Process water treatment, food industry

The food industry frequently generates highly contaminated process water – containing particles, 1,000–15,000 mg/L COD, as well as sugars, surfactants, fats, and proteins. This mixture leads to fluctuating loads and a pronounced tendency for biofilm formation. This is precisely where our approach comes in: Using food-grade forward osmosis (VO) modules with high separation efficiency, we treat the water gently, prevent biofouling, and enable true recycling. The effect is doubly valuable: Nutrients and valuable substances such as sugars and proteins are retained and can be utilized, while a clear, neutral permeate with <50 mg/L COD is produced – ideal for water reuse in the process. This pays off economically: In the case study, treatment costs dropped from €30.70 to €14 per cubic meter – a saving of €16.70 per m³, without any additional capital expenditure for the customer. Our technology partner in this project is fluvicon.