Industrial Waste Management EN 403

WASTE EQUALIZATION
Among the most effective waste management procedures is equalization of the waste stream. Equalization can be of
two types:
1. Flow equalization
2. Constituent equalization.
Flow equalization refers to changing the variations in rate of flow throughout the processing and clean-up cycles to a
more steady flow rate that is more nearly equal to the average flow rate for that period. Constituent equalization refers
to the concentration of the target pollutants in the waste stream. Throughout the 24-hour day, the concentrations of
individual constituents in a given industrial waste stream typically vary over wide ranges as processes are started up,
operated, shut down, and clean-up takes place. Waste treatment systems that are designed for given ranges of
concentration of target pollutants often do not perform well when those constituents are in concentrations significantly
different from the design values. Equalization can be either online or offline.

Online flow equalization is accomplished by allowing the waste stream to flow into a basin. The waste is then
transferred from the basin to the treatment system at a constant, or more nearly constant, rate. The basin must be
sufficiently large that it never overflows and must always contain enough waste that it never becomes empty, causing
the flow to the treatment system to stop. As shown in Figure b, offline equalization is accomplished by restricting the
flow into the treatment system by means of either a flow-regulating valve or a constant speed, positive displacement
pump. When there is excess waste flow, it is directed to the equalization tank. When there is insufficient flow, it is made
up from the equalization tank. With respect to constituent equalization, offline equalization can be used advantageously
when wastes generation at night is significantly less than during the day. A portion of the strong daytime wastes can be
stored in the equalization facility, and then directed to the treatment system at night. The treatment system can be
significantly smaller because it is not required to treat wastes at the high rate that they are generated during the
daytime.

SEGREGATION OF WASTE STREAMS

In many cases it is advantageous to isolate one (or more) waste streams in an industrial plant and treat it separately
from the other waste streams (i.e., gaseous, liquid, or solid, as the case may be) rather than allowing it to mix with other
waste streams before treatment. The segregated waste stream can then be treated and recycled, mixed with other
treated effluents for discharge to the environment, or discharged separately. The following are among many advantages
of wastes segregation:
 Industrial Waste Management EN 403

Many substances are readily removed by specialized techniques when they are in the relatively pure and
relatively concentrated state but are difficult to remove after being mixed with other substances and diluted by
being mixed with other waste streams. For instance, certain organics such as chlorophenols that are very slowly
biodegradable are efficiently removed by activated carbon. Treating a waste stream containing these substances
at the source may well be more cost effective than mixing with other substances that are biodegradable and on
their way to a biological treatment system.
There is more likelihood of producing a usable by-product from a segregated, relatively pure waste stream.
There is more likelihood that the stream can be recycled if it has not been mixed with other waste streams.
The segregated stream can be treated on a batch basis, or other campaign basis, depending on the operating
schedule of the process.

WASTE CHARACTERIZATION

Waste characterization is the term used for the process of determining the chemical, biological, and physical
characteristics, as well as the quantity, mass flow rates, strengths (in terms of concentration), and discharge schedule of
a wastewater stream, air discharge, or solid waste stream.

There are three general categories of wastes characterization study in common use: The Wastewater (or Air Discharge,
or Solid Waste Stream) Characterization Study, the Environmental Audit, and the Wastes Audit. The appropriate choice
among these three categories, for a given application, depends on the principal purpose of the study. A Wastes
Characterization Study (Wastewater, Air Discharge, or Solid Wastes Stream) is usually carried out to obtain design
criteria for a wastes treatment facility, with a concurrent pollution prevention program. An Environmental Audit is
performed to assess a plants state of compliance with various environmental regulations. A Wastes Audit is carried out
to assess opportunities to minimize the amount of wastes generated through improved efficiency or substitution of
nonhazardous substance(s) for one or more of those that are classified as hazardous.

SOLIDIFICATION AND STABILIZATION OF INDUSTRIAL SOLID WASTES

Solid wastes from industries, including both fly ash and bottom ash from combustion processes, can sometimes be
conveniently, safely, and cost-effectively stabilized by one or more of the processes that are characterized as
solidification and stabilization (S/S). In this context, safely refers to compliance with all laws and regulations, as well
as with respect to potential harm to people or the environment. Stabilized refers to transformation of a substance
from a form in which it is leachable, hazardous, or otherwise objectionable, to a form in which it cannot be leached,
vaporized, or enter into a reaction with another substance. Solidification and stabilization (S/S) technologies are used to
convert the solid waste, with or without the free-flowing liquid associated with it, to a state such that it can be land-
filled or otherwise applied to the land without danger of forming unacceptable leachate or gas. For instance, the
objectionable characteristic of certain industrial solid wastes that contain formaldehyde is that the formaldehyde, which
is toxic, can be leached out by water to represent a threat of groundwater pollution. If the solid waste mass can be
treated by mixing it with phenol (another toxic substance) to produce (stoichiometrically) a phenol-formaldehyde
resin, then the resin is extremely insoluble, and that which does dissolve is relatively inert and non-toxic.