Adsorption on activated alumina: mitigating fouling of water treatment processes caused by deposition of silica, organics and hardness ions (2012-2015)

Coal seam gas (CSG) is attached to coal along its natural fractures and cleats. The gas is released when pressure on the coal seam is reduced by removal of water, which is saline. It is highly desirable to reduce the volume of this saline water, but the technologies available to achieve this are severely impacted on by fouling and mineral scaling. Of concern are the build up of organics, formation of mineral scales and silicate deposition. The aim of this work is understand removal of silica and organics by activated alumina, along with the potential for incidental removal of hardness ions. This fundamental research will enable the CSG industry to reduce saline volumes and potentially recover salt from saline streams.