WOOL WASHING AND WAX RECOVERY

摘要

Water used for washing wool is separated into three streams, namely a wax rich stream a wax and sludge containing stream and a wax-free sludge containing stream. Water from the first two streams, when wax and sludge have been separated from the streams, is returned to the washlng process. Supernatant liquor from the third stream is treated with a flow containing high concentration of soluble salts to de-stabilize any wax-water emulsion present in the supernatant liquor, and the supernatant liquor is then purified by evaporation for re-use in the washing process. The flow containing the high concentration of salt is derived from the supernatant liquor of the second stream.