Primary Effluent Treatment: Sovereign Foods

Project Background

Existing infrastructure and technology at Hartbeespoort abattoir required advances to maintain discharge requirements given the substantial increase in production experienced.  Historically, the effluent generated at this site underwent feather removal, solids removal by a static screen and thereafter flowed via a fat trap towards anaerobic ponds before being discharged into the environment. As such, in order to deal with excessive volumes of solids limiting the existing pretreatment, modifications were recommended by Aquest Colsen, consisting of the replacement of the static screen by an automated drum screen and the addition of a Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) system including chemical dosing to remove sediment fats and oils, as well as sludge dewatering equipment.

Performance targets

  Amount unit
Design effluent throughput 1 700 m3/day
Peak design throughput drumscreen 120 m3/h
Peak design throughput DAF 80 m3/h
Sludge volume produced from DAF 6 – 9 m3/h
Estimated DS content 6 – 8 %

Technology used / Solution offered

  • Self-cleaning rotating drumscreen
  • 350m3 buffer tank
  • Polymer makeup & dosing
  • Chemical storage & dosing
  • Flocculator
  • DAF
  • Polymer dosing
  • Thickener reactor
  • Screw press
  • Sludge Handling

Aquest’s added Value

  • Small footprint to fit in existing structures
  • Turnkey Project delivery and integration of all disciplines
  • Design, build and commissioning of plant in short timeline
  • Full project integration into the existing premises
  • Tailor made solution/design

Project Initiation and project completion

The project was initiated in February 2019, construction began in May and the project was completed in October 2019.

Project outcome

  • Reduce operational costs for sludge removal
  • Improved discharge water quality