What is the best method to remove Manganese and Iron?

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We are looking for the best  and cheapest method for treating borehole water for commercial purpose.The borehole yield is 15 cubic meters per hour. From the recent water quality test carried out, the results indicated high levels of manganese, iron, colour and turbidity.

From studies, it seems the cheapest method is by oxidation .

Can we go for this option?

If yes, what are the best filtration methods to adopt.

Your advice much appreciated.

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20 Answers

  4. It would be good to have more data on water quality.

    In general I would propose the following process line:

    - spray aeration - minimum height of sprayed water  

    - dosing of KMnO4 with an addition of chlorine as catalyst to enhance Fe and Mn oxidation and formation of insoluble oxides

    - retention basin with baffles

    - sand/antracite  filtration - rapid gravity filters

    - disinfection with chlorine

     

    If you need more detailed design criteria kindly send me direct message

     

     

  5. Hello Caroline,

    It's hard to indicate the right process based on the little information given. Oxidation with filtration is definetly a cheap way to tackle the iron and manganese issues. Depending on pH-value manganese may be an issue, because the oxidation of manganese at low pH-values (<7) could be limited or doesn't funtion at all. Is the colour and turbidity issue due to the iron and manganese amount in the water, or are there other substances causing the turbitiy/colour?

    Based on the raw water analysis, I am very happy to help you on this issue. Should you need any further assistance to not hesitate to contact me (kiel@fluidtechnologie.com).

    Kind regards,

    Jan-Peter Kiel

  6. Not sure about the cheapest and the best method, but one word of caution that there must be no residue remaining to tackle later. For one such reason can offer a method bioremediation and my patent to do the needful.No infrastructure required.

    wish to offer using my patent-

    · Patent no.IN 201811011885 titled BIOREMEDIATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REMOVING DAMAGING HEAVY METALS FROM INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENTS as a Inventor

    to remove both iron and magnesium in one go.

  7. Hi Caroline,

    I'm a bit late to the party here but hopefully can provide some helpful advice.

    Its hard to give you a definitive answer based on price without a bit more detail on your application and knowing the cost of materials and labour where your project is located.

    Also 'best' and 'cheapest' don't often go hand in hand :-)

    Oxidation should be sufficient to render the iron and manganese insoluble so that they can then be filtered out. Chlorine is typically used for this application because it works and is generally inexpensive. You might be able to reduce costs further by aerating prior to chlorination as aeration is sufficient to oxidise iron, but not manganese (recommended if you have very high iron but low manganese). All of the above is of course determinant on the pH of your water. Also note that if your colour and turbidity are very high, this might increase the amount of chlorine that you require. In this case the 'best' AND 'cheapest' option might include filtration prior to oxidation (followed by another filtration step to remove iron and manganese).

    Typically a sand filter should be sufficient to remove the precipitated iron and manganese to an appropriate level, however, if your target levels are VERY low you may require more advanced filtration methods.

    I have used many methods to achieve iron, manganese and arsenic removal in the past. One product I have had a lot of success with was a type of catalytic oxidative media. It acts as both the oxidant and filter in a single step and should be able to address you iron, manganese, colour and turbidity issues.

    I don't sell the product but I have quite a bit of experience with it and would be happy to put you in touch with a suppler.

    Best of luck!

  9. Yes, Oxidation is the best and cost effective method  for removal of Iron and Manganese. Aeration with addition of Aluminium sulphate effectively precpitate Iorn and manganese oxides. Subsequent clarification in a clarifier followed by gravity or pressure filtration will produce water good enough for commercial uses.    

  10. Perpetual Water (perpetualwaterllc.com) has a new technology that is very low energy phase change of water.  Changing the water from liquid to vapor, and then back to liquid again  The technology uses 90% less energy than distillation.  It will clean the water and remove more than what you are needing removed.  Suggest you consider this.  Thomas Robb, CSO, Perpetual Water.  636579983

  12. As most replied already, it depends a lot on your raw water Fe/Mn concentrations and pH. But in general, aeration to oxidize iron, sand filter to remove precipitated iron (a part of Mn will be removed too), then a natural manganese dioxide filter for Mn removal. Then you need to consider treating the solids coming from the backwash of the sand filter, and also from time to time to regenerate or replace the manganese dioxide filter. Chemical-free solution.

  13. Catalytic Advance Oxidation technology is the best to remove manganese, iron, arsenic, Turbidity, ammonia and microbes.

     Infinite Water, an Australian based technology HYDROXON™ is the most automation process utilizes specific filtration and catalytic advanced oxidation process to produce arguably the most capable, cost effective, and reliable and energy efficient water treatment systems. Its utilizes non-toxic chemical and Catalytic Advance Oxidation (CAO) reactors to remove wide range of contaminants from water. It is highly effective promising an exceptional water quality and clarity on continuous basis. HYDROXONTM is able to decontaminate and disinfect water while using limited amount of energy and chemicals.

    The treated water also maintains its integrity, meaning that the Hydroxon™ process maintains all the necessary minerals in the water and the water does not require re-mineralization.

    I am conducting a piloting for one year in Bangladesh ground water matrix where arsenic, manganese, iron, turbidity are presence in elevated level in raw water and was found treated water safe as WHO standard. There in on chance recontamination due to simple full automation. Contaminants are properly removed due to accurate chemical dosing through automation.  

    You can think this system. If you need, I can provide you more information.    

      

    Regards

    Dr.J.T.A.Chowdhury

    Water Quality/Environment Specialist


    1. Greensand  is a black  filter   media  used for removing soluble iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide, arsenic and radium from groundwater supplies.

  15. Oxidation can take many forms.  From the 1970s I have helped with the design of systems that use spray oxidation for iron.   I have seen systems From the 1930s still running in the 1980s. The water is sprayed up into the air over a large basin and the solid allowed to settle out while the clean water is drained from the top surface supernate;  the procedure repeated several times.  This has been done with mine water, oil field water and well water with high iron content.  Finishing can be done with chlorine or allowed to be exposed to air. Injected air has been used in several ways. 

    Why use the spray method:  It may be slow, but it is very - very cheap.  With pressure on the well, I have seen this done as a first stage purification with no electric power for pumps.

    Mn has the additional problem with being a sticker mess.  However, it has also been removed by the above old method.  

    A lot of this depends on the volume of the water treated: that will affect which method you want to use. The selection of the method used will require a lot of study in the pretesting of the water: not just a few times, many times over a longer time period.  Does the analysis change at certain times, or is it steady?

    By the way, pay attention to the pH of the water you are trying to clean up.  Also note the P & M alkalinities and the calculations for carbonate and bicarbonates.  Changes in pH can bring a lot of stuff out of solution.  Go back to some old quantitive analysis chemical books.  One forgotten way to clean up things was to raise the pH to the free OH alkaline levels and watch things fall out of solution.  Before use, the pH of this water was then revered with the addition of acid, usually sulfuric because it is usually the lowest in cost.  

    Check the levels for Calcium and Total Hardness in your tests as well as test for NaCl, sulfates and sulfur.  Down a borehole?  I would run a full analysis for metals with an ICP, with lab testing for what will work,.

    The real question is why do you want to clean the water up:  what do you want to use it for, how much do you want to treat, how long will this project go on?

    With low volume, and short time usage; you may look at modern methods such as Reverse Osmosis. 

    But, because you mention "Borehole", what is the commercial purpose for the water.  That term sounds like an oilfield: maybe one that is trying to re-inject the water back down nearby wells in a pattern to force the oil out for production purposes.   Oilfield fracking and water floods I know about along with all of the chemicals used to aid in opening the structures for better oil production.

    If that is what you are looking for; it is a more complex subject that will require help from someone with experience in this field.  

    Good luck to you.

    I hope this helps.

     

    Waymon E. Hofheins

    President: Blue Valley Laboratories, Inc. 

     

  16. What is the concentration you measured? The concentration of each will determine which removal method you use. For example, air supply, oxidation, ion exchange.

  17. Good Afternoon Ms. Cheptoo,

    A water analysis and hours of operation are required to review and confirm the following.  

    Provided Fe and Mn are < 5.0 ppm ( non organic ), softener cation is an appropriate solution.

    Model size is dependent on hours of operation / daily volume.

    Warmest regards,

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