At OMEX we understand the importance of keeping the wastewater treatment process at your brewing facility at optimum performance. Below our operations manager, Dimitris Theodoridis, highlights the key points to achieve the best performance from your WWT plant:
Keep the biology strong and healthy
For the plant to function at an optimum level, the first area to look at is ensuring the biology is “happy”. Nutritionally, most wastewaters are deficient particularly in Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P). Keeping the biology in working condition enables the plant to operate correctly, so this should usually be the first point to check on any site manager’s checklist. If the biology isn’t getting all the necessary elements it needs, such as adequate food, aeration and nutrition, the plant will subsequently fail and performance will decrease.
Analysing the plant
The best way to assess the biology in the plant is to analyse the upstream of and/or the biomass for parameters that will affect the output, e.g. nutrient concentrations, COD concentrations, etc. OMEX offer full technical support and provide facilities to assess the performance of the bacteria in the plant. The fully accredited OMEX labs are able to offer an in-depth analysis and treatment of all the possible problems related to the biology in a treatment plant, processing brewing industry wastewaters biologically. The technical staff at OMEX will collect a set of samples to establish the status of the biological process.
Acidic Wastewater Neutralisation
Brewing facilities can sometimes yield acidic wastewaters. It is important for these wastewaters to be neutralised first, i.e. pH value around 7 before they are led to a biological treatment. The low pH value in a wastewater intended to be treated biologically can cause rapid deterioration of the biomass, loss of performance and as a result discharging of effluent that will be out of consented limits.
OMEX is the manufacturer of Magmex, a range of non-hazardous, environmentally friendly neutralising products that will help achieve the neutralisation of acidic wastewater in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
Nutrition Supplementation
Brewing facilities can vary in the range and type of raw materials used in production in order to deliver the various products found in the market. It is this variability that makes the operation of wastewater treatment plants unique between sites. The most common issues in biological effluent treatment plants are normally related to the lack of nutrients. This can be a combination of deficiencies, which might include Nitrogen, Phosphorus and a range of trace elements. Each of these macro- or micronutrients will play a role in keeping the biology healthy and as a result help with plant performance optimisation.
OMEX produce a range of non-hazardous nutrient blends that will help with optimising the plant performance and minimise the risk of out-of-consent effluent discharging. By analysing the plant OMEX will be able to recommend the best solution for the specific situation.
Technical Advice
Once a full nutritional analysis of the plant has been undertaken, OMEX will review the test results and technical expert will advise on the best course of action to improve and optimise the process. The OMEX technical team are able to assess the plant via lab analysis and in-depth discussion with the site operator/manager to gain a thorough understanding of any issues the plant is experiencing. Once this process is completed, a tailored product programme is put together along with recommendations and appropriate dosing rates to achieve the desired outcome.
Find out more: Talk to your local OMEX technical expert for advice on the WWT process at your brewing facility. Call: 01553 770092 Email: environmental@omex.com Visit: www.omex.com
