August 23, 2012
A plant currently being commissioned at Teys Brothers Murgon to remove salt from waste water could have implications for the burgeoning coal seam gas industry.
The briny water, a by-product of the curing process for green hides, is pumped upwards through a concrete water tank packed with a special mix of zeolite particles varying in size from 2mm to 5mm.
As the water passes through the mix, an ion exchange takes place, stripping the sodium ions from the water and replacing them with more useful calcium and magnesium ions.
This water can then be used to irrigate the company’s farm which grows Rhodes grass for hay.
The sodium can also be recovered to be re-used in the curing process, effectively creating a closed-loop at the plant for the sodium.
Mr Warren Isaac, general manager of Teys Australia Murgon (formerly known as Murgon Leather), told southburnett.com.au the R&D project was initiated about six months ago.
Teys approached the Central Queensland University after hearing about research that was being done there by Ben Kele from Midell Water.
Ben visited the Murgon facility and took away samples of their SAR water.
The recycling plant that has been installed consists of two 5000 gallon water tanks and has been designed to process up to 150,000 litres of water a day.
Mr Isaac said the technology could benefit other sites throughout the Teys group, and could have implications for the coal seam gas industry.
The production of coal seam gas also results in the production of large volumes of brackish water.
The recycling plant installed by Teys uses a mix of zeolites from different quarries which has been carefully selected to suit the conditions at this site.
It was retrofitted into the existing water treatment system.
“It will save us money and is good for the environment,” Mr Isaac said.
