The application of ferrate for sewage treatment: pilot to full-scale trials

This paper aims to study a relative new technology, the online generation and application of ferrate(VI), for sewage treatment, from pilot to full scale trials at Hailsham North Wastewater Treatment Plant of Southern Water Ltd of UK. The work presented in this paper has significant impact on the use of ferrate(VI) in water and waste water treatment practice; the online production and application of ferrate(VI) resolves problems of the instability and needs no transportation. The current efficiency of ferrate(VI) generation was up to 70% through the developed system, which is relatively high. For achieving the same phosphorus removal target from the crude sewage, the ferrate dose required was in a very lower range, 0.01 - 0.2 mg Fe6+/L in comparison with high doses of ferric sulphate; these will reduce the chemical demand and sludge production and therefore result in a low operating cost and generate substantial cost saving in treating sewage.