Characteristics of wastewater from food processing sector
The characteristics and quantity of wastewater discharged from food processing units vary with the type of product and production procedure adopted. Wherever food in any form is handled, processed, packed and stored, there will always be unavoidable wastewater generated. This wastewater generated from food production and processing is a major source of environmental pollution. It is also costly to treat this wastewater as it contains large quantities of nutrients, carbon, nitrogenous compounds, suspended and dissolved solids and it has high biochemical and chemical oxygen demands.
What is an oil water separator?
An oil water separator is a piece of equipment used to treat wastewater by removing oils, grease and hydrocarbons from wastewater in an industrial or commercial locations or at a place where water could get contaminated with oil. It is based on separation and differences in density. Oil water separators are specifically designed to target oil which rises to the top, heavier sludge settles to the bottom leaving wastewater in the middle layer.
Why need of oil water separators in food processing industry?
Any business/ factory that has oil in its wastewater needs an oil water separator to make its wastewater compliant with the prescribed standards. Food industry wastewater is filled with contaminants such as solid food, oil, grease, nutrients etc. Efficient removal of all these contaminants is required before this wastewater can flow into water treatment systems for further treatment. A water oil separator helps in this process.
Types of water oil separator
Different types of oil water separators are:
1: Conventional gravity separators
2: Parallel plate gravity separators
3: Hydrocyclone water oil separator system
4: Floatation separators
How does water-oil separator work?
After wastewater passes through bar screens to separate out the large solids, it is funneled into the water oil separator to undergo further treatment. Mostly, the wastewater travels across a series of plates which are generally kept inclined to increase the surface area.
These plates help to separate oil, water, and sludge into three distinct zones. The heavy sludge and suspended solids get zoned out to the bottom. As wastewater passes over these series of plates, oil particulates are plunged over the surface, allowing them to collect and form larger globules, increasing buoyancy. This helps more of the oil to separate and rise to the top of the water. The inclined series of parallel plates increase the surface area. Wastewater must pass over the inclination of these plates. It helps to force the oil up to surfaces where it can coalesce and form larger particles. The oil water separator ensures that majority of oil and sludge is removed before wastewater goes on to a finer filtration processes.
The water oil separator mainly consists of three units:
1. Separator Unit: Oil having density lower than water floats on top and is collected into oil collection compartment and the remaining wastewater which settles down is taken for further treatment.
2. Filter Unit: In this stage, two coalesce filters are installed. The first filter removes any physical impurities present and the second filter uses coalesce filter elements to achieve final filtration.
Clean water then leaves the 2nd stage to a clean water holding tank.
3. Oil content monitoring unit: The ppm of oil is continuously monitored by Oil Content Monitor (OCM); if the ppm is high it will give an alarm. The control unit keeps monitoring the output signal of OCM and if alarm arises, it does not allow the oily water to go overboard.
Conclusion
If you need any information about types of wastewater treatment plants best suited for you, get in touch with Netsol water. An expert from our technical sales team can provide any additional information you require.
Netsol water is one of the leading water and wastewater treatment company in India with services in the field of WTP plant manufacturing, WWTP plant manufacturing and much more.
Netsol Water is Greater Noida-based leading water & wastewater treatment plant manufacturer. We are industry's most demanding company based on client review and work quality. We are known as best commercial RO plant manufacturers, industrial RO plant manufacturer, sewage treatment plant manufacturer, Water Softener Plant Manufacturers and effluent treatment plant manufacturers. Apart from this 24x7 customer support is our USP. Call on +91-9650608473, or write us at enquiry@netsolwater.com for any support, inquiry or product-purchase related query.
