Water pollution control in petroleum refineries in the united states

Abstract

The principal use of water by the petroleum refining industry in the United States of America is in the refining branch itself, and the present paper is concerned with problems arising from this use of water, and some of the measures being taken by the industry to solve these problems. The compilation of the Manualon Disposal of Refinery Wastes is briefly alluded to, and the importance of recirculation indicated. It is reported that cooling accounts for 97 per cent of total refinery water requirements. The use of air coolers is growing rapidly in the USA. It may well be more effective and more economical to segregate waste waters by classes and treat each class separately. Next, the use of dissolved air flotation for removal of suspended solids and oils is considered, followed by comments on ponding. Some biological treatments are briefly described, with notes on application. Examples of waste water treatment in new refineries are given, paying attention to the effects of recent legislation to control deterioration of the environment. Difficulty is likely to arise at any stage where particles have the same density as the water into which they are introduced. In future, processes will be redesigned still further to improve reuse of circulating water and reduce water usage from outside sources, coupled with more and more air cooling stages. © 1972, Walter de Gruyter. All rights reserved.