One could always wonder--why drag the 'default position' into a new thread? All it does is introduce something unrelated and immediately derail...
Last edited by SenorToenails (2010-10-08 09:20:12)
The edit spree was due to personal attacks, not to disagreement with my post.Mekstizzle wrote:
Yeah well there's no point making silly posts and then going on an edit-spree, it just messes everything up for no reason.
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein
Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular
― Albert Einstein
Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular
Enough of that...
Back on topic: Why didn't they treat the sludge while still in storage to bring the pH down to a normal range beforehand? Seems keeping that much highly alkaline stuff laying about is a recipe for exactly what happened.
Any chemists/chemical engineers who can weigh in on why they didn't/wouldn't want to do that?
Back on topic: Why didn't they treat the sludge while still in storage to bring the pH down to a normal range beforehand? Seems keeping that much highly alkaline stuff laying about is a recipe for exactly what happened.
Any chemists/chemical engineers who can weigh in on why they didn't/wouldn't want to do that?
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein
Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular
― Albert Einstein
Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular
I'm going with because it's Eastern Europe, and leaving it around hazardously saves money.
It would require boatloads of acid and would probably produce ungodly amounts of heat. I don't know why they wouldn't deal with it though...it's not like it would just take care of itself!FEOS wrote:
Enough of that...
Back on topic: Why didn't they treat the sludge while still in storage to bring the pH down to a normal range beforehand? Seems keeping that much highly alkaline stuff laying about is a recipe for exactly what happened.
Any chemists/chemical engineers who can weigh in on why they didn't/wouldn't want to do that?
this.SenorToenails wrote:
It would require boatloads of acid and would probably produce ungodly amounts of heat. I don't know why they wouldn't deal with it though...it's not like it would just take care of itself!FEOS wrote:
Enough of that...
Back on topic: Why didn't they treat the sludge while still in storage to bring the pH down to a normal range beforehand? Seems keeping that much highly alkaline stuff laying about is a recipe for exactly what happened.
Any chemists/chemical engineers who can weigh in on why they didn't/wouldn't want to do that?
Basic chemistry-ish here, but the thing is finding a proper acid to neutralise the base. You're probably going to have to use fractions of a percent molarity for this, otherwise, like above post said, massive heat.
The trick is to find a salt that's generated by the reaction that doesn't damage the environment any more than this has already done.
Love me some moles!
"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat
-Frederick Bastiat
I wonder what molarity that sludge is... or rather, molality
All the above are absolutely valid concerns...but they're dumping vast quantities of acids in the rivers right now to bring the pH down to the normal range as is.
So, you either deal with those issues in a relatively contained situation...or you attempt to deal with it in the Danube. I choose the former, from a risk-management perspective.
So, you either deal with those issues in a relatively contained situation...or you attempt to deal with it in the Danube. I choose the former, from a risk-management perspective.
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein
Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular
― Albert Einstein
Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular
Sodium bicarbonate? Don't have to worry about the heat or the acid then.SenorToenails wrote:
It would require boatloads of acid and would probably produce ungodly amounts of heat. I don't know why they wouldn't deal with it though...it's not like it would just take care of itself!FEOS wrote:
Enough of that...
Back on topic: Why didn't they treat the sludge while still in storage to bring the pH down to a normal range beforehand? Seems keeping that much highly alkaline stuff laying about is a recipe for exactly what happened.
Any chemists/chemical engineers who can weigh in on why they didn't/wouldn't want to do that?
That is, if I remember correctly and sodium bicarbonate can actually neutralise it. However any neutralization will give you just a big pile of salt, and if it's heavy metal salt it won't be that much more pleasant.
The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
~ Richard Feynman
~ Richard Feynman