Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) Treatment
Loureiro has expanded our scope of remedial services to include the treatment of coal combustion residual (CCR) impacts in groundwater. Loureiro uses our state-of-the-art treatability laboratory to test several processes associated with reducing concentrations of dissolved and total metals for potential treatment either in situ or aboveground. Several processes can be evaluated based on the following factors:
- Efficiency/Cost: The treatment train has to be cost effective relative to alternative treatment options such as landfilling.
- Kinetics: System processes must have kinetics that are rapid enough to avoid the need for large on-site reaction containers.
- Treatment: CCR commonly have a diverse mix of metals, including boron, arsenic, molybdenum, and barium. These metals often have to meet stringent groundwater or surface water discharge standards.
Example Treatment Process:
Once the treatment process has been evaluated, Loureiro’s services include both pilot testing and full-scale implementation. Loureiro conducted a pilot operation at Ameren’s Rush Island Energy Center to validate the treatability results and gain information for full-scale design. Loureiro completed the full-scale system in 2022, which consists of a series of extraction wells to control groundwater emanating from below the CCR ash pond. The extracted groundwater is treated and then re-injected to create linear hydraulic control with zero-net difference to the flow rate or direction.
Since installation, the Rush Island system has demonstrated the ability to meet Missouri Department of Natural Resources permit requirements (quantified by monthly sampling) by reducing metals concentrations by up to 99%.
| Dissolved Metal | Influent (ppb) | Effluent (ppb) |
|---|---|---|
| Barium | 76.3 | 10.6 |
| Boron | 7,940 | < 20 |
| Molybdenum | 880 | 10 |
| Arsenic | 163 | 1.6 |
| Lead | 11.3 | < 1.0 |
Loureiro is performing treatability studies and pilot test designs for similar systems at two other Ameren sites. Click here for more details.
Loureiro’s process can work for any site with metals contamination in groundwater, please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions.
