METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING METAL ION CONTAINING STREAMS

摘要

A method for removing metal ions from aqueous streams is disclosed using an extraction system of this invention, which includes at least one and preferably a plurality of extraction units comprising a bed filled with a volumetric mixture of an ion exchange material and an inert material. Preferably, the mixture includes between about 90 to 50 vol% of an ion exchange material and from about 10 to 50 vol% of an a substantially inert material. The method is designed to operate at a relatively high stream flow rate, preferably between about 1.5 and about 5 times greater than the flow rate of the stream not equipped with the present extraction system.