LATA provided design, fabrication, I&C, assembly, and installation of a modular turnkey water treatment system that employed the flotation liquid-liquid extraction (F-LLXTM) process to remediate acid mine drainage.
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Work Performed: The water treatment system designed and installed for this project was used to remediate an Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) source by providing pH adjustment, removal of metals, and removal of sulfates.
LATA designed a modular (skid-mounted) system for ease of installation and mobility to other sites as needed. LATA also designed the system with remote I&C capability to allow operators to view the system remotely and to allow programming changes to take place without mobilizing to the site. The system consisted of three treatment sections:
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Metal and sulfate extraction
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Metal stripping
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Sulfate stripping
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LATA's design maximized flexibility by controlling the process at individual tanks, providing feedback loops for system processes, and built-in ability to change setpoints and alarm conditions.
The treatment system components used in the extraction phase to achieve treatment objectives and provide optimal system conditions for the process chemistry include:
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Initial influent bag filters (to minimize suspended solids entering the system)
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Mixer tanks equipped with low-shear mixer impellers to ensure contact between aqueous and organic phases
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Settler tanks to allow the liquids to separate once the stage equilibrium has been reached
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Various circulation, dosing, and effluent pumps
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Granular activated carbon unit for final effluent polishing