Anaerobic Demonstration Plant For The Treatment Of Sugar Wastewater
Facts on our local Sugar Industry
The sugar industry is the oldest and largest agro-based industry in Jamaica. It plays a major social and economic role in the Jamaican society.
Currently there are eight (8) sugar factories operating on the island.
The industry provides employment for over 50,000 people and is the third largest earner of foreign exchange.
Each sugar production year a total of approximately 45 million cubic metres of wastewater is produced.
The sugar industry is the largest single source of organic effluent pollution in Jamaica.
A total of up to 30,000 tonnes *COD/ annum is released to the environment.
*COD – Chemical Oxygen Demand – a measure of the pollution load.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SUGAR WASTEWATER
COD
450 mg/l (ave). range 200 – 2000 mg/l
Temperature
33 degrees celsius (ave). range 29 – 38 degrees celsius
pH
range 6.0 – 7.0
Nitrate
4.0 mg/l (ave). range (0.5 – 7.5)
Phosphate
0.58 mg/l (ave). range (0.47 – 0.68)
Conductivity
1.2 mS/cm ave
BOD/COD
approximately 0.5
Anaerobic Treatment
Sugar wastewater is classified as a low strength wastewater due to the fact that the COD concentration is below 3g/l. The effluent leaving the factories have a high quantity of floating matter as well as suspended matter. Compared to other wastewaters, sugar wastewater is easily biologically degraded. For the crop year 1997/98 a 500 cubic metres Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Bed (UASB) reactor was operated at one of the island’s sugar factories and showed COD reduction of over 70%. Suspended solids in treated effluent showed very low values. The reactor was operated at a minimum hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 10 hrs, a 115 litre pilot plant was also operated and showed COD reduction of approximately 80% operating at 8 hrs. HRT. For the treatment of sugar wastewater anaerobically, HRT as low as 6 hrs. can be applied.
Advantages of Anaerobic Treatment
Capital Costs lower than conventional aerobic treatment
Operation and maintenance costs lower than aerobic treatment
Process control much simpler when compared to other methods of treatment
Anaerobic Demonstration Plant For The Treatment Of Sugar Wastewater
Facts on our local Sugar Industry
*COD – Chemical Oxygen Demand – a measure of the pollution load.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SUGAR WASTEWATER
Anaerobic Treatment
Sugar wastewater is classified as a low strength wastewater due to the fact that the COD concentration is below 3g/l. The effluent leaving the factories have a high quantity of floating matter as well as suspended matter. Compared to other wastewaters, sugar wastewater is easily biologically degraded. For the crop year 1997/98 a 500 cubic metres Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Bed (UASB) reactor was operated at one of the island’s sugar factories and showed COD reduction of over 70%. Suspended solids in treated effluent showed very low values. The reactor was operated at a minimum hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 10 hrs, a 115 litre pilot plant was also operated and showed COD reduction of approximately 80% operating at 8 hrs. HRT. For the treatment of sugar wastewater anaerobically, HRT as low as 6 hrs. can be applied.
Advantages of Anaerobic Treatment
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