Eaton Case History

Eaton Case History – Mass Finishing/Vibratory Treatment & Recycle System

Background
A major automotive parts supplier, Saginaw, MI. received several notices from the local (Saginaw, MI) sewer authority for infractions in their mass finishing/vibe effluent stream. The citations were for excess solids and dissolved heavy metals. Plant engineers had tried passing the effluent through the existing (whole plant) Ultra Filtration system but found that dissolved metals were unaffected (still too high) and the membrane life was dramatically shortened by related solids in the effluent stream.

Wastewater Engineers, Inc. Treatment & Recycle System
Several vendors with a variety of approaches were given the opportunity to propose alternatives to the Ultra Filter approach. Wastewater Engineers, Inc. was eventually chosen and installed its Fully Automated, turnkey system. 

The system includes:

  • A float-activated sump pump at the plants’ existing collection sump 1500-gallon capacity Solids Settling Tank (conical bottom w/programmed, air actuated discharge valve). This configuration ‘burps’ the tank every 4 hours, thus allowing gross amount of  solids to gravity discharge.
  • A gravity bed filter resides beneath the Settling Vessel. “Burped’ solids are captured on the filter bed and automatically deposited into a collection hopper.
  • Model RT500-HO/FAP fully automated Reactor. Collects settled fluid, introduces flocculent and separates resultant solids/liquid, automatically. A 500-gallon batch treatment is approximately 40 minutes.
  • Treated fluids are automatically transferred from the Reactor to a Recycle Vessel. The recycle vessel features 2500-gallon holding capacity and a jet well pump. The pump is outfitted with (8) headers to deliver treated fluid to the various vibe machines for re-use.

System Performance
The Wastewater Engineers, Inc. system was installed and running on January 6, 2004. It has processed approximately 8,000 gallons – (16) 500-gallon batches per 3-shift day since its installation, e.g., over 4,600,000 gallons to date.

  • Discharge limits for solids are 200 ppm. Without treatment, the process was generating approx. 5,100 ppm. With the WE, Inc. system, the solids are now averaging 17 ppm.
  • Dissolved metals are generated at (average for Zn, Cr & Fe totals) at 60 ppm with a discharge limit of <1.0 ppm. Since the WE, Inc. system was installed, most readings are below detection limits with the highest reading of <0.03 ppm.
  • Recycling has reduced vibe compound usage from (8) 55-gallon drums per month (@ $400.00  per drum) to < (1.5) 55-gallon drums per month. The WE, Inc. process does not extract necessary performance ingredients from the compound.
  • The parts being run at this facility are highly critical, 100% non-inspection requirement from Ford, GM, & Daimler Chrysler. Rust/corrosion protection is absolutely essential. No rejection of parts, using recycled fluid, has been cited.

Reliability
Hardware: The Wastewater Engineers, Inc. system was delivered with our standard, 3-year, and 100% parts replacement warranty. There have been “$0” out of pocket expenses for the client and less than $500.00 from WE, Inc. Downtime has been minimal. The Plant Engineering Department and Maintenance Supervisor continue to praise reliability.
Environmental Performance: Discharged fluids from the process have never exceeded discharge limits since the system was installed. Note: Wastewater Engineers, Inc. provides a written guarantee that processed fluids will meet or exceed standards to local sewer and that the solids produced from the process will pass Federal TCLP as non-hazardous.
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