TY - JOUR
T1 - Valorization of coal mine effluents - Challenges and economic opportunities
AU - Pawar, Nikhil Dilip
AU - Harris, Steve
AU - Mitko, Krzysztof
AU - Korevaar, Gijsbert
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Coal-mine effluent treatment has the potential to both reduce the environmental impact of the effluent and provide economic opportunities by recovering valuable minerals and clean water. In this study, we modeled a novel treatment process, which includes nanofiltration (NF), two-step crystallization, reverse osmosis (RO), electrodialysis (ED), multi-effect distillation (MED), and a NaCl crystallizer, and performed a techno-economic analysis of its full-scale implementation, using a circular economy approach. We estimated the thermal and electrical energy consumption to be 745.5 kWhth/tonNaCland 565.1 kWhel/tonNaCl(or 13.6 kWhthand 10.3 kWhelper m3of feed effluent), respectively. The levelized cost of the NaCl salt that accounts for the revenue from the plant's co-products (Mg(OH)2, CaSO4and, pure water) was estimated to be 203 USD/tonNaCl. The economic viability of the treatment chain can be improved by using renewable electricity sources, reducing the total expenditure on NF and RO, and integrating alternate technologies into the treatment plant
AB - Coal-mine effluent treatment has the potential to both reduce the environmental impact of the effluent and provide economic opportunities by recovering valuable minerals and clean water. In this study, we modeled a novel treatment process, which includes nanofiltration (NF), two-step crystallization, reverse osmosis (RO), electrodialysis (ED), multi-effect distillation (MED), and a NaCl crystallizer, and performed a techno-economic analysis of its full-scale implementation, using a circular economy approach. We estimated the thermal and electrical energy consumption to be 745.5 kWhth/tonNaCland 565.1 kWhel/tonNaCl(or 13.6 kWhthand 10.3 kWhelper m3of feed effluent), respectively. The levelized cost of the NaCl salt that accounts for the revenue from the plant's co-products (Mg(OH)2, CaSO4and, pure water) was estimated to be 203 USD/tonNaCl. The economic viability of the treatment chain can be improved by using renewable electricity sources, reducing the total expenditure on NF and RO, and integrating alternate technologies into the treatment plant
KW - Circular economy
KW - Coal mine effluent
KW - Electrodialysis
KW - Mineral recovery
KW - Wastewater treatment
KW - Zero brine
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85132209735&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.wri.2022.100179
DO - 10.1016/j.wri.2022.100179
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85132209735
SN - 2212-3717
VL - 28
JO - Water Resources and Industry
JF - Water Resources and Industry
M1 - 100179
ER -
