System and process for the treatment of water using a ferrate-based reduction-oxidation (redox) reactor, a clarifier, and a two-stage filtration system. Three treatment substrates can be used to treat water in the water treatment system and process, namely, a ferric compound(s), an acidic oxidant, and a flocculant-adsorbent.

Methods and systems are provided for treating a contaminated environmental medium. In one example, the treatment includes adding a salt to the contaminated environmental medium to form a slurry. The slurry is heated to irreversibly precipitate a jarosite-group mineral incorporating contaminant cations and contaminant anions into its structure.

A method for treating wastewater or sludge includes treating a sludge having a first viscosity of from about 3,000 cP to about 15,000 cP by shearing the sludge to obtain a treated sludge having a second viscosity of less than 3,000 cP, where the second viscosity persists for a period of time. The sludge may be thickened by dewatering. A chemical agent may be added to the thickened sludge during, before, or after shearing. The treated sludge may further be pumped, transported, or otherwise handled.

In general, a method for treating biosolids may include measuring one or more of pH, alkalinity, magnesium concentration, ortho-phosphorus concentration, total phosphorus content, ammonia content, total nitrogen content, total solids content, total volatile solids, polymer consumption, and metal salt consumption associated with a treatment process for wastewater solids. A metal salt dosage for amending the wastewater solids may be determined based upon, at least in part, an initial ortho-phosphorus concentration and a reduction capacity of the metal salt. A magnesium compound dosage may be determined for one or more of increasing, decreasing, and maintaining a pH of the wastewater solids. The magnesium compound dosage may be based upon, at least in part, a calculated anticipated change in pH of the wastewater solids resulting from an addition of the metal salts. The method may also include amending the treatment process with the determined metal salt dosage and the determined magnesium compound dosage.

Disclosed herein is an apparatus for facilitating purification of sludge and tailing, in accordance with some embodiments. Accordingly, a sedimentation unit receives sludge and tailing in a first tank, separates wastewater from the sludge and the tailing, and transfers the wastewater from the first tank to a second tank. Further, a centrifugal unit creates a vortex in the wastewater. Further, a thermal hydrolysis unit coagulates a second impurity of the wastewater using coagulants and transfers the wastewater from the second tank to a third tank. Further, a digesting unit digests a macromolecule of the wastewater into a compound and transfers the wastewater from the third tank to a fourth tank. Further, a nutrient removal unit filters the wastewater from the compound and transfers the wastewater from the fourth tank to a fifth tank. Further, a reservoir unit disinfects the wastewater and stores the wastewater in the fifth tank.

Disclosed herein is an apparatus for facilitating purification of sludge and tailing, in accordance with some embodiments. Accordingly, a sedimentation unit receives sludge and tailing in a first tank, separates wastewater from the sludge and the tailing, and transfers the wastewater from the first tank to a second tank. Further, a centrifugal unit creates a vortex in the wastewater. Further, a thermal hydrolysis unit coagulates a second impurity of the wastewater using coagulants and transfers the wastewater from the second tank to a third tank. Further, a digesting unit digests a macromolecule of the wastewater into a compound and transfers the wastewater from the third tank to a fourth tank. Further, a nutrient removal unit filters the wastewater from the compound and transfers the wastewater from the fourth tank to a fifth tank. Further, a reservoir unit disinfects the wastewater and stores the wastewater in the fifth tank.

Methods and systems are provided for treating a contaminated environmental medium. In one example, the treatment includes adding a salt to the contaminated environmental medium to form a slurry. The slurry is heated to irreversibly precipitate a jarosite-group mineral incorporating contaminant cations and contaminant anions into its structure.

A process to treat fines tailings generated from mining operations, wherein tailings material is sprayed onto a solid substrate as a thin layer and allowed to dry. The spray may be re-applied on top of the dried tailings film leading to multiple layers of dried tailings solids. The method may yield a solid, dry, and consolidated tailings material.

A method of extracting water from sludge, wherein the sludge includes a magnetic ballast, wherein the sludge is positioned on an interface. It includes applying a magnetic treatment to the magnetically-ballasted sludge to extract water from the sludge.

Systems and methods for dewatering slurries having relatively high solids content such as earthen slurries are disclosed. In some embodiments, one or more transducer devices configured for acoustic spectroscopy and/or electroacoustic spectroscopy are used to determine a parameter related to the particle size distribution (e.g., specific surfaced area) and/or zeta potential of the slurry.