SITE:   Bitmac - Port Clarence, Middlesbrough

Contract
The site, which is an ex-British Steel site, had an existing large effluent plant, which had never been commissioned correctly.  In order to meet discharge consents, Bitmac restored and re-commissioned the plant.

Problems were experienced with high phenolics, ammonia and suspended solids in the effluent water, which were compounded by the high levels of foam generated in the treatment process.

Process
Chemiphase was awarded a consultancy contract to help bring the plant to its full treatment potential. The use of Chemiphase antifoams eliminated foaming problems. Chemiphase supplied Engineering modifications to help the plants Operation. This produced a rapid reduction in the level of Phenols present. Incoming Phenols were greater than 100 ppm at discharge point the phenols were less than <2 ppm.

The very high levels of Suspended solids present were then removed using a range of  Chemiphase flocculants. Once all of these changes had been stabilised for a period of 3 months Chemiphase began working on the high Ammonia levels present. After  8 weeks performance study and lab/bench trials on site Chemiphase introduced a denitification process using their biological products. A reduction from 400 ppm to less than 100 ppm of ammonia was achieved on a continuous flowing laboratory process .

Results
The site is now able to constantly meet the discharge consents and are now looking to develop business by treating effluent from off site, on a contract type basis. Current discharge flows are in the order of 250m3/day with additional capacity available as and when required.