Pilot Treatment of OCC-based Paper Mill Wastewater Using Pulsed Electrocoagulation

Abstract

Abstract There is an increasing trend towards the closure of white water recirculation loops in papermaking, often leading to need for system modification. A pilot-scale study was conducted using pulsed electrocoagulation technology to treat the wastewater of an old corrugated containerboard (OCC)-based paper mill, to evaluate its treatment performance. The operating variables were: a current density of 0 to 240 A/m2, a hydraulic retention time of 8 to 16 min and a coagulant (anionic polyacrylamide) dosage of 0 to 30 mg/L. The water quality indicators investigated were electrical conductivity, suspended solids (SS) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). The results obtained during the pilot-scale studies were favourable. Under the operating conditions without coagulant addition, the highest removals for conductivity, SS and COD were 47.7%, 99.3% and 75%, respectively. The use of coagulant remarkably enhanced the removal of both conductivity and COD. Using a coagulant dosage of 30 mg/L, the highest removal rates achieved for the three water quality indicators were 54.5%, 99.6% and 92.7%, respectively. These water quality levels are adequate to allow for the reuse of at least a part of the treated wastewater as makeup process water in papermaking.