Sharing | Case Analysis of Phosphorus-Containing Wastewater Treatment in an Agrochemical Enterprise

Phosphorus-containing wastewater treatment has always been quite troublesome. Haipu shares a case study of phosphorus-containing wastewater treatment in an agrochemical enterprise, hoping to help more factories and enterprises better handle phosphorus-containing wastewater and create benchmark projects for phosphorus-containing wastewater treatment.

Phosphorus is a controlling factor in the eutrophication of most water bodies, so controlling phosphorus concentration is particularly important. China’s comprehensive wastewater discharge standard (GB8978-1996) [3] sets the first-level standard for phosphates (calculated as P) at ≤0.5 mg·L^-1 and the second-level standard for phosphates (calculated as P) at ≤1.0 mg·L^-1.

Therefore, further in-depth research on phosphorus removal technology in wastewater and controlling phosphorus discharge has become an urgent issue. Additionally, due to the demand for agricultural fertilizers, natural phosphorus resources are continuously decreasing, making the deep treatment and recycling of phosphorus a major concern for the future.

*Image source: Internet

Phosphorus-Containing Wastewater Treatment Technology

In the treatment of phosphorus-containing wastewater, domestic and international phosphorus removal technologies mainly include biological methods and chemical methods.

Biological methods such as A/O, A2/O, and UCT processes are mainly suitable for treating low-concentration and organic phosphorus-containing wastewater. Chemical methods mainly include coagulation and precipitation, crystallization, ion exchange adsorption, electrodialysis, and reverse osmosis processes.

Project Case Overview

Project Overview:

An agrochemical enterprise is committed to developing efficient, broad-spectrum, safe, and environmentally friendly green pesticides and high-tech fine chemical products. The production process generates wastewater containing high concentrations of phosphorus, with the total phosphorus concentration in the raw water reaching 1500 mg/L. Conventional biochemical treatment methods cannot achieve standard discharge, putting significant pressure on the enterprise’s environmentally friendly production.

Process Introduction:

Haipu’s treatment process is briefly summarized as follows: the production wastewater undergoes pretreatment and then enters an adsorption tower filled with Haipu’s nano-special adsorbents for adsorption and enrichment. The phosphorus substances in the water are adsorbed and removed, and the effluent is close to brown.

Process Principle:

The basic principle of this solution is to use the adsorption performance of the adsorbent material to selectively adsorb phosphorus substances in the wastewater and enrich them in the adsorbent material.

When the adsorption is nearly saturated and the effluent is about to exceed the standard, a specific desorbent is used to desorb the adsorbent material, regenerating it for continued adsorption, thus continuously cycling.

Small-Scale and Process Scale-Up

Multiple batches of adsorption and desorption experiments were conducted on wastewater samples taken on-site. The specific experimental results and before-and-after treatment comparison are as follows:

*Experimental Treatment Data

*Raw Water (Left) and Treated Effluent (Right)

Based on Haipu’s long-term practical experience in adsorption treatment technology, the experimental results were used to design the corresponding industrial scale-up. The design parameters for this project are as follows:

*Before and After Wastewater Treatment

*Project Site

Process Characteristics

• Efficient removal of total phosphorus content in wastewater, with a high removal rate.

• Significantly reduces the wastewater treatment costs for enterprises.

• Experiments are conducted on wastewater samples taken on-site, and the adsorption process is designed based on scientific principles and experimental data, ensuring high compatibility between the wastewater and the process.

• Space-saving equipment with a compact structure, low civil engineering and equipment investment; multiple reuse of desorbents with stepwise concentration, high utilization rate.

• Modular component design allows flexible adjustment based on production capacity and easy installation.

• Advanced, mature process with no secondary pollution, providing high-quality wastewater treatment services with strong technical support and extensive engineering application experience.