Höganäs Brazil and local partners developed a complete solution based on the patent pending electrocoagulation technology Cleanit^® EC. The customised process was designed to reduce oil, grease and suspended solids and colloids in the wastewater from the bearing plant.*

SKF Brazil’s primary interest was to upgrade its existing wastewater treatment facility with state-of-the-art technology in order to meet and exceed current environmental regulations.

“We had a series of discussions with many companies and specialists, but it was Höganäs’ proposal that really met our technology and innovation drive criteria,” says Sidney Silva, Quality Management System & EHS at SKF. “The economic competitiveness of the solution was also fundamental.”

A ground-breaking, cost-efficient, end-to-end solution

This unique turnkey project combines Höganäs’ Cleanit^® EC technology with additional polishing steps, enabling SKF to reuse the treated wastewater and reduce its groundwater consumption dramatically. Cleanit^® EC also offers significantly lower operating costs and requires negligible chemical addition in comparison with alternative technologies. The sludge produced is non-toxic and can easily be landfilled. The process design is robust enough to handle changes in the flow and contaminant concentration.

The patented Cleanit^® EC porous electrodes are made from recycled metal, using green hydel power to complete the C2C (Cradle to Cradle).

“The best technology for any wastewater treatment will be a product of sustainability and innovation, and Cleanit^® EC is well positioned in this respect,” highlights Marcio Carvalho, Innovation and Technology Director, Höganäs.

“This is the first commercialization of our ground-breaking and disruptive technology, Cleanit^® EC in Brazil. Now, we can showcase this green solution, establish its CAPEX-OPEX advantages, demonstrate the ease of running the system, and prove our ability to provide a site-specific solution,” says Avinash Gore, President of Höganäs’ Business Area Environmental.

The plant is due to be commissioned by Q4-17 at SKF’s major industrial facility located on the outskirts of São Paulo, Brazil.

* Cleanit^® EC cleans industrial wastewater by enhancing nature’s own process to breakdown organic material into carbon dioxide and water. The bacteria present in polluted water (microorganisms) use organic matter as a food source, through oxidation in which oxygen is consumed. This is called BOD, Biochemical oxygen demand. COD, Chemical Oxygen Demand, is a measure of the total quantity of oxygen required to oxidize all organic material into carbon dioxide and water.

For more information:

Höganäs Business Area Environmental:
Louis LeBrun, Managing Director
Phone: +1 (984) 333 0360, louis.lebrun@hoganas.com

Cleanit^® EC installation in Brazil:
Adriano Machado, President Höganäs do Brasil.
Phone: +55 11 98 26 79 008, adriano.machado@hoganas.com

Höganäs AB:
Ulrika Rask-Lindholm, Vice President Communications.
Phone: +46 768 40 84 55, ulrika.rask-lindholm@hoganas.com