Case Study: Cost-Effective Wastewater Treatment Solution for a Spice Processing Facility

Background

A leading spice processing facility in the Greater Montreal area specializes in blending spices and marinades for industrial food production. Due to rigorous cleaning and sanitation requirements, the facility generated substantial wastewater volumes containing various contaminants, such as oils, greases, suspended solids, and organic residues. Ensuring regulatory compliance posed a challenge, given strict city wastewater discharge limits.

Challenges

The facility faced multiple wastewater treatment challenges, including:

Limited space available for new wastewater treatment equipment.
Budgetary constraints requiring a highly cost-effective solution.
Variability in wastewater quality, notably significant fluctuations in pH.
Regulatory pressures from municipal authorities demanding prompt improvements.

BIODE’s Innovative, Numerical Modeling-Driven Solution

Recognizing the constraints of cost and available space, BIODE Engineering Consulting adopted a numerical modeling approach to design an optimized, compact wastewater treatment solution:

Detailed Water use study:
- Made use of clamp-on flowmeters to determine the amount of water used in each part of the factory and during different production periods.
Numerical Modeling for System Optimization:
- Employed MATLAB-based numerical modeling to simulate wastewater behavior under various treatment scenarios.
- Specifically modeled the pH buffering capabilities of different grease separator capacities to identify the optimal size.
Space-Efficient Treatment System Design:
- Selected a precisely sized, above-ground grease separator based on modeling results, effectively balancing space constraints and treatment capacity.
- Incorporated an integrated equalization system within the separator design to stabilize wastewater pH fluctuations.
Cost Optimization:
- Maximized the use of existing infrastructure and minimized additional equipment investments through precise modeling.
- Recommended targeted chemical dosing and monitoring practices, significantly reducing operational costs.

Results Achieved

Cost-Effective Compliance: Achieved full regulatory compliance using a simplified treatment system design, substantially below anticipated budget requirements (roughly 50 000, instead of the propose $1 million + quotes received.
Optimized Space Utilization: Numerical modeling permitted the selection of equipment precisely sized to available space, avoiding costly infrastructure expansions.
Operational Savings: Implemented proportional chemical dosing and efficient monitoring, achieving significant annual cost reductions.
Regulatory Success: Ensured consistent compliance with city wastewater discharge regulations, addressing all contaminant concerns efficiently.

Conclusion

BIODE’s numerical modeling-driven approach effectively addressed the spice processing facility's unique challenges, demonstrating that regulatory compliance and environmental excellence can be economically achievable even within tight spatial and budgetary constraints.

BIODE Engineering Consulting continues to provide innovative and affordable wastewater treatment solutions tailored specifically to client needs.