Ceramic membrane treatment of petrochemical wastewater

Ceramic alumina microfiltration membranes were evaluated for treatment of 3 aqueous streams containing heavy metals, oils, and solids at petrochemical manufacturing facilities. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first reported use of ceramic alumina membranes for process water and wastewater treatment in a U.S. petrochemical plant. In a pilot test at a vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) plant, precipitated heavy metal solids were filtered with the membranes. On another stream at that site, the ceramic membrane pilot system successfully treated emulsions of 1, 2‐dichloroethane (EDC), water, and solids. Membrane filtration of a linear alkyl benzene (LAB) oily wastewater stream produced water with less than 5 ppmw oil and grease, after pretreatment with HCl and ferric chloride. A preliminary financial analysis shows that the installed system cost for a ceramic membrane unit is comparable to other membrane technologies, while operating costs are anticipated to be lower. Specific process conditions that are particularly amenable to treatment by ceramic membrane microfiltration are also given in the paper.