Optimization of nuclear solvents industrial effluent treatment using ferric-chloride precipitation and activated charcoal adsorption: A 4E parametric evaluation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56042/ijct.v33i4.25836Keywords:
Activated charcoal, COD removal, Energy, Exergy, Ferric chloride, Nuclear solvents, Wastewater treatmentAbstract
The Solvent Production Plant (SPP) at HWP Tuticorin generates hypersaline and organic contaminant effluents with elevated Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of 26,800 ppm, exceeding the regional Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) discharge limits at India. This study presents a comprehensive 4E (Environment, Energy, Exergy, Economics) parametric assessment of ferric chloride (FeCl₃) precipitation and activated charcoal adsorption for optimizing the treatment of solvent production effluents. The chemical based FeCl3 precipitation method of treating effluent reduces COD to 9,650 ppm in single treatment but requires two to three successive precipitation cycles to achieve the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) discharge standard. In contrast, fixed-bed activated charcoal adsorption reduces the COD by approximately 50%, while maintaining Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), generating no sludge, and allowing adsorbent regeneration using 0.3 M HCl, thereby improving process sustainability and economic performance. Based on the comparative 4E evaluation, a hybrid integrated treatment methodology is proposed in which activated charcoal adsorption is employed as a pre-treatment stage to reduce the initial organic load, followed by FeCl3 precipitation as a polishing treatment to achieve the required discharge standards.This integrated approach reduces chemical consumption, sludge generation, energy demand, and overall operating costs while improving treatment efficiency. The Rotary Vacuum Drum Filter (RVDF) of FeCl3 precipitation effectively separates ferric hydroxide sludge generated during the treatment process. The novelty of this work lies in the application of a 4E assessment framework to develop an integrated treatment strategy for hypersaline nuclear solvent effluents, providing a practical and sustainable solution for industrial effluent management.
