Thursday, January 24, 2019

Coal Sludge Treatment


Active treatment of coal water slurry waste utilizes aeration, neutralization (including chemical precipitation), metal removal, chemical precipitation, membrane process, ion exchange and biological sulfate removal (INAP, 2013).

Aeration allows coal sludge to absorb oxygen to remove iron. Neutralization treats the sludge with sodium, calcium hydroxide and lime to form metal hydroxides. Membrane process filters metal from the sludge.


The focus of this technology is to prevent groundwater pollution from coal sludge treatment. Delivering the treated sludge to a holding pond to percolate through a wetland doesn’t sound like a good idea if you want to protect groundwater. Power companies need to develop better final treatment methods to neutralize or use its metal hydroxides.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

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