The purification of industrial effluents has undergone considerable improvement and the use of new technologies in recent years, driven by various regulatory instruments that
go beyond Legislative Decree 152/2006 and subsequent updates. The new Integrated Environmental Authorisation procedures are moving, albeit cautiously, towards requests to companies that concern both the technological production cycle and the water purification plant, based on the thrust of the BREFs published by the European Union for Best Available Technologies. These requests are moving towards cycles that are less and less water demanding and in any case strong in recovery and recycling processes within the process.
The paper analyses the design of petrochemical plants, with a focus on wastewater treatment. The different sources of wastewater, including cooling water, rainwater, groundwater and process water are examined, highlighting their characteristics and environmental impacts. The main design standards adopted in the industry, such as API, SNAM and ARAMCO, and safety methodologies such as HazID, ENVID and HAZOP are explained.
Water separation and purification processes including API systems, CPI, dissolved air flotation (DAF) and induced gas flotation (IGF) are described, with a focus on Best Available Techniques (BAT). The importance of integrated design that respects environmental regulations and operational safety is central.
