Waste Water from Food Production
Wastewater is not a condition like the flu that you can catch. Wastewater issues stem from human activities. It's a self-made problem.
Wastewater can be reduced and designed.
Waste water is produced
Wastewater is the result of water-consuming activities such as washing, heating, cleaning, etc. The mixing of organic substances and drinking water produces process water. Several process waters make up the wastewater. The quantity and composition of wastewater is dynamic and changes over time. The food industry is often water-intensive, which leads to considerable water requirements. Consumption can be reduced by reusing water. The quantity and composition of wastewater can be reduced by innovative membrane processes. Water and organic materials are recovered as recyclable resources.
It pays to recycle process water
Process water
Process water is water that is used within an industrial production process. In the food industry, it is a mixture of drinking water and a specific foodstuff. Process water and wastewater are distinct. Process water is narrowly defined and specific to particular operations. Wastewater, however, typically contains a broader and more varied mixture of components.
Recycling at the source
By using membrane filtration, companies can filter and recycle the process water where it is produced, directly at the source, where drinking water is mixed with organics. Some of the filtered ingredients can be reused in processing (internally, externally). Some of the filtered water can also be reused in the production process, reducing the need for fresh water.
Recycle water and ingredients
Membrane technology is used to extract valuable components from process water. Ultrafiltration can be used to recover proteins, fats and colorants from rinsing water, for example, which can then be used in other products. New products are created from the retentate of process water filtration by combining it with enzymes and other additives. Water is recovered and reused in the plant.
Savings
Saving water not only means lower water consumption, but also savings on the technical equipment required for transportation, treatment and storage.