should be considered as a possible development market. Development opportunities are:

Algae removal

Pre-treatment for membrane processes.

Development and testing work would be required to test the viability of these applications.

Tre

atm

en

t

Pla

nt

Ca

pa

cit

y

Au

gm

en

tati

o

n

Addition of treatment capacity for a plant that is overloaded or has additional discharge standards.

Small - Medium Scale. Driven by minimum overall cost. Have resources to provide operational support and control. Often shorter term view favouring low capital cost options.

Capability match for applications where additional capacity is required for solids removal, phosphorus removal or heavy metals removal. Low capital cost may be advantageous. Biological treatment not in the capability set if this is the capacity requirement is for soluble BOD and nitrogen.

A case by case market. Applications where augmenting solids removal, phosphorus removal or heavy metals removal may be viable.

Em

erg

en

cy

Re

sp

on

se

Provision of short term treatment capacity to clean up after a spill, manage sewerage following a system failure or manage wastewater that is not suitable for discharge to sewer.

Smaller Scale. Needs to be easy to transport Requires fast set up and start up. Needs to be simple and reliable to operate. Often a quick 80% result is better than a slower 100% result.

Simple process that is fully functional from start up. LSI technology adds to this. Small footprint lends itself to being transported. Key capabilities align with priority issues for spills, namely oil & grease and solids.

A potential service market providing a transportable first response service for spills and asset failure.


The market analysis points to opportunities in at source treatment as the priority

market.

The characteristics of electro-coagulation lend itself to being competitive in

particular opportunities. The characteristics for competitive market

opportunities are:

Where flocculation of colloidal material is required. Here electro-

coagulation has an advantage over chemical coagulation in capturing

colloidal material. Example applications include:

o Separating paint from water in wastewater from paint manufacture.

o Separating inks and dyes from water.

o Separating fine clay particles from water used for brick, stone,

ceramic processing.

Where there is emulsified or very fine droplets of oil and grease in the

sample making treatment difficult. Here electro-coagulation has an

advantage as it can break emulsions and separate oil and grease as well

as settling other particles. Examples include:

o Treating dairy waste to separate fat and protein from the water.

o Fat and protein recovery from rendering or abattoir waste.

Where the application requires removal of a number or a selection of

pollutants that match with the capability of electro-coagulation. Examples

include:

o Landfill leachate where removal of solids, heavy metals, possibly

phosphorus and trace organics is required and retaining nitrogen in

the water may be an advantage for reuse.

o Separating the organic content of food industry (dairy, brewing)

process or waste water into fat protein and sugar to increase reuse

potential of both the water and the solids.

In addition if opportunities have a highly variable or event based nature then the

quick start up of electro-coagulation has an additional advantage. This points to

incident response as a potential market for spills of oil and paint and for cleanup

of storm runoff from construction or manufacturing sites.


Collated Assessment

The three assessments undertaken above have been collated into a summary

analysis of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats. (A SWOT

Analysis).

This is provided as Figure 1 below.

Figure 1 SWOT Analysis

Strengths•Small footprint.

•Fast start up

•Simple to Operate

•Ability to remove more difficult contaminants.

•Effective on oils and grease.

•Can be transportable

•Does not need chemical or biological agents.

•Uses recycled material as the flocculating agent.

•LSI technology addresses key problems with traditional electro-coagulation technology.

Opportunities•Fast start up and transportability suited to emergency response

•Potential for carbon/energy recovery with at source treatment.

•Early work demonstrating effectiveness on algae removal. (An increasing issue for recycled water.)

•Current or recent research activity using electro-coagulation for removing residual organics.

•Potential to use for heavy metal removal from sludge. (Would need to be able to concurrently float organics and settle heavy metal hydroxides)

Weaknesses•Requires higher salinity in the water. (~1000 mg/l)

•Unable to treat nitrogen

•Not viable c.f biological processes for soluble BOD.

•Relies on electricity.

•Needs sludge reuse or disposal route (common to most technologies)

•Not widely used in the wastewater industry.

Threats•Rising cost of electricity•Residuals from sacrificial material (in sludge or water)•Seen as old technology (Electro-coagulation has been available for more than 100 years)•Not seen as a “wastewater” technology.•Disposal options for sludge (common to most technologies)


Summary Conclusions

Taken as a whole the assessment identifies that there is the potential for the LSI

electro-coagulation device to have a place in the market.

It has:

a capability profile that:

o addressed key challenges with traditional electro-coagulation

technology, and

o is competitive with other treatment technologies ,

a cost profile that falls within the range of competing technologies and

management options, and

identifiable market opportunities.

Realising this potential will require identification and pursuit of suitable

opportunities in the market. The key characteristics of suitable opportunities

are:

At source treatment of wastewater where the salinity in the water is

moderate to high. Target opportunities should include:

o applications requiring removal of solids including colloidal material

like wastewater that includes paint, ink or dye.

o applications where the solids in the wastewater includes fine or

emulsified fat and oil like dairy, abattoir or rendering wastewater.

o applications requiring removal of multiple pollutants in the

capability suite of electro-coagulation (solids, metals and trace

organics) like treating landfill leachate.

o Applications where separation of dissolved and suspended organic

material is valuable like food industry process or wastewater.

Emergency response activities requiring rapid deployment to remove oil

and grease, capture of solids, or remove heavy metals from affected

water.

The assessment identifies some knowledge gaps that need to be addressed for

the LSI technology. The key gaps are:

The contribution the sacrificial material makes to residuals in the solids

and the water stream and whether this limits market opportunities.

Optimising operating parameters (voltage, current, salinity and time) for

different applications.

Optimising settling characteristics of the resulting sludge and optimised

settling tank characteristics.

Quantifying disinfection capability and the factors that influence this

capability.


Building on current research work on algae removal to assess market

viability.

Next Steps

Based on an overall view of the assessment and the knowledge gaps the

suggested next steps are:

1. Assess whether the identified opportunities in source treatment and/or

emergency response market possibilities are viable as part of the iota

business model and plan.

For the at source treatment opportunity,

2. Identify industrial partners in the target suite of applications and work

with them to develop and prove the specific application.

3. The proving process should prioritise:

a. Demonstrating ability to treat

b. Verifying suitability of resulting solids and water streams

c. Optimising operational settings sufficient to provide a viable

solution.

4. Where the proving is successful implement the solution/s as a

demonstration application and promote to build awareness in the target

market.

For the emergency response opportunity

5. Be prepared to invest in a mobile emergency response setup.

6. Initially target oil water separation as a known capability, particularly in

salty water.

7. Consider using the emergency response setup as an onsite pilot plant for

potential at source opportunities.

8. Use this experience to broaden the base of emergency response

applications.

electro coagulationtechnology assessment - final

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