Wastewater Treatment for the Food & Beverage Industry
Aqua-Aerobic Systems AquaSBR® Sequencing Batch Reactors are ideal for treating food and beverage wastewater. The AquaSBR provides a high degree of treatment for food and beverage wastewater from the dairy, meat processing, fruit, vegetable, beverage, snack food, pet food, and rendering industries.
Food & Beverage Wastewater
Food and beverage processors typically consume high volumes of water and generate high organic-strength wastewater. As a result, the wastewater contains high concentrations of organic matter, nutrients, and other pollutants, which can cause environmental problems if not treated properly. Pollutant loadings often include biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), fats/oils/grease (FOG), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus, and total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) in various concentrations. In addition, the wastewater can be heavily loaded with solids, sugars, proteins, fats, oils, and greases.
Each food and beverage facility has unique wastewater with widely varying flows and pollutant loadings requiring a customized treatment solution. The characteristics of wastewater generated by food and beverage facilities can vary greatly depending on the type of product produced and the specific manufacturing processes involved. A dairy processing plant may generate wastewater with high levels of organic matter such as fats, proteins, and lactose. These wastewaters contain high levels of organic matter. On the other hand, a soft drink manufacturing plant may generate wastewater with high levels of sugar and food coloring. Aqua-Aerobic Systems provides technologies for pretreatment to publicly owned treatment works (POTW) or complete treatment for discharge directly to waterways with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits.
AquaSBR for the Food & Beverage Wastewater
The AquaSBR sequencing batch reactor is a cost-effective industrial biological wastewater treatment process. It is a variation of the activated sludge treatment process that achieves equalization, aeration, and clarification in a single reactor basin. All components are easily accessible, and the advanced decant system ensures high-quality effluent withdrawal.
The AquaSBR system utilizes five primary phases to meet advanced wastewater treatment objectives. The duration of any particular phase may be based on specific waste characteristics and/or effluent objectives.
The AquaSBR can be used on a variety of industrial wastewaters and is frequently used with other process technologies such as the AquaDisk® Cloth Media Filter, and Aqua MultiBore polymeric or ceramic membranes.
The Five Phases of an SBR
- Mix-Fill
- React-Fill
- React
- Settle
- Decant/Sludge Waste
AquaSBR Capabilities
Advanced treatment, such as nitrogen and phosphorus removal, can be easily accomplished with the AquaSBR. Two or more basins are most often used because it allows inflow into an SBR basin 100% of the time. However, single-basin AquaSBRs are sometimes installed at low-flow facilities.
The AquaSBR’s ability to handle widely varying flows and highly variable organic loading rates makes it ideal for food and beverage applications.
Other benefits include:
- Excellent treatment
- Low capital costs
- Low power requirements
- Low installation costs
- Small footprint
- Easy to expand
It’s crucial for food and beverage facilities to properly manage their wastewater to comply with regulatory requirements and to protect the environment. Treating and reusing wastewater also provides economic benefits by reducing water consumption and wastewater discharge costs.
Explore the Aqua-Aerobic Systems Product Line
By Mike Gillespie, P.E., Envirep
AQUA-AEROBIC SYSTEMS provides advanced solutions for municipal and industrial water and waste water treatment applications. Aqua-Aerobic has a solution that meets or exceeds the most stringent effluent standards, from primary treatment to nutrient removal, water reuse, filtration, and disinfection.
For a complete list of our products, CLICK HERE to view our manufacturer line card. CLICK HERE to see our other manufacturers on our website.
Envirep/TLC Environmental is a manufacturer representative serving the waste water market in Eastern and Central Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, the District of Columbia, and Northern Virginia.
