Lime dosing, also known as lime stabilization or lime treatment, is a common process used in wastewater treatment plants. It involves the addition of lime (calcium hydroxide or calcium oxide) to the wastewater for various purposes and offers several benefits:
- pH Adjustment: Lime is commonly used to raise the pH of acidic wastewater. By increasing the pH, lime dosing helps to neutralize acidic compounds, promoting the overall efficiency of subsequent treatment processes.
- Chemical Precipitation: Lime dosing facilitates the precipitation of various impurities and contaminants present in wastewater. It promotes the formation of insoluble compounds, such as metal hydroxides and calcium carbonate, which can be easily removed through sedimentation or filtration processes.
- Phosphorus Removal: Lime dosing can effectively remove phosphorus from wastewater. The addition of lime creates favourable conditions for the precipitation of phosphorus as calcium phosphate, which can be easily separated from the water.
- Odour Control: Lime has alkaline properties that help to control foul odours associated with wastewater treatment. It neutralizes the acidic and volatile compounds responsible for unpleasant smells, reducing odour-related issues.
- Sludge Stabilization: Lime dosing can be used to stabilize sludge produced during wastewater treatment. The addition of lime increases the pH, promoting the destruction of pathogens and reducing the potential for odours and putrefaction.
- Alkalinity Enhancement: Lime is an excellent source of alkalinity. By increasing the alkalinity of wastewater, lime dosing helps to buffer pH fluctuations and stabilize the treatment process, especially during periods of low alkalinity or acidic influent.
Overall, lime dosing plays a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency, effectiveness, and reliability of wastewater treatment processes by improving pH control, promoting chemical precipitation, removing phosphorus, controlling odours, stabilizing sludge, and enhancing alkalinity.
Rotostab lime dosing system. Developed by HWT for application in winery industry. Robust and reliable, the Rotostab lime doser is a prime component of effective winery effluent treatment
Another word for lime can be calcium oxide or quicklime, depending on the context, especially in industrial or chemical terms. In everyday language, it could also refer to linden, which is a type of tree sometimes called a lime tree, though it’s different from the citrus fruit. If you’re referring to the fruit, an alternative could simply be citrus.
