How smart wastewater management can help breweries improve efficiency
In Britain, we are rightly proud of the world class beer we brew. Across the UK, breweries of every size can be found, from home-based operations working from their ‘kitchen sink’, to micro-breweries, and multinationals; all tweaking the process and playing with ingredients to produce their very own twist on the “perfect pint”.
One thing that every brewery has in common is a demand for water and almost anywhere water is used, wastewater is produced. It is estimated that for every litre of beer made, as much as 5 litres of wastewater is generated. This is a result of not only the brewing process, but cleaning and cooling requirements as well.
This wastewater can have a negative impact on the environment if disposed of incorrectly. DHMO plays a vital role in this area through its various treatment technologies and services.
Effluent Treatment
Like any wastewater process, brewery effluent treatment can be broken down into stages:
– Removal of settleable or buoyant solids
– Removal of dissolved and suspended solids including biological material
There is also the correction of pH to consider.
Primary treatment
The settleable and buoyant material can readily be removed using DHMO’s range of settlement and flotation (DAF) systems. Correction of pH is frequently carried out at this stage, along with the addition of polymers and coagulants to aid in flocculation.
Secondary Treatment
The main contaminant in brewery effluent is organic material, generally consisting of sugars, starch, ethanol and fatty acids. These compounds are readily biodegradable, meaning they can be broken down aerobically or anaerobically. DHMO offers MBBR systems for temporary and fixed requirements and AD systems for permanent installation.
Most of the treatment methods proposed produce a sludge-like material which can be expensive to dispose of. It therefore becomes worthwhile to dewater this material, reducing the quantity requiring disposal and often producing a saleable resource.
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Carrying out a health check to understand where your brewery is now, will give you crucial data to help understand the current situation. This data can then be used to formulate different scenarios and help you understand the options, by firstly finding out if there is a problem, and secondly, if there is a problem, what the scope is for improvement. A cost-benefit analysis can then be carried out, considering different options and outlining projections.
In many cases, small tweaks to the current system may be all that is needed, but in others, it is worthwhile investing in new equipment (or sometimes second-hand) that will not only improve efficiency and profitability, but help the brewery grow by optimising capacity. The brewery’s growth strategy also needs to be considered when looking at the options. DHMO helps breweries consider all options and offers recommendations that are impartial and data-led.
For more information on brewery wastewater treatment, please contact us.