Propuesta de un sistema de tratamiento para aguas residuales provenientes de lavado de plásticos de bananeras

Abstract

This degree project proposes a system for the treatment of waste water from the process of washing banana plantation plastics, which will improve the quality of the water to be discharged, as well as giving the plastic the necessary cleaning characteristics that will facilitate future recycling processes.

For the washing process, tests were initially carried out on a laboratory scale, using the jug test as the main equipment. To determine the best washing option, two configurations were used, of which, configuration A , which consists of four stages: soaking, pre-washing, washing and rinsing, was determined as the best washing option. Using the same equipment, several tests were carried out to select the optimum variables. The variables that were analyzed were: size of the plastic, plastic-water ratio, type of detergent, optimal concentration of detergent, agitation speed and washing time. Once the process was optimized at laboratory scale, the variables determined in pilot scale washing tests were implemented, the variables were the agitation speed and the plastic-water ratio.

In order to make the most appropriate treatment proposal, the water was characterized by washing stages, as well as the total mixture of the waste water. Initially, the treatment was carried out by coagulation-flocculation using aluminum sulphate as a coagulating agent and then a treatment by slow filtration was carried out.