Going green plus reducing the energy cost with a single modular anaerobic solution

As the world is moving towards an increasingly environmentally conscious context with stringent regulations on environmental compliance, Veolia’s high-rate anaerobic system has enabled manufacturers in food and beverage, pulp and paper, and specific chemical industries to sort out the dilemma of efficient performance and environmental protection.

The Biobed Advance EGSB process, Chemical PTA Industry
• Flow rate: 3,000m3/day
• COD load kg/d: 20,160kg/d
• COD rem. Design: min. 70%

Sustainability is now at the centre of business elsewhere and wastewater treatment is in the spotlight when it comes to sustainability at industrial facilities. Companies may be required to enhance their existing wastewater treatment facility to remain in environmental compliance.

Having been entrusted by regional businesses in their sustainability journey, the Biobed Advanced Expanded Granular Sludge Bed (EGSB) and Biothane Advanced Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) technologies are among the key anaerobic solutions provided by Veolia Water Technologies. They are the next generation of high-rate anaerobic technologies proven to have a reliable, stable and high performance against high cost-effectiveness.

Low operating expenses
Biothane, the anaerobic techno centre of the Veolia group with a continuous drive for development and innovation, has more than 40 years of experience and 700 treatment plants around the world to date. The numerous full-scale plants constructed have confirmed the performance of Veolia anaerobic solutions and shown reductions in overall operating costs, including reduced chemical and post-treatment costs.

While the Biothane Advanced UASB process is maintenance-free, corrosion-free and renowned for its high chemical oxygen demand (COD) breakdown efficiency and producing anaerobic granular sludge, the Biobed Advanced EGSB offers substantially reduced investment cost thanks to the higher volumetric loading rates and the taller reactors.

Biothane Advanced UASB (Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket) process

The Biobed Advanced reactor can be built as a completely closed system, which ensures no odour emission. The system achieves at high reactor loading rates, not only the sludge retention of a UASB system but also achieves similar COD removal efficiencies.

Optimise cash flow and saving footprint – It is possible to install a wastewater system in a residential zone.

In addition to the improved removal rates, anaerobic granular biomass technologies allow organic compounds present in the wastewater to be easily converted into biogas as a by-product. Biogas can be used onsite as a renewable energy source, to reduce the fossil fuel and/or electricity demand of the mill. Installations have shown that wastewater treatment plants can produce more energy than consumed for cleaning the wastewater.

It is an undeniable fact that limited land resources require clients to install a sustainable wastewater solution that not only meets current needs but also feature expansion plans. Veolia anaerobic solutions answer clients’ needs for optimised footprint on small surface areas.

Biobed EGSB (Expanded Granular Sludge Bed) process

The Biobed Advanced EGSB reactor has an extremely compact design that is capable of handling high volumetric loading rates while maintaining high treatment efficiency and is ideal for applications with space constraints. Meanwhile, Biothane Advanced UASB is a process of choice for sites with height limitations, or when it is preferred to be built in a rectangular concrete configuration due to local conditions.

The key component of both the Biobed Advanced EGSB and Biothane Advanced UASB is the advanced settler that efficiently separates the biogas and biomass from the wastewater. This advanced settler is characterised by an innovative design fitting both in the round and square tanks with heights up to 20m.

ABF Ovaltine Effluent Treatment Plant, Thailand
ABF Ovaltine Effluent Treatment Plant, Thailand – Global Water Awards Certificate

Especially in Asia-Pacific where land is a precious resource, the Biobed Advanced EGSB and Biothane Advanced UASB have been the first options for manufacturing sites. Associated British Foods (ABF) in Thailand contracted Veolia to install in-house wastewater technologies, including the Biothane Advanced UASB, in a very limited space of 30mx26m. Additionally, biogas, recovered from the Biothane Advanced UASB, was treated and sent to the existing five-ton-per-hour dual fuel boiler. ABF was considering moving its manufacturing site to a new industrial zone due to the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) issue. With a limited footprint, Veolia not only allowed ABF to remain in its current location, but the WWTP capacity also covered its forecast for the future 10 years. As a result, this project won the Industrial Water Project of the Year by Global Water Intelligence. More information about this project can be found here.

For more information on Veolia’s anaerobic solution, click here.


This is a sponsored article by Veolia.