Sustainable wastewater treatment with
proven results from Biowater Technology
After three years of operation, the “The results are beyond expectations. The While traditional treatment plants require
wastewater treatment plant at the plant works well and gives us an energy a lot of space, consume chemicals and
Smaken av Grimstad, has solved surplus in the form of heat, which we will produce a lot of sludge, this process
challenges and opened new opportunities. eventually utilize to our advantage. The is the opposite. It takes up little space
The treatment process is sustainable; it process is so efficient that it also allows and utilizes the wastewater resources
produces renewable energy in the form for reuse of water” says quality manager in a direct way. The heart of the
of methane, minimal sludge and a treated Sigmund Leiros of Smaken av Grimstad. plant is a vertical reactor of methane
wastewater with great potential for reuse.
Processes that utilise organic waste
The Smaken av Grimstad processing to make biogas are not new, but doing
facility in Southern Norway produces so with industrial wastewater is more
over 40 varieties of fruit and vegetable complicated. Food and beverage
products. In 2016, the facility increased production in close proximity to residential
production and by consequence surroundings demands clean and
wastewater volumes, which come from odourless treatment which is offered
the washing of the natural ingredients. through the process. The quality of
Even with a significant reduction in water
consumption achieved over the previous
5 years, wastewater from the facility
had long been to the point of bursting
for the local municipal wastewater
treatment plant. It was for this reason
Smaken av Grimstad decided to build its
own treatment plant, which solved the
problem.
The solution is sustainable and
environmentally friendly, and at the
same time as providing great savings to
Smaken av Grimstad, has softened the
municipality's challenges.
46 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
wastewater varies significantly, so often
producing microorganisms, which live
off the wastewater. The microorganisms
consume the organic compounds in the
water, which is fed from a buffer tank
to allows for flow variations from the
factory. The biological process requires
no chemicals, but nutrient for organism
growth and pH is adjusted slightly prior to
treatment.
technology becomes more complex At the top of the tank, the process ends
to meet the discharge requirements. with an aerated biofilm plant, which
The solution for Smaken of Grimstad removes residues of organic matter
has therefore been followed with great and any odours. A smart feature of the
interest in the Norwegian food industry solution is that sludge from top part falls
and is ready for deployment globally by back into the first part of the plant for
Biowater Technology and their network of digestion, contributing to stable operation,
international partners. less sludge in the output and high gas
“An article in the magazine
Næringsmiddelindustrien put us on track
with the Norwegian company Biowater
Technology, who has delivered the
solution, says Smaken av Grimstad CEO
Jan Rommetveit.
production. It can be run with periodic
sludge removal but has rarely been
necessary for the Smaken av Grimstad
project.