Chemical Reduction of Nitrates In The Wastewater From 2-EHN Production

The objective of the research was to determine the efficiency of nitrate removal from wastewater from 2-ethylhexyl nitrate production using chemical reduction process. The average concentration of nitrate nitrogen in raw wastewater was about 5.2 g/dm³. The processes of chemical reduction were conducted both in batch and continuous flow reactor under strongly acid conditions using two reducers: steel swarf, as a source of iron, and technical grade urea. In the batch process the maximum degree of nitrate removal equal to 24.4% was obtained in the process modification with pre-digesting of the steel swarf in a concentrated acid. The continuous process was carried out in a single, two- and three-stage system. In order to increase the efficiency of reaction the wastewater was heated to a temperature 70–75°C. The impact of degree of wastewater recirculation, temperature and quantity of steel swarf on the reaction efficiency was evaluated. In optimal conditions (pH<1; temperature in the range of 70–75°C) the maximum degree of nitrate removal equal to 92.2% was obtained in a two-stage system at six times of recirculation of wastewater. However, for economic reasons as the best modification it was a triple-stage system at tenfold recirculation (effectiveness 89.3%), in which the wastewater was heated only to 34°C, i.e. the actual temperature of wastewater from the production of 2-EHN.