Wool and wool-blend acid-dye wastewater
Colored effluent from wool and wool-blend dyeing, rinsing and specialty finishing operations.
Bluwat BWD-01 Water Decoloring Agent
BWD-01 for Wool, Cotton and Carpet Textile Wastewater Treatment in South Africa
A jar-test-driven organic decolorant program for wool acid-dye wastewater, cotton reactive and direct-dye effluent, carpet processing and color polishing before biological treatment or selected water-reuse systems.
50% min Solid content
pH 7.5-8.0 Recommended starting range
30 / 250 / 1250 kg Standard packaging options
Product Overview
Wool and cotton processing create different soluble dye systems
Textile wet processing in South Africa does not create one uniform wastewater. Fiber type, dye class, shade depth, washing recipe and finishing chemistry can change the color and charge demand from one production batch to the next.
BWD-01 supplies strong cationic charge to destabilize negatively charged soluble dyes and fine color-bearing particles. It is especially relevant to acid dyes for wool and reactive or direct dyes for cotton. The objective is not merely to make the sample look clearer, but to produce flocs that can be separated reliably by sedimentation or dissolved-air flotation.
Textile Wastewater Problem in South Africa
Water-conscious plants need separate treatment understanding for each fiber sector
The central treatment problem is that different fiber sectors produce soluble dye systems that require separate treatment understanding within water-conscious plants. Conventional inorganic coagulation may remove suspended solids but leave a visible soluble-color fraction. Operators may then increase coagulant dosage, creating more sludge without proportional color improvement.
BWD-01 Treatment Solution
Use separate wool and cotton jar tests, then evaluate BWD-01 as a color-removal pretreatment before the site's biological or reuse process.
The selected program should be based on actual wastewater rather than a universal dose. A controlled jar test identifies the point where charge neutralization, floc formation, separation speed and sludge production are balanced. PAC can be tested before or after BWD-01, but both products must be prepared and dosed separately.
Why the Problem Occurs
- Acid dyes used on wool remain soluble when not fully exhausted.
- Reactive cotton dyes release unfixed color during rinsing.
- Water-reuse objectives increase the importance of residual color and downstream compatibility.
Technical Specifications
BWD-01 product data
| Property | BWD-01 Specification |
|---|---|
| Chemical name | Quaternary ammonium cationic polymer |
| Appearance | Colorless to yellowish translucent liquid |
| Solid content | 50% min |
| Specific gravity at 20 C | 1.1-1.3 |
| pH value, 30% solution | 3-6 |
| Viscosity at 25 C | 30-300 cps |
| Solubility | Soluble with water at any rate |
| Storage temperature | 0-35 C |
| Standard package | 30 kg or 250 kg plastic drum; 1250 kg IBC |
Technical note: Values are based on the Bluwat BWD-01 TDS. Confirm the supplied batch with its Certificate of Analysis and consult the SDS for handling and shelf-life details.
Recommended Application Scenarios
Where BWD-01 can be evaluated
Cotton reactive and direct-dye effluent
Cotton yarn and fabric wastewater containing soluble unfixed reactive or direct dyes.
Carpet and mixed textile wastewater
Mixed textile or carpet-processing wastewater requiring final color polishing before discharge or reuse treatment.
How BWD-01 Works
Four stages from charge neutralization to separation
Charge neutralization
Cationic groups interact with negatively charged acid dyes for wool, reactive or direct dyes for cotton and colored colloids.
Destabilization
Reduced electrostatic repulsion allows dissolved or finely dispersed color bodies to associate.
Floc formation
Destabilized contaminants form visible aggregates. PAC may strengthen or densify flocs where testing supports it.
Solid-liquid separation
The resulting flocs are removed by sedimentation or dissolved-air flotation to produce clearer treated water.
How to Choose and Test BWD-01
Separate dye families and evaluate downstream reuse compatibility
Create two operating windows
Establish distinct dosage ranges for acid-dye wastewater and reactive or direct-dye wastewater.
Check reuse limitations separately
Where reuse is planned, analyze salts, hardness and dissolved organics separately from color removal.
Compare settling and DAF
Evaluate sedimentation and dissolved-air flotation where water scarcity supports compact treatment upgrades.
Use untreated and current-treatment controls in every jar-test series. Record raw-water pH, true or apparent color, CODcr, turbidity, temperature and production source. Photographs are useful, but analytical results and sludge behavior are required for a defensible selection.
Recommended Application Procedure
Seven-step jar-test and scale-up workflow
1
Collect the sample
Collect representative wastewater after appropriate screening and equalization.
2
Prepare working solutions
Dilute BWD-01 with 10 to 40 times clean water and prepare several test concentrations.
3
Adjust the starting pH
Use pH 7.5-8.0 as the TDS starting range, then test nearby values where necessary.
4
Dose and mix
Add BWD-01 to the wastewater and mix thoroughly for several minutes.
5
Compare PAC sequence
Test PAC before and after BWD-01 in separate beakers. Do not premix the chemicals.
6
Evaluate separation
Allow flocs to settle or evaluate them by DAF, matching the site's full-scale process.
7
Compare total performance
Review final color, CODcr, turbidity, floc strength, separation time, sludge volume and treatment cost.
Expected Treatment Results
Reference performance ranges from the BWD-01 TDS
50%-99% Typical decolorization reference range
Actual removal depends on dye class, concentration, auxiliaries, pH, mixing, chemical sequence and separation equipment.
50%-80% Typical CODcr reduction reference range
These values are indicative for suitable applications and are not guaranteed operating results.
Compared with a high-dose inorganic-only program, BWD-01 may provide faster flocculation and settling and may reduce the inorganic contribution to sludge. Where sludge reduction is a project objective, compare dry solids, dewatering behavior and disposal cost rather than wet sludge volume alone.
Bluwat Manufacturing Advantages
Manufacturing, documentation and African project support
25+ years of manufacturing experience
Manufacturer since 2000 with long-term water-treatment chemical production and export experience.
Three production bases
Multiple production sites support stable supply, batch control and flexible packaging options.
Global application experience
Products exported to more than 80 countries and used by over 5,000 industrial customers.
Quality and environmental systems
ISO 9001 with ZDHC-conformant BWD product support.
Routine batch quality control
Appearance, solid content, specific gravity, pH, viscosity and solubility are supported by batch COA.
Jar-test technical support
Free samples and support for dosage comparison, chemical sequence and full-scale trial planning.
Flexible packaging
Standard BWD-01 supply in 30 kg and 250 kg plastic drums or 1250 kg IBC containers.
African textile project support
Practical dilution and dosing procedures, sample-based selection, drum or IBC planning and commissioning support for new or expanding textile ETPs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Practical BWD-01 questions for South African textile mills
Can BWD-01 treat both wool and cotton dye wastewater?
Yes. Acid, reactive and direct dyes are within the TDS application range, but wool and cotton streams should be tested separately before a combined operating program is selected.
Is decolorization enough for textile water reuse?
No. Reuse also depends on salts, hardness, dissolved organics, pathogens and the intended process. BWD-01 can reduce color and flocculating load as one part of the complete treatment train.
What is the recommended BWD-01 dilution and wastewater pH?
The TDS recommends dilution with 10 to 40 times water and identifies wastewater pH 7.5-8.0 as a useful starting range for better results. The final dilution, pH and dose must be confirmed with the actual effluent.
Can BWD-01 be mixed directly with polyaluminum chloride?
No. BWD-01 and PAC should be prepared and dosed separately. PAC may be added before or after BWD-01 depending on the flocculation test and treatment process, but the concentrates should not be premixed.
How should the final BWD-01 dosage be selected?
Use a jar test with representative wastewater. Compare color, CODcr, turbidity, floc size, separation time and sludge volume. The best operating dose is the lowest stable dose that meets the plant's complete treatment objective.