Challenge

When a global leader in the medical device industry needed to meet discharge requirements for trivalent chrome in their wastewater, they chose to treat using a standard cation ion exchange (IX) resin. This method required frequent vessel exchanges and high operating costs.  The customer contacted Siemens Water Technologies in January 2010 for assistance in seeking an improvement that required little to no capital investment, reduced manpower usage and vessel exchange frequency and ensured discharge compliance.

This facility’s electropolishing effluent contained 5 ppm trivalent chromium, 2 ppm copper, and 2 ppm nickel.

Solution

The Siemens’ solution featured a parallel bank of (1) 14” x 50” Carbon and (2) 14” x 50” SCU media vessels with each tank containing 3.6 cubic feet of media.  Following installation, samples were analyzed every 2000 gallons. Results of the pilot testing confirmed that the new media provided superior trivalent chrome removal efficiency and capacity.

Used in conjunction with Siemens’ wastewater ion exchange service (WWIX), spent resin/vessels are removed from the site and replaced with fresh tanks containing new media. The local Siemens’ service technician removes the exhausted tanks from the site and ships them to Siemens’ company-owned RCRA permitted treatment facility for proper treatment as an F006 waste that is recycled.

Results

Siemens’ solution provided a service-based option which allowed the customer to meet discharge goals without the need for capital investment and also saving valuable production footprint space. Direct manpower use was minimized and, using the new media option allowed vessel exchange frequency to be greatly reduced.

Siemens’ wastewater ion exchange service eliminated the need for on-site storage of treatment chemicals for improved site and personnel safety. Removal of the contaminant off-site also eliminated the potential for recontamination.

Recycling of the spent medias at our RCRA permitted treatment facility effectively reduces the customer’s potential liability associated with hazardous discharge and waste handling.

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