EPA 440/1-76/060h Group II Development Document for Interim Final Effluent Limitations,Guidelines and Proposed New Source Performance Standards for the Carbon Black Manufacturing Point Source Category UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY APRIL 1976 DEVELOPMENT DOCUMENT for INTERIM FINAL EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS• GUIDELINES AND PROPOSED NEW SOURCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS for the CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Russel1 E. Train Administrator Andrew W. Breidenbach, Ph.D. Assistant Administrator for water and Hazardous Materials E.ckardt c. Beck Deputy Assistant Administrator for Water Planning and Standards Ernst P. Ha11. P.E. Acting Director, Efrluent Guidelines Division Josephs. Vitalis Project Officer and George M. Jett Ass~stant Project Officer April 1976 Effluent Guidelines Division Office of Water and Hazardous Materials u.s. Environmental Protection Aqency Washington, D.c. 20460 ,✓,' ABSTRACT This document presents the findings of a study of the carbon black manufacturing point source category for the purpose of developing effluent limitations and guidelines for existing point sources and standards of performance for new point sources and pretreatment standards for new and existing point sources, to implement sections 301 (b). 301 (c), 304 (b), 304(c), 306(b), 306(c), and 307(b) of the Federal Water Pollution control Act, as- amended· (33 U.s.c. 1251, 1331 • 1314, and 1316, 86 Stat. 816 et. seq •• P.L. 92-500 (the "Act"). Effluent limitations and guidelines contained herein set forth the degree of effluent reduction attainable through th·e application of the Best Practicable control Technology Currently Avaiiable (BPCTCA) and the degree of effluent reduction attainable through the application of the Best Available Technology Economically Achievable (BATEA) which must be achieved by existing point sources by July 1, 1977, and July 1, 1983, re9pectively. The standards of per­ formance and pretreatment standards for existing and new sources. contained herein set forth the degree of effluent reduction which is achievable through the application of the Best Available Demonstrated Control Technology (BADCT), processes, operating methods, or other alternatives. Thi:! development of data and recommendations in this document relate to the carbon black manufacturing point source category which is one of eight industrial segments of f;.he miscellaneous chemicals point source category study. Effluent limitations were developed for each subcategory on thE~ basis of the level of raw waste load as well as on the de~Jree of treatment achievable. Appropriate technology to achieve these limitations include systems for reduction in pollutant loads by in-plant technology. Supporting data and rationale for development of the proposed effluent limitations, guidelines and standards of performance are contained in this report. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Tit1e Abstract Tab1e of contents List of Figures List of Tab1es I Cone 1u sions 1 II Recommendations 5 III Introduction 9 IV Industria1 Categorization 21 V waste Characterization 47 VI Selection of Po11utant Parameters 51 VII Control and Treatment Techno1ogies 61 VIII cost, Energy, and Non-water Quality Aspects 67 IX Best Practicab1e Control Technology Currently Available (BPT) 75 X Best Available Technology Economically Achievable (BAT) 79 XI New source Performance Standards (NSPS) 81 XJ:I Pretreatment Standards 83 XIII Performance Factors for Treatment Plant Operations 85 XIV Acknowledgements 87 xv Bibliography 91 XVI Glossary 103 XVII Abbreviations and Symbols 121 V LIST OF FIGURES Number Tit1e Page Il:I-1 u.s. carbon Black Production by Process 20 IV-1 carbon Black Bag Filter System 30 IV-2 Bag Filt~r Cleaning Process 31 IV-3 Bag Filter Operation 32 IV-4 Process Flow Sheet - Furnace Black Process 36 'IV-5 . Simplified Flow Sheet - Thermal Black Process 38 IV-6 Proces.s Flow Sheet - Channel Black Process 42 IV-7 Process Flow Sheet - Lamp Black Process .42 IV-8 Block Diagram for No Discharge of Process wastewater Pollutants System 45 VJCII-1 In-Plant Recycle Cost Model-Step No. 1 70 V:CII-2 In-Plant Recycle cost Model-Step No. 2 71 vii LIST OF TABLES Title Page I-'1. summary Table 4 II·· 1 BPCTCA Effiuent Limitations Guidelines 6 BATEA and BADCT Effluent Limitations Guidelines 7 IIJ:-1 Domestic Sales of carbon Black in the United States By Use 17 I.Il:-2 carbon Black Grades Manufactured 18 IV-·1 Carbon Black Segment Plant Key 23 IV-·2 Plant Key Summary 26 v-11 Raw Waste Loads 47 VI-· 1 Lis~ of Parameters To Be Examined 52 VIl:-1 Treatment Technology Survey 63 VIl:-2 wastewater Treatment Plant Performance Data Carbon Black Segment · 65 VIII-1 Wastewater Treatment Costs 'for ~PCTCA, BADCT, and BATEA Effluent Limitations for Furnace Black Process 73 VII:I-2 Wastewater Treatment Costs for BPCTCA, BADCT and BATEA Effluent Limitations for Thermal Black Process 74 IX-·1 BPCTCA Effluent Limitations Guidelines 77 X-1 BATEA EFfluent Limitations Guidelines 80 XI-1 BADCT Effluent Limitations Guidelines 82 XVIII Metric Table 125 ix SECTION I CONCLUSIONS General The miscellaneous chemicals point source category encompasses eight industrial segments grouped together for administrative purposes. This document provides background information for carbon black manufacturing point source category and represents a revision of a portion of the initial contractor•s draft document issued in February, 1975. In that document it was pointed out that the carbon black manufacturing point source category differs from the others in raw materials, manufacturing processes, and final products •. Water usage and subsequent wastewater discharges also vary considerably from segment to segment. Consequently, for the purpose of the development of the ef:Eluent limitations, guidelines and corresponding BPT (Best Practicable Control Technology Currently Available), NSPS (&~st Available Demonstrated Control Technology) for new sources, and BAT (Best Available Technology Economically Achievable) requirements, each segment is treated independently. Th«~ carbon black manufacturing point source category is defined to include those commodities listed under the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 2895. Thermal and lamp black have been included for completeness of coverage of the carbon black manufacturing processes. It should be emphasized that the proposed treatment model technology will be used only as a guideline. The cost models for BPT, BAT. and NSPS were developed to facilitate the economic analysis and should not be construed as the only technology capable of meeting the effluent limitations, guidelines and standards of performance presented in this development doc:umento There are alternative systems which, taken either s-ingly or in combination, are capabl_e of attaining the effluent limitations, guidelines and standards of pei~formance recommended in this development document. These alternative choices include: 1. Various types of end-of-pipe wastewater treatment. 2. Various in-plant.modifications and installation of at-source pollution control equipment. 3. Various combinations of end-of-pipe and in-plant technologies. 1 It is the intent of this document to identify the technology that can be used to meet the regulations. This information also will allow the individual plant to make the choice of what specific combination of pollution control measures is best suited to its situation in complying with the limitations and standards of performance presented in this development document for the carbon black point source category. Carbon Black For the purpose of developing recommended effluent limitations, guidelines and new source performance standards for carbon black manufacture, this point source category has been subcategorized by process as follows: A. Furnace Process B. Thermal Process Including Acetylene Black: c. Channel Process D. Lamp Process The criteria used for . establishing the above subcategorization included the impact of the following factors on the above groupings: 1. Production processes. 2. Product types and yields. 3. Raw material sources. 4. Wastewater quantities, characteristics, control and treatment. The wastewater parameters of significance in the manufacture of carbon black are total suspended solids, total dissolved solids and pH. Based on an EPA survey of the entire· carbon bla,ck segment, discussed in section IV, Industrial Categorization, it was concluded that complete elimination of discharge of process wastewater pollutants is achievable for all subcategories of the carbon black point source category for BPT, BAT and NSPS effluent limitations, guidelines and new source performance standards. (see Tables IV-1 and IV-2). Based on the findings of this survey, approximately twenty­ nine furnace black and four thermal black plants are operating in the United States. There are also two lamp black plants and one channel black plant operating. Of these thirty-six plants surveyed, twenty-four have achieved no discharge of process wastewater pollutants. These include nineteen furnaces, three thermal, including one 2 acetylene black plantr one channel and one lamp black plant. The thermal and furnace processes that have achieved the no di.sch!:irge level manufacture a full rangeof carbon black grades · and ·are found in both water surplus and water dE!ficient areas. The channel black plant fs located in an arid area. The lamp black plants surveyed are located in. water surplus areas~ It is cor+cluded that all subcategories ir.L the carbon black manufacturing should have no discharge