Acid waste neutralization using limestone bearing sand

Ho, G.E.ORCID: 0000-0001-9190-8812 and Nguyen-Cong, B. (1979) Acid waste neutralization using limestone bearing sand. In: Proceedings of the 8th Federal Conference Australian Water and Wastewater Association, 12 - 16 November, Gold Coast, Qld, Australia pp. 157-174.

Abstract

The disposal of acidic wastewaters has been a problem facing mining and processing industries. One way of neutralising the acid is by percolating it through limestone bearing sand, such as practised at Australind, W.A. The disposal of acid effluent from a process of converting ilmenite to titania pigment is effected in soakage lagoons located on calcareous sand dunes.

Laboratory sand column experiments have been conducted to obtain a better understanding of the processes involved in the neutralisation of sulphuric acid waste using beach sand. The flow of effluent through sand and the quality of the neutralised effluent are dependent on the deposition of calcium sulfate, the evolution of carbon-dioxide gas, and the carbonate equilibrium.

A simple mathematical model has been developed to describe the neutralisation process. It can be used to aid in the management of disposal, or the design of engineered systems. It is based on one-dimensional saturated flow in a porous bed, and neutralisation kinetics using a shrinking-sphere approximation for the limestone grains.

Item Type:	Conference Paper
Murdoch Affiliation(s):	School of Environmental and Life Sciences
Publisher:	Australian Water & Wastewater Association
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/22237

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