There is no doubt that water and wastewater management is a critical part of the food and beverage (F&B) manufacturing process.
Apart from critical challenges with water and wastewater management, F&B manufacturers also need to consider issues like compliance with effluent discharge regulations, budget constraints (as wastewater is not viewed as a direct contributor to revenue), and limited availability of space.
Food manufacturing facilities typically consume high volumes of water and generate wastewater with high organic concentration. Besides having to deal with the high organic load, wastewater treatment at F&B manufacturing facilities can also be particularly difficult to manage due to changes to the influent — often caused by factors like fluctuations in production volume or changes in manufacturing operations.
Finding a solution that checks all the boxes can be a daunting process, but technologies that can help manufacturers overcome these common wastewater management challenges already exist. One approach that simplifies the search is to look at pre-engineered modular solutions that feature packaged technologies — pre-selected to address various needs.
Here are some ways that modular solutions can address the challenges that F&B manufacturers face:
- Compact technologies
Land is often costly and scarce. Sometimes, there are physical limitations that can make it challenging for businesses to acquire suitable wastewater treatment systems that meet the required output. As for manufacturers looking to integrate new solutions to existing set-ups, space can also be an issue as the original facility designs would not have accounted for these additional systems. For these reasons, compact solutions with small footprint can enable manufacturers to better optimise processes and find a balance between space and efficiency. - Shorter project execution time
With either ready-to-install modules or ready-to-build solutions that feature pre-engineered solutions and pre- selected equipment, manufacturers looking to build a new plant or update an existing plant can expect a much shorter runway from planning to delivery. These modular solutions can simplify the execution of a project and shorten construction time significantly. - Flexibility
Planning ahead can be a difficult task for manufacturers in the ever-changing business climate. In some cases, wastewater treatment plants may reach their capacity limit and become overloaded, resulting in non-compliance to effluent discharge targets. One way to get around such uncertainties is to acquire modular wastewater treatment systems, which allows manufacturers to easily adapt existing plant designs to address both current and forecasted needs, and to efficiently handle subsequent peaks in load or concentration. Modular technologies also offer the advantage of being easily replicated, which can facilitate any expansion plans (e.g. future production line or new plant in another site). - Proven solutions with process guarantee
At Veolia Water Technologies, we offer robust and proven technologies that help manufacturers find a balance between upfront investments and long-term operation costs. These solutions are both competitive and effective, and boasts the ability to support manufacturers in overcoming challenges posed by variations in influent conditions while meeting regulatory requirements for effluent discharge. In addition, we also offer a process guarantee on our technologies to ensure a trouble-free performance.
Veolia Water Technologies is a global leader in water and wastewater treatment with a proven track record, as well as a comprehensive range of patented modular technologies that can address the F&B industry’s every water and wastewater treatment need. Depending on the type of wastewater effluent, we can offer an effective aerobic or anaerobic modular wastewater treatment solution (backed by AnoxKaldnesTM and Biothane patents), or even a combination of both, to help manufacturers overcome their wastewater treatment challenges.