Developing Linear Models to Minimize Water Consumption and Effluent Generation in Copper Industries (Case Study: Khatoon Abad Copper Refinery Plant)

The effluent from copper industries is important in terms of production volume, environmental pollution and cost of treatment and disposal. In addition to its economic reasons, the effluent recovery also reduces the pollutant load. Such cases therefore prove the necessity of investigating different methods for reducing water consumption and effluent generation. This study investigated the minimization of water consumption and effluent production in Khatoon Abad copper refinery plant. For this purpose, the conventional method of reducing water consumption and a new technology called water pinch were explained. The water pinch technology was examined for three pollutant indices (TSS, TDS and turbidity) in three high consumption units of Khatoon Abad copper refinery plant. For TSS, TDS and turbidity as pollutant indices, total 614, 525 and 451 cubic meters of raw water consumption per day equivalent to 40.96, 35 and 30 percent could be saved, respectively. According to the results, the pinch technology could help researchers to make decisions for reducing water consumption and according to the observations, suspended solids are regarded as the basis for reducing water consumption. Minimization of water consumption, Water pinch, Mass transfer networks, Water reuse, Total suspended solids, Turbidity.