MetFloc Continuous Treatment Process
for Heavy Metal Removal from Wastewater

The MetFloc process of heavy metal removal from wastewater can be a batch treatment process or in a continuous treatment process. The continuous-flow process control mode can be either semi-automatic or fully automatic. Laboratory and/or pilot studies will establish the required combination and dosing of MetFloc chemicals.

Stable wastewater: In this situation, the metal content is always out of compliance. Continuous dosing of MetFloc chemicals is required. The pH setpoint is the process control setpoint (e.g., metal refinery).

Unstable wastewater: Manufacturing process requires a lot of rinse water. Sometimes metal content in wastewater is already below compliance level. Process control efficiency and cost effectiveness does not require continuous dosing of MetFloc chemicals (e.g. electroplating/printed circuit board shops). Oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and pH set points are the process control set points.

MetFloc continuous process flow diagram for metal removal from waste water

Typical MetFloc Continuous Treatment System

• Wastewater type:  Chelated/complexed spent electroplating bath.
   
• Flow rate:  50 gallons per minute (gpm).
   
• Systems unit:  Fully automated with a programmable logic controller (PLC), supervisory control and remote data acquisition (SCADA), alarm paging capabilities and virtual instrumentation.
   
• Process control: In a typical process, the high-level float switch in the sump activates the MetFloc chemicals dosing pumps. The stroke/speed knobs for these pumps are set based on bench scale and/or pilot studies. Wastewater flow through the treatment system is by gravitational movement. After chemical precipitation, coagulation/flocculation in the treatment tank, rapid liquid/solids separations then place in the clarifier with clear water at the top and metal-laden sludge at the bottom. High quality clear water can be directly reused, be further refined, or dumped to the local municipal sewer.
   
• Throughput time: Very fast. 

60 GPM Continuous Flow Unit Hydraulic flow rates:  5 to 1000 GPM   Construction:  3-chamber, double-wall.     Footprint:  5' x 5' x 8'     Operation:  Automatic or semi-automatic.     Controls:  Programmable logic controller (PLC), supervisory control and remote data acquisition (SCADA), and alarm paging capabilities.     Operator interface: Virtual instrumentation.