How can KOH solution be treated to separate water or to achieve compliant discharge?
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This KOH solution is 80–90% water, with about 2% sorbitol. The pH value is 13; what measures can be taken to separate the water or to ensure that the discharge meets the required standards?
If there are no requirements regarding that sorbitol, it should be possible to discharge it after simply neutralizing it
Potassium chloride solution can’t be discharged either, right? There are a bunch of indicators such as COD, BOD, and ammonia nitrogen
It is possible to first concentrate the waste water through reverse osmosis and then recover KOH. If the volume of waste water is large, considering the recovery of sorbitol is an option; it is also a very useful sugar alcohol. Even if it cannot be used in food applications, it can be used to produce dried sorbitol.
First, reverse osmosis is used, followed by the evaporation of the concentrated solution to separate sorbitol; then it is concentrated until KOH crystallizes out
Or convert the concentrated water into potassium fertilizer.