Abstract: A process for treating frac flowback that contains barium, naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) and hardness for minimizing the amount of sludge produced that contains hazardous levels of NORM by employing a dual stage precipitation process. In the first stage a sulfate source is mixed with the frac flowback and barium sulfate and NORM is precipitated, the frac flowback is subjected to a solids-liquid separation process to produce a first effluent and a first sludge. In the second stage hardness is precipitated from the first effluent by addition of an alkali reagent, said first effluent is also subjected to solids-liquid separation producing a second effluent and a second sludge. The first sludge is recycled and mixed with the frac flowback and the sulfate source in a sufficient amount to maintain the NORM concentration in the second sludge at or below a threshold level.

Abstract: A process for treating frac flowback that contains barium, naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) and hardness for minimizing the amount of sludge produced that contains hazardous levels of NORM by employing a dual stage precipitation process. In the first stage a sulfate source is mixed with the frac flowback and barium sulfate and NORM is precipitated, the frac flowback is subjected to a solids-liquid separation process to produce a first effluent and a first sludge. In the second stage hardness is precipitated from the first effluent by addition of an alkali reagent, said first effluent is also subjected to solids-liquid separation producing a second effluent and a second sludge. The first sludge is recycled and mixed with the frac flowback and the sulfate source in a sufficient amount to maintain the NORM concentration in the second sludge at or below a threshold level.

Abstract: A method of treating produced water, such as frac flowback, that includes pre-treating the produced water which is followed by a crystallization process that produces a condensate that typically includes ammonia and benzene. The ammonia and benzene concentration is reduced by biologically nitrifying and denitrifying the condensate. This produces an effluent that is directed to a solids-liquid separation process that removes suspended solids. The solids-liquid separation process produces another effluent that is subjected to a benzene polishing process that further reduces the benzene concentration of the effluent produced by the solids-liquid separation process.

Abstract: A method of treating produced water, such as frac flowback, that includes pre-treating the produced water which is followed by a crystallization process that produces a condensate that typically includes ammonia and benzene. The ammonia and benzene concentration is reduced by biologically nitrifying and denitrifying the condensate. This produces an effluent that is directed to a solids-liquid separation process that removes suspended solids. The solids-liquid separation process produces another effluent that is subjected to a benzene polishing process that further reduces the benzene concentration of the effluent produced by the solids-liquid separation process.

Abstract: A ballasted flocculation system that chemically softens water and causes hardness particles to precipitate from the water and crystallize. In the course of crystallizing, the hardness particles grow and form ballasted floc that are separated from the water in the form of sludge by a clarification unit, producing a clarified effluent. The separated sludge including the hardness crystals is directed to a separator where the sludge is separated into two streams with each stream having hardness crystals contained therein. In one process design, one stream includes relatively small hardness crystals and the other stream includes relatively large hardness crystals. The stream having the relatively small hardness crystals is directed to a first reactor and mixed with the incoming water and a softening reagent. The stream having the relatively large crystals is directed to a second downstream reactor and mixed with water and a flocculant which facilitates the growth of the hardness crystals.

Abstract: A ballasted flocculation system that chemically softens water and causes hardness particles to precipitate from the water and crystallize. In the course of crystallizing, the hardness particles grow and form ballasted floc that are separated from the water in the form of sludge by a clarification unit, producing a clarified effluent. The separated sludge including the hardness crystals is directed to a separator where the sludge is separated into two streams with each stream having hardness crystals contained therein. In one process design, one stream includes relatively small hardness crystals and the other stream includes relatively large hardness crystals. The stream having the relatively small hardness crystals is directed to a first reactor and mixed with the incoming water and a softening reagent. The stream having the relatively large crystals is directed to a second downstream reactor and mixed with water and a flocculant which facilitates the growth of the hardness crystals.

Abstract: The inventive water treating method and arrangement successively combine at least one step consisting in biological treating at least one part of pollution contained in said waters by a fixed biomass, wherein a bio-cleaned flow logically obtainable at the and of said step, prior to the entry thereof to a next step, contains less than 2 g/l of SS, and at least one stage for carrying out a flocculation-decantation by ballasted flocs consisting in transferring biologically treated flow to a mixing area (2), preferentially at a velocity gradient ranging from 10 s?1 to 1000 s?1, wherein at least one type of denser than water insoluble granulated material is injected and suspended matters are aggregated around said granulated material particles, in transferring the flow issued from the mixing area (2) to a decantation area, wherein the clarified flow and decantation sludges mixed with the granulated material are separated, in extracting granulated material from the decantation sludges, in recycling major part there

Abstract: Enhanced wastewater treatment utilizing directed energy to promote degradation of sludge is disclosed. The directed energy is delivered in a stream circulating to and from an anaerobic digester. The directed energy incorporates mechanical shear energy, ultrasonic energy, and/or hydraulic shear energy. Characterization of odor potential is further disclosed involving the analyzing volatilized sulfur-containing species from dewatered sludge. The odor potential can be used to control operation of the wastewater treatment by controlling the directed energy and/or polymer dose.