WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF THE ETP IN A PULP AND PAPER MILL:A CASE STUDY

Abstract

Pulp and paper industry is responsible for large discharge of highly polluted effluents, which often be treated by biological treatment process. Pulp and paper industry accounts for a considerable share of the industrial enterprises, production, employment and exports in the Indian economy and, one of the energy intensive industries in Indian manufacturing. The pulp and paper industry is comprised of three primary types of producers (1) pulp mills, which manufacture pulp from wood and other materials (such as wastepaper); (2) paper mills, which manufacture paper from wood pulp and other fiber pulp; and (3) paperboard mills, which manufacture paperboard products from wood pulp and other fiber pulp. Many types of wastewater treatment systems are employed in pulp and paper industry. However, no single process will reduce all the major pollutants to regulatory standards and hence a combination of methods need to be used which include physical, physico-chemical, and biological systems. While most wastewater streams in the mill are controlled individually or pretreated before joining the common sewer, in most cases the combined wastewater receives the final treatment with exception of uncontaminated cooling water. The quality of the effluent desired and the mode of final disposal determine the type of the treatment to be adopted. The high water consumption in Indian pulp and paper industry is mainly due to obsolete process technology, poor water management practices and inadequate wastewater treatment. This thesis discusses about the treatment method being employed by Naini Group of Industries that has two pulp and paper mills under its umbrella i.e. Naini Tissues Limited and Naini Papers Limited. In addition to the study of the whole manufacturing process of paper making, water and wastewater management of Naini Tissues Limited was studied and performance evaluation of the ETPs at both the plants was carried out.