Organic Wastewater Treatment
Wastewater treatment of high concentration of Total Suspended Solids, Chemical Oxygen Demand & Fats, Oils and Grease
Project overview
Client: Vlevia
Location: Belgium
Industry: Industrial Meat Processing (Beef Cutting)
Project: Treatment following wastewater study
Key Results
Regulatory compliance
Discharge water parameters brought within the limits of the environmental permit.
Grease removal
Effective separation of fats, oils and grease from the process effluent through dissolved air flotation.
Automated operation
The unit runs autonomously with minimal manual intervention, reducing day-to-day operational burden.
The challenge
Vlevia, a beef processing facility, needed a reliable treatment system to bring its wastewater discharges into compliance with its environmental permit before a regulatory deadline.
Vlevia uses around 30 cubic metres of water each day to clean its cutting workshop, generating a wastewater stream that is heavily loaded with suspended solids, organic matter, and fats. Discharging this untreated effluent directly to the sewer was no longer permissible under the site's environmental permit, which sets limits on biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and suspended solids (SS).
A preliminary wastewater characterisation study conducted by Revalio had already established the nature of the effluent and identified a physico-chemical treatment process based on coagulation, flocculation, and dissolved air flotation as the most appropriate solution. With the study complete and the right approach confirmed, the next step was to design, supply, and commission the full treatment installation.
What Revalio delivered
Building directly on the findings of the study, Revalio designed and commissioned a complete wastewater treatment unit tailored to Vlevia's site constraints and flow profile. The unit was delivered in a thermally insulated 20-foot container with integrated temperature control, making it self-contained and suitable for year-round outdoor installation.
The scope of work included:
Buffer tank sizing and installation to absorb peak flows during cleaning hours and feed the treatment unit at a constant, controlled rate.
Supply and installation of a DAF unit from Ventilaqua, incorporating coagulation, flocculation, and dissolved air flotation in a single automated package.
Sludge storage provision with a dedicated tank to collect and hold flotation sludge between scheduled removal cycles.
How it works
The treatment process follows four stages, each playing a specific role in separating the contaminants from the water.
Coagulation. A ferric chloride coagulant is dosed into the effluent to destabilise the colloidal grease particles and suspended solids. These particles carry a natural electrical charge that keeps them dispersed in water; the coagulant neutralises that charge, allowing the particles to come together.
pH correction. Caustic soda is added under automatic pH control to bring the effluent to the right acidity for the coagulant to work effectively and to encourage the formation of stable flocs.
Flocculation. A high-molecular-weight polyacrylamide flocculant is then dosed to bind the destabilised particles into larger, heavier aggregates known as flocs, which are much easier to separate from the water.
Dissolved air flotation (DAF). Millions of microscopic air bubbles are introduced into the flocculated effluent. The bubbles attach to the flocs and carry them to the surface, where a mechanical scraper removes them as a concentrated sludge. Because the grease-laden flocs are less dense than water, flotation is significantly more effective than conventional settling and requires far less tank volume to achieve the same result.
The entire process is managed by a programmable logic controller (PLC) that handles chemical dosing, recirculation, flotation, and sludge discharge automatically. Operators only need to top up the chemical tanks and carry out routine maintenance. Remote monitoring and control is available via a web interface, allowing real-time visibility of key process parameters and quick response to any alarms without requiring a site visit.
Results
✓ Discharge water parameters successfully reduced, bringing the site into compliance with its environmental permit.
✓ Effective removal of fats, oils, and grease through dissolved air flotation, achieving the separation efficiency demonstrated in the preliminary lab tests.
✓ Fully automated operation minimises the need for operator intervention, with chemical dosing and sludge management handled by the control system.
✓ Remote monitoring capability gives Revalio and the client real-time oversight of the installation, reducing response times and maintenance costs.
✓ Compact, containerised installation suited to the site footprint, up and running within the regulatory deadline.
Need to bring your discharge in line?
Whether you need a study, a full installation, or both, Revalio handles the whole process from characterisation to commissioning.