Anaerobic digestion - a viable option for industrial effluent treatment.

Etheridge, S.P. and Leroff, U.E.A.

Abstract
With increasing environmental pressure on industry, the Hall & Woodhouse Brewery reviewed a number of options for effluent treatment on their site in Dorset, UL. An independent consultancy, Environmental Biotechnology Limited (EBL) was commissioned to undertake a comprehensive Waste Audit and advise on viable options. Anaerobic treatment was selected as the most effective and reliable option in spite of the structural failure of a previous plant. The fact that anaerobic treatment systems do not produce biological sludge was a key factor in the selection of the process as well as its ability to reduce COD/BOD and suspended solids at low hydraulic retention times. A 3,300 m3 digester was designed and project managed by EBL and commissioned in November 1992. The system incorporates novel heating and mixing technology which was subject to a THERMIE award for energy efficiency given by the European Community. The volume of the reactor varies according to the hydraulic load and receives daily flows of more than 700 m3. Since commissioning, the reactor has resulted in COD reductions of greater than 95%.
Keywords : anaerobic brewery construction design efficiency effluent treatment equipment