The Pencaitland Maltings Plant near Edinburgh, one of five plants operated by major UK maltster Bairds Malt, is operating after replacing its bio-filters, treating an effluent flow of 550 m3/day.
With an annual malt production capacity of 47,000 tonnes, the majority destined for the distilling industry, the Pencaitland Maltings Plant uses significant quantities of water in the steeping and germination processes.
The new bio-filtration system plays a key role in reducing the pollutant load in wastewater discharged from production processes.
Designed by ACWA Services, part of the ACWA Group, the system was designed to reduce BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand) load by more than 90%, which has directly reduced the plant’s trade effluent charges.
ACWA Services was responsible as Principal Contractor for all aspects of the project including the decommissioning and demolition of the existing biofilters, which had reached the end of their useful life and the design, supply, installation and commissioning of the new bio-filtration solution.
This incorporated two identical bio-filters complete with structured media and effluent distribution systems, recirculation pumps, together with electrical and minor civil works. The project was completed in eight months.
Ensuring the Pencaitland plant remained fully operational while the wastewater biofilters were replaced was a key challenge, the company said. This was achieved by installing a temporary Submerged Aerated Filter (SAF) unit to operate in parallel with the existing biofilters to enable each one to be replaced in turn.
Peter Brewer, ACWA Services’ UK general manager, said: “Wastewater bio-filtration solutions to reduce trade effluent loads from production processes are crucial to a range of industries to minimise their environmental impact, ensure compliance and reduce costs.”
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