48    USE OF PEAT IN THE TREATMENT OF OIL-IN-WATER
EMULSIONS
T. Viraraghavan, Professor
G. N. Mathavan, Graduate Student
Faculty of Engineering
University of Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Canada, S4S OA2
INTRODUCTION
Wastewater from petroleum refineries, petrochemical plants, steel mills and many other industrial
facilities contain large quantities of free and emulsified oil. Depending upon the type of the industry,
the quantity of discharge and the concentration of oil vary. Generally, the average refinery discharges
833 liters of wastewater per cubic meter of crude oil processed.1
In 1985, the total crude oil production in North America was 2.1 x 10* mVd representing approximately 24% of the world crude oil production.2 The average annual Canadian petroleum production
for 1985-1986 was 233,570 iriVd.' Approximately 240,000 mVd of refinery wastewater will have to
be treated. Steel mills, metallurgical plants, auxiliary petrochemical industries, and other medium and
small scale industries also produce oil-containing wastewater.
Even though Canada and U.S.A. have established an oil and grease level of 15 mg/L at Federal
levels, stringent requirements as low as 1 mg/L are also required by certain state agencies from any
single sample of refinery effluent.1-4-5 These stringent regulations call for an advanced tertiary level of
Table 1.   Characteristics of Horticultural Peat
S.No
Characteristics
Value
Test Method
1.
Particle Size range
(a)     Foreign matter
0
ASTM D2977-71
(b)     Coarse fibre
(dia > 2.36mm)
14.1%
(c)     Medium fibre
(dia 2.36 to
0.85mm)
26.1%
(d)     Fines
(dia <0.85mm)
59.8%
2.
pH at 21°C
ASTM D2976-71
(a)     In distilled water
6.0
(b)     In CaCl2
5.5
3.
Moisture content
(a)     Method /
50-70%
ASTM D2974-71
(b)     Method //
(at equilibrium
temp. 21 °C)
58.60%
4.
Sand content
2.6%
ASTM D2975-71
5.
Ash content
4.8%
ASTM D2974-71
6.
Organic matter content
37.5%
ASTM D2974-71
7.
Grain size analysis
ASTM D 421-58 and
ASTM D 422-63
(a)     Coefficient of Uniformity
OWD.o)
3.33 to 4.4
(b)     Coefficient of Concavity
(Djo)V(D
>o x Dio)
0.98 to 1.66
8.
Oil holding capacity
7.5 to 7.8
ASTM D1483-60
465