APPLICATION OF COALESCENCE FILTRATION IN SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICE

This paper presents how coalescence filtration could be applied in sustainable environmental practice. The coalescence filtration is a separation method that could be used in a wide range of industries (petrochemical, chemical, food, pharmaceutical, power plants, etc.) mostly for the separation of liquid/liquid and gas/liquid dispersed systems, like oily wastewater and metalworking fluid (MWF) aerosols. Filter media in coalescence filtration could be varied from different polymers up to stainless steel. It is very important to point out that the latest literature review shows that waste polymer materials (like polypropylene bags, waste from the carpet industry, etc.) could be efficiently used as filter media in coalescence filtration. Optimal design of coalescence filtration could provide highly efficient separation treatment of oily wastewater and MWF aerosols after which the wastewater could be reused, as well as collected MWF. In addition, this method could be designed to work continuously without the need for filter washing or frequent filter change, i.e. there is no waste generation (wastewater or waste filter). The continuous mode of coalescence filtration provides much lower energy consumption than when the mode is discontinuous. By optimization of working parameters, like fluid velocity, porosity, and permeability of filter media, etc., a mobile coalescer could be designed. Mobile coalescer is small, and light, and as such, it could be easily moved, transported, and used for oily wastewater treatment outside of industry, for example at carwash stations and on ships where bilge water is generated.