EWT wins three projects in South West
Eimco Water Technologies’ Industrial Water Management Group wins three projects in South West England.
Eimco Water Technologies’ Industrial Water Management Group focuses on water treatment technologies for purifying and recycling process waters and effluents. From evaluation of the best technical solution to installation, the Industrial Water Management Group can supply complete processes with excellent performance. It has recently been awarded three contracts for industrial wastewater treatment plants in South West England for Jaspers Ltd. at their Treburley and Botathan Abattoirs in Cornwall, and Robert Wiseman & Sons at their new milk processing plant in Bridgwater. The plants utilise Eimco Water Technologies’ Copa membrane bioreactor (MBR) process, which incorporates Kubota’s submerged flat sheet membranes to produce a high quality effluent in a compact footprint.
By working with Jaspers Ltd, Eimco Water Technologies’ Copa MBR process was selected to treat the low flow high load waste streams at the two sites. The high quality effluent from the Eimco Water Technologies’ Copa MBR allows over 40% of the treated effluent to be re-used for applications such as wash down of animal sheds and agricultural vehicles. The cost savings in potable water alone are estimated to be up to £9,000 per year. In addition to the savings through water consumption and waste disposal charges, the Treburley site has recently become the first abattoir to receive a certificate of environmental benefit for its efficient membrane filtration system. This allows the company to claim 100 percent first year Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) on the capital cost of the system. The application form for the ECA allowance at Botathan site is being prepared.
At the two Jaspers Ltd sites, the new wastewater treatment plants are being constructed to treat all the wastewater produced by the abattoir, except the blood which has a different disposal route. At each site, the influent wastewater is screened by a 3mm perforated plate automatic screen. From the screen the wastewater enters the MBR treatment tank where the mixed liquor activated sludge degrades the COD. The MBR treatment tank contains three ES125 panel Kubota flat sheet membrane units which separate the treated effluent from the mixed liquor activated sludge. The membranes also remove bacteria and viruses from the treated water. Due to the high influent COD load, the MBR treatment tank incorporates a fine bubble diffused air zone to ensure the efficient transfer of oxygen to the mixed liquor activated sludge and following this process the required effluent is stored prior to reuse. Permeate that is not reused flows to river.
In addition to these two plants for Jaspers Ltd., Eimco Water Technologies has also been awarded the contract for Robert Wiseman & Sons. Following a feasibility study, UK based, Robert Wiseman & Sons Dairy decided to install EIMCO Water Technologies Copa MBR process plant at their new works in Bridgwater (Somerset).
The feasibility study highlighted two options; discharge to main sewer; on-site treatment with discharge to surface water drainage. The implications of discharging direct to the mains sewerage network included up-grading some of the existing sewer and upgrading the existing receiving works to cope with the additional load. The cost of this program was estimated to be significantly greater than the cost of a suitable onsite treatment process. In addition, it was unlikely the program of work required would be completed in time for the opening of the dairy and there was the on going cost of trade effluent charges to be considered. Having examined a number of process options, the small footprint Eimco Water Technologies Copa MBR process, was considered to offer a number of benefits.
By adopting the compact Eimco Water Technologies Copa MBR process, meant that Robert Wiseman & Sons could accommodate their own treatment plant within the works and discharge their treated waste water direct into a surface drainage ditch, which drains into the Rhyne system. The Eimco Water Technologies Copa MBR process proposed for this project is designed to achieve a discharge consent set by the Environment Agency. It provides flexibility for the plant operator to meet tighter future consent levels if they were imposed, as well as the option to consider water re-use, taking advantage of the Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) scheme, should this prove to be viable.
The planned completion date for the new dairy is currently scheduled for September 2007.
