Water savings and sludge minimization in a beet-sugar factory through re-design of the wastewater treatment facility

The task of rehabilitating the already existing waste treatment facilities of a sugar factory was undertaken. A detailed survey of the water and wastewater streams indicated a necessity for immediate action towards water conservation within the plant. The spent waters from the beet-washing unit were first being intercepted at an integrated solids–liquid separation system (ISLSS) where they were partially recycled for reuse. Sludge from the ISLSS was going to an end-of-pipe treatment plant composed of lagoons. In order to conserve and recycle water, it was firstly deemed essential to modify the operating regime of the ISLSS. Consequently the sludge going to the lagoons could be decreased by one third. Next, the existing lagoons were re-arranged to comply with the discharge standards, at a very little extra cost.