Effluents from refineries are a combination of process waters, run-off waters and domestic wastewaters. Their compositions are complex and specific treatments are required to remove contaminants such as cyanide, oil, phenols, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, sulfide, ammonia, PAHs and heavy metals prior to discharge or recycling/reuse. Strict legislation, cost savings, sustainable development and public image are the principal motivators for refineries to improve their effluent treatment processes. Some refineries are moving to Zero Liquid Discharge models.
Effluent Treatment for Refineries
Pretreatment
- Clarification (Actiflo™, Multiflo™)
- Multimedia Filtration (Standard systems: Multimat™, Whittier, Crown Solutions)
- 3FM™ high performance filtration
Oil/Water Separation
- API Separation
- Tilted plate separation (TiPPS™)
- Free oils and solids separation (Induced Gas Flotation (IGF): AutoFlot™)
- Oil removal filters (Power Clean Systems™ nutshell filters)
- Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF)
- UF with ceramic membranes (CeraMem™)
Biological Treatment
- Membrane Bioreactor (Biosep™ / Neosep™)
- Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (AnoxKaldness™ MBBR)
- Sludge Batch Reactor
- Fluidized Media Fixed film
- Off-gas BioFilter
Tertiary Treatment
- Effluent Polishing (Actiflo™)
- Membranes (nanofiltration, microfiltration, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis)
- Membrane Bioreactor (Biosep™ / Neosep™)
Specific Applications
- Dissolved and dispersed hydrocarbons removal (<0,1 ppm) (MPPE systems)
- Insoluble hydrocarbons removal (Power Clean Systems™ nutshell filters)
- Membrane degasification
Contact
Water Services Management
Veolia Water, parent company of VWS, is a leader in outsourced water services management for the oil and gas industry.
Refinery Effluent Streams
- Desalter effluents (main waste stream in terms of volume)
- Spent caustics (main waste stream in terms of dissolved pollution)
- caustic wash
- merox - Sour waters
- atmospheric distillation condensates
- vacuum distillation condensates
- sour condensates from crackers
- sour condensates from hydrotreaters - Non-refining effuents
- storm waters from tank containment area (COC) and parking lots/roads (AOC)
- fire waters (COC)
- storage tank wash waters and bottom drainage (COC)
- cooling tower blowdown (AOC)
- boiler blowdown (non oily)
- demineralisation plant regeneration chemicals/waters (non oily)
- domestic sewers and laboratory waters
- ballast waters (if refined products transported out by ships)
COC - Continuous oil contamination network
AOC - Accidental oil contamination network
Health & Safety
Safety and the protection of personnel is a priority for Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies. Experience and specific safety training combine to ensure maximum security when operating in this high risk industry. VWS regularly receives safety awards from institutions such as RoSPA and NPRA acknowledging its best practices across all industries.