Captive Systems has developed a new technology for removal of pollutants (oils, organic pollutants and metals) from waste water (WW) and vapours containing hydrocarbons, thanks to the use of “magnetic fluids”, i.e. functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (NPS) which once mixed with the WW absorb the pollutant and can be separated by using a simple magnet. The technology can be applied in several sectors, including oil&gas, electroplating industry, steel industry and electronic waste recycling. The feasibility study allowed Captive System to analyse in detail the market potential and the willingness to pay in different sectors, shifting the priority for the market entry sector from galvanic industry to oil&gas, for the capture and removal of hydrocarbons from WW coming from tank cleaning in refineries and fuel deposits and to treat vapours saturated with hydrocarbons emitted during the emptying phase of the tank for maintenance. In the cases of fuel deposits, the service will be provided using a mobile plant to treat the water used for tank cleaning operation, currently sent to external treatment sites. In addition to the savings, the user will be able to drastically reduce the water consumption for the cleaning operation and the use of trucks transporting the WW will be avoided. In the case of vapour purification from hydrocarbons, the solution proposed consists in fluxing the gas stream in a fluidized bed with the magnetic fluid. The service can be granted 14 hours instead of 10 days, at a reduced price and avoiding problems linked to emission of dangerous or malodorous substance in the air. In addition, the technology can be used as back up for existing WW plants in refineries, granting process flexibility, low initial investment and limited space required for the treatment in site.
