Project Briefs:

Major Metals Reprocessing and Recycling Facility Optimizes Metals Recovery with SAMCO’s Wastewater Treatment Plant

Project Overview

At a leading metals reprocessing and recycling facility in the Northeastern US, valuable metals resources were lost to the plant’s highly complex and variable wastewater streams. SAMCO helped the client develop a rapid, turnkey solution to capture these resources despite the challenging environment.

Objective

Treat variable wastewater streams to recover valuable metals waste for purification.

  • Reduction of total suspended solids (TSS) to < 50 ppm
  • Reduction of elemental metals to < 1 ppm

Scope of Service

The client collaborated with SAMCO to create a comprehensive fast- track solution, beginning with a treatability study, and comprising design, engineering, on- and off- premises construction, and startup support of a waste water treatment plant to suit client needs.

Challenges

  •  Stringent discharge limits
  • Minimal operator availability
  • Highly explosive contaminants and variable wastewater streams

Solution

In line with client needs, SAMCO engineered a scalable integrated batch equalization and homogenization strategy to accommodate varied stream flow and contaminants, as well as future plant expansion. To optimize investment return with a one-year payback, the design included a bulk solids settling and clarifier unit to recover valuable magnesium and reduce sludge waste. The solution featured an explosion-proof design for handling elemental metals safely. Additionally, the solution was delivered in a modular, skid- mounted form, with PLC and remote telemetry to minimize on-site installation and operation demands.

Technology

Project deliverables and equipment included:

  • Solids settling system
  • Elemental metals oxidation reaction tanks unit (RTU)
  • Inclined plate clarifier (IPC)
  • Multimedia filters (MMF)
  • Sludge handling/filter press
  • PLC controls/SCADA
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