Abstract

BULLON, Johnny et al. Water treatment in papermaking white water loops using membrane separation techniques. Rev. Téc. Ing. Univ. Zulia [online]. 2007, vol.30, n.Especial, pp.90-97. ISSN 0254-0770.

Conventional and non-conventional techniques for white water treatment in local paper-making mills were studied. The tested samples were taken from different points from the forming board and fiber recovery systems. The conventional treatment consisted of agglomeration processes using polyaluminum chloride (PACl). The non-conventional treatment consisted on the use of micro- and ultra- filtration techniques based on regenerated cellulose, ceramic and polymeric, hydrophilic PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) membranes. Treatment of drained water from the forming board was accomplished with ceramic membranes which were used to correlate tangential velocity and permeate quality.Anoptimum tangential velocity of 2.5m/swas found for optimal turbidity andCODremoval in the range of 98.5 and 82.4%, respectively. Water from the recovery circuits was treated with PACl to produce agglomerates followed by filtration with ceramic membranes. The combined procedure (PACl followed by ultrafiltration), yielded an improved permeate flux, solids and ash removal with a reduction inCODupto 57.31%.

Keywords : White waters; papermaking; ultrafiltration; PACl; ceramic membranes.