14.12.2012 Views

9420.pdf

9420.pdf

9420.pdf

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Fine screening is generally used as pretreatment ahead of more advanced physical,<br />

chemical and biological methods. Fish processing plants in which offal is flumed<br />

generally employ coarse screening prior to fine screening. In these facilities the flumes<br />

discharge onto wire mesh conveyors which allow process water to drain to a collection<br />

sump, but retain large offal pieces for transport to an offal hopper.<br />

5.3.3 Flotation<br />

Flotation is a wastewater treatment process in which minute air bubbles are generated in<br />

a reactor vessel. As these bubbles rise to the surface they carry particulate matter and<br />

emulsified oil with them. A skimmer removes the resulting scum to a separate channel<br />

while the treated liquid moves on for further treatment or discharge. The most widely<br />

used flotation technique for food processing wastes is dissolved air flotation (DAF). In<br />

DAFs the liquid effluent is saturated with air inside a pressurized chamber and then<br />

released to a reactor vessel under atmospheric pressure. The resulting pressure drop<br />

causes the wastewater to become supersaturated with air, which consequently causes<br />

the formation of minute bubbles.<br />

The operation of a DAF unit usually requires pretreatment of the process water by<br />

screening. Generally, flotation is effective in removing fats and to a lesser extent<br />

suspended solids, but less effective in reducing BOD, especially soluble BOD. The<br />

addition of coagulant and flocculants is needed for improved BOD and TSS reduction.<br />

Graham and Yacob (1978) reported low protein and total solids removal with DAF without<br />

coagulant addition. Krofta et al. (1988) reported BOD removal of only 35 % and<br />

suspended solids removal of only 26 % for DAF without coagulant addition (on-site field<br />

testing). Existing DAF units located in Europe and operating without chemical addition<br />

also showed low efficiencies in removal of BOD (Table 5.6).<br />

<<br />

DAF is generally not suited for the treatment of fish processing plant effluents in B.C. due<br />

primarily to the large fluctuations in effluent flow and composition, both within and<br />

between seasons, generally experienced by these plants which would reduce the<br />

efficiency of this type of treatment. In addition, a substantial amount of time is generally<br />

required to optimize the operation of flotation plants, particularly when combined with<br />

chemical treatment (see Section 5.3.4). Flotation plants may, therefore, not be optimized<br />

during the relatively short processing seasons such as for herring and salmon. Use of<br />

61

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!