Process for treatment of phossy water for recycling

Abstract From the Canadian patent

In the electric arc furnace production of elemental phosphorus, cold phossy water is segregated from hot phossy water. The cold phossy water is discharged to a lined pond wherein solids settle to form a clarified cold water which is recycled for cooling and washing purposes. The hot phossy water is passed through a lamellar settler wherein phosphorus and solids are separated as a sludge to form a clarified hot water. The clarified hot water, without requiring additional heat, is recycled for process use. Phosphorus is recovered from the sludge to reduce to a minimum the amount of phosphorus discharged with dirt from the hot phossy water to the pond.