Evaluation of an Electro-Coagulation technology for removing Total Phosphate from waste water in beef processing

Summary

​Inovin Water Technologies (Inovin) was commissioned to conduct site-based treatment compatibility testing and analysis on a Queensland abattoir's (Test Site) process effluent streams using Electro-Coagulation/Electro-Advanced Oxidation technology.

The waste water effluent streams that were tested and analysed included:

1. Covered Anaerobic Lagoon Effluent – CAL EFF
2. Covered Anaerobic Lagoon Influent – CAL INF
3. Abattoir Red Stream - RED
4. Abattoir Green Stream - GREEN

Inovin deployed their Laboratory Mobile Cell (LMC) in the form of a 20' sea container to the Test Site abattoir operation to commence on-site analysis on the four above-mentioned streams individually.  The Inovin LMC contains a continuous flow waste water treatment system including the WaterMiner® Electrocoagulation / Electro-Advanced oxidisation (EC/EAO) reactor technology.

Each stream was tested with the EC/EAO technology to ascertain each waste stream's contaminant reduction. Third party NATA approved laboratory analysis was performed on the individual stream control samples and the ultimate treated effluent utilising the EC/EAO for validated results on the system performance.

The EC/EAO technology achieved significant contaminant reduction in key areas including Total Nitrogen 48%, Phosphorous 99%, BOD 97%, COD 90%, TSS 99%, FOG 98% and Magnesium 39%. Ammonia and Potassium reduction were minor in affect being 15% and 9% respectfully. Sodium in the form of NaCl increased as NaCl had to be injected to linearize conductivity of the heavily contaminated streams.

The benefit gained from this analysis is in the form of the ability to provide a full scale continuous flow treatment solution to all meat industry participants with waste water contamination issues. The ability to treat and irrigate in an environmentally sustainable method is critical to the future of the meat industry in Australia as a whole.

Blending of all streams is a practical solution depleting complexity and delivering significantly cleaner effluent to the land parcels in the form of irrigation water hence improving plant growth and feed quality.