LOCATION: Paris, Tennessee

The Challenge:

A clay mine in Tennessee experienced annoyances with their system for treating the plant’s process water. Using dry alum to treat the water, the process demanded constant pH monitoring and adjustment with soda ash. The high maintenance, dry product was difficult to dose leading to inconsistent results and wasted product. Overall, the treatment was labor intense, inefficient in price, and inconsistent in performance. HaloKlear performed sample testing with the HaloKlear hybrid products to provide a solution to replace the alum and eliminate the need for pH adjustment. A pilot study was scheduled to treat two of the facility’s ponds.

The Solution:

The initial sample testing showed that the HaloKlear BHR-P50 hybrid product was the best solution for the mine. The product not only outperformed the alum in side-by-side testing, but also offered a more eco-friendly solution. By blending the solution with a biocoagulant, BHR-P50 boasts 50% less  aluminum content and gives the advantages of the coagulant reaction, large agglomeration of polymers, and shear strength. The dose of dry alum could be as high as five times that of liquid product, therefore dosing with the HaloKlear liquid hybrid cut costs and improved performance. The pilot study treated two ponds measuring 476,000ft3 and 546,000ft3 respectively.

The Results:

The turbidity of the ponds before the treatment averaged 1756 NTU. Post treatment grab samples measured less than 3 NTU (note: improved results would be achieved if the influent and effluent lines are spaced some distance apart). The HaloKlear BHR-P50 outperformed the liquid alum at a 75% lower dose. The hybrid coagulant showed little to no effect on pH levels, eliminating any need for pH adjustment additions. Additionally, the HaloKlear liquid coagulant offers easy product handling and can be left on-site with no spoilage factor.