This case study, in collaboration with Sugam Paryavaran Vikalp, addresses issues faced by a chemical manufacturer. The company was looking to install an efficient wastewater treatment plant to treat wastewater effectively.
Overview
Our customer, one of the largest integrated chemical companies in India, is headquartered in Vaisad, Gujarat. With 140 brands and over 900 products, they serve clients in 83 countries across 30 industries, reflecting a strong commitment to excellence in all operations.
They were looking for efficient wastewater management for one of their plants in Gujrat. The company wanted to ensure compliance with the pollution board standard.
Problem
Untreated industrial wastewater is a huge problem in India. According to the UN, only 60% of industrial wastewater is treated in the country. This water can cause several problems, such as contaminating the environment and processing streams, and exposure to the wastewater can cause health problems.
Industrial wastewater plants face the following challenges:
- Footprint and facilities: Newer regulations and stricter compliance may require additional space and investment. Additionally, older technologies require more space and are more labour-intensive.
- Cost of treatment chemical: Plants often require chemicals, and supply chain and price issues can cause problems. Operators have to get creative and look for alternatives.
- Sludge: Using inorganic coagulants, while cheaper, can lead to higher sludge volumes and disposal costs due to their inability to dewater effectively.
- Energy consumption: Operating equipment, especially equipment like aeration blowers (to apply oxygen) and pumps for filtration, consumes a significant amount of energy.
- Operator skill: Recruiting skilled operators who can manage sophisticated automated wastewater treatment systems can be challenging.
Types of Wastewater Treatment
Wastewater treatment plays a vital role in protecting our environment and public health. This process involves various methods, each with its own strengths and applications. Let’s delve into some of the most common technologies utilized:
Soil Biotechnology
The Indian Institute of Technology (IITB) developed Soil Biotechnology or SBT. This innovative technology was developed after two decades of in-depth research and offers a unique and environmentally friendly way to treat wastewater.
SBT harnesses the fundamental reactions in nature—respiration, photosynthesis, and mineral weatherin in a specially designed environment. This controlled geological media” houses carefully selected micro- and macro-organisms that work together to purify the wastewater. You can think of SBT as a self-sustaining biological engine that supplies oxygen.
It is designed to address the purification of contaminated municipal and industrial wastewater. The treated water quality surpasses the statutory requirements of CPCB and state PCBs.
Activated sludge process (ASP)
ASP or Actively sludge process (ASP) treats oxidise organic waste present in wastewater. It works by injecting air or oxygen into the raw sewage through an aeration system. This stimulates the growth of bacteria that consume the organic matter, releasing CO2 and water, leaving behind a brown floc (clump) of settled matter.
Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBRs)
Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBRs) are an activated sludge process used for wastewater treatment, focusing on treating wastewater in batches. They involve a sequence of steps in a tank reactor, promoting microbial removal, settling suspended solids, and drawing clear effluent. SBRs are flexible and can operate continuously by having multiple reactors, making them suitable for areas with large flow variations. They are a popular aerobic treatment technology used to treat municipal wastewater and wastewater from various industries, including refineries and petrochemical plants. They can enhance the removal of nitrogen, phosphorus, ammonia, total suspended solids (TSS), and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD).
Membrane bioreactor
Membrane bioreactors (MBR) combine biological treatment with microfiltration/ultrafiltration membranes, offering superior wastewater treatment. There are two configurations:
- Submerged: Membranes reside within the biological reactor, directly immersed in water.
- Side stream: Membranes act as a separate stage, treating wastewater after the biological process.
MBRs use the membrane to separate solids from salt, creating reusable effluents. MBR manufacturers commonly use polymeric membranes, especially PVDF, because of the durability and resilience of the material.
Moving bed biofilm treatment
Moving Bed Biofilm Treatment (MBBT) actively treats wastewater, serving municipal and industrial needs economically and efficiently. It operates as an activated aeration system, utilizing recycled plastic carriers to gather sludge. These carriers boast extensive internal surfaces, ensuring optimal interaction with water, air, and bacteria. MBBT excels in removing organic substances, facilitating nitrification, and promoting denitrification.
Comparisons between different wastewater treatment
From the table it is clear that soil biotechnology has a clear edge. Additional SBT plants looks asthetic compared to other treatment methods.
Solution
The client opted to go in soil biotechnology to treat the wastewater at their plant. The plant could effectively meet the pollution norms. Let us examine the SBT solution in greater detail.
How does it work?
The SBT system is based on the principle of trickling filtration using a natural ecosystem within a controlled environment. It combines physical processes like sedimentation and infiltration with biochemical processes to remove suspended solids, and organic and inorganic components from the wastewater.
The SBT system comprises several key components:
- Raw water tank: Holds the untreated wastewater before it enters the treatment process.
- Bioreactor containment: This is the heart of the system, housing the media layer and facilitating the biological treatment.
- Treated water tank: Stores the cleaned water after it exits the bioreactor.
- Piping and pumps: These components are essential for transferring water between different tanks and ensuring proper flow through the system.
The system houses RCC, stonemasonry, or earthen embarkment (soil buds) to create a water-tight container. The container has distinct layers, and each layer plays an important role:
- Underdrain layer: This bottom layer allows the treated water to drain away after the cleaning process.
- Culture layer or media layer: The layer resembles soil and contains culture (microbial and macroorganisms) and bioindicator plants; it is also called the constructed soil filter.
- Additive layer(optional): This layer, if present, can be used to pre-treat the wastewater.
Treatment process
- The wastewater enters the system through the raw water tank.
- The water may pass through the additive layer for processing in the media layer.
- The media layer is where the microorganisms and plants work through photosynthesis, respiration, and mineral breakdown, and remove contaminants from the water.
- The water passes through the underdrain layer for further processing before being stored in the storage tank, ready for reuse or further treatment. Depending on your requirements, you can opt for a single-stage or multi-stage cleaning.
Applications
The treated wastewater could be reused for various applications, like
Key Features of SBT
- Green technology with green chemistry
- Requires very little energy to operate
- No secondary bio-sludge generation
- There are no greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), unlike other wastewater treatment methods.
- Tertiary treatment is not required.
- There is no maintenance during the breakdown period.
- Practical runs on zero discharge loading
- Low operating costs compared to other wastewater treatment methods.
- It can deliver zero discharge compliance.
- Effective in removing BOD, COD, and suspended solids.
- Successfully removes colour, odour, and ammonia from the wastewater.
About Sugam Paryvaran Vikalp Private Limited
Sugam Paryavaran Vikalp, established in 2005, offers verified wastewater treatment solutions from Mumbai. With a team of 17, they specialize in water treatment solutions, catering to diverse industries such as pharma, oil & gas, chemicals, and food processing. Led by Managing Director Dr. Avinash Kadam with 18 years of experience, Sugam Paryavaran Vikalp ensures quality and reliability in their services.
Products offered:
- Sewage Treatment Plants.
- Industrial Effluent Treatment Plants.
- Grey Water Recycling.
- Lake Restoration & River Cleaning.
- Zero Liquid Discharge Solutions.
- Waste Water Purifier.
- Wastewater treatment plant
Industries served
- Pharma, Life Sciences & Medical Devices
- Oil & Gas
- Chemicals
- Food Processing & Beverage
- Automotive, Farm and earthmoving equipment
- Agriculture
- Industrial Machinery & Tools
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