Food Processing Wash Water Treatment

Food Processing Has Unique Wastewater Chemistry

Meat, poultry, dairy, and vegetable processing facilities generate high volumes of wash water with characteristically high fat, oil, and grease (FOG) load and high biological oxygen demand (BOD). The fats solidify in the municipal sewer at low temperature; the BOD overloads the downstream municipal treatment plant. Regional sewer consents impose tight limits on both, often requiring on site pre treatment.

DAF Plus Grease Interception Train

The standard SorbiTech treatment train stages a dissolved air flotation (DAF) unit for the bulk FOG and suspended solids, a downstream grease interceptor for the residual fat, and an activated carbon polishing bed for the dissolved organics. For high BOD effluents (especially dairy and beer brewing), an upstream anaerobic digestion stage recovers methane and reduces the BOD load by 70 to 90 percent.

Food Grade Materials of Construction

Wetted materials in food processing wastewater treatment are typically 316L stainless steel for the FDA and EU food contact compliance, even though the water is wastewater rather than process water. This prevents cross contamination during plant cleaning and supports the operator HACCP and ISO 22000 audit.

Delivery and Sector

Delivered turnkey by SorbiTech for integration into the operator wastewater treatment plant or as a fabricated skid by SorbiTech. The SorbiTech activated carbon is supplied as food grade where the polishing duty re uses the water back into the process. Sector coverage is food and beverage and industrial water treatment.