83    DEVELOPMENT OF A TREATMENT SCHEME FOR SPENT
CLEANING SOLUTIONS USING STATISTICAL
PROCESS CONTROL CONCEPTS
Kenneth E. Kaszubowski, Manager
Solid Waste and Wastewater Compliance
James A. Bilgo, Senior Environmental Chemist
Kohler Co.
Kohler, WI 53044
INTRODUCTION
Kohler Co. is a world-wide manufacturer of commercial and household plumbing products, small
internal combustion engines, generator sets, furniture, and other household goods. The manufacturing facility located in Kohler, Wisconsin, produces vitreous china, enameled cast-iron fixtures, brass
plumbing fittings, and internal combustion engines.
The Brass Faucets and Fittings Division of the Kohler, Wisconsin, facility manufactures brass
plumbing fittings, which are finished by a variety of metal finishing operations within the Brass
Building. The wastewaters generated by the metal finishing operations present significant challenges
with respect to pollution prevention, optimization of waste treatment methods, and compliance with
permitted effluent discharge limits. The manufacturing processes generate wastewaters which are
highly variable in composition, volume, and flow rate. Many of the wastewater streams generated
contain complexing agents which prevent the precipitation of soluble metal ions from a solution. In
some cases, these streams are shipped off-site for treatment and disposal, at significant expense. The
remainder of the streams are treated by conventional metal hydroxide precipitation in the Brass Waste
Treatment (BWT) facility to meet categorical metal finishing standards. A simplified schematic
diagram of the BWT facility is shown in Figure 1.
PARIS STRIPPING
GOIO PLATSJG
NICKEL PLATING
CHROME PL Al HG
SPECIAL FINISHES
PARTS CLEANERS
IMPREGNATION
THEATER IN
-*>   BATCH TREATMENT OH
MAULED TO DISPOSAL
HrSoTl
NaOMjl I'
POLYEI ECTROLYTE
CLAHir-IEP.
HaSO.
NaOH
SODIUM METADeilLFIIE
POLYELECTROLYTE
SODIUM DtEIHVLDIIHIOCAHLLAMAIt
CALCIUM CHLORIDE
SUPERNATANT
Figure 1.    Brass waste treatment schematic diagram.
45th Purdue Industrial Waste Conference Proceedings, © 1991 Lewis Publishers, Inc., Chelsea, Michigan 48118.
Printed in U.S.A.
715