Disha Foods Pvt. Ltd.
The Challenge
Treating One of the Strongest Effluents in Food Manufacturing
Disha Foods engaged Spans Envirotech to design an effluent treatment plant for a biscuit and confectionery manufacturing facility near Hyderabad. Biscuit-line wastewater is among the most concentrated organic streams in the food sector — the design basis put industrial effluent at COD around 18,000 mg/L, BOD around 9,000 mg/L, TSS around 4,000 mg/L and fats, oils and grease around 500 mg/L, with pH swinging between 3 and 7.
Alongside this high-strength industrial stream, the facility generates roughly 35 m³/day of communal sewage. The client wanted both streams treated in a single, combined plant to a quality clean enough for on-site reuse in toilet flushing and gardening — reducing fresh-water demand at the site.
Key Issues:
- !Very high-strength industrial effluent: COD ~18,000 mg/L, BOD ~9,000 mg/L, FOG ~500 mg/L
- !Wide influent pH range (3–7) demanding robust equalization and neutralization
- !Combined treatment of industrial effluent (~12 m³/day) and communal sewage (~35 m³/day)
- !Treated water quality suitable for reuse in flushing and gardening
The Solution
A Value-Engineered Aerobic Scheme After a Full Technology Trade-Off Study
Rather than default to a capital-heavy train, Spans' engineers ran a structured trade-off study — DAF versus gravity FOG removal, anaerobic versus aerobic biology (including a biogas-recovery payback analysis of roughly four years), and alternative sludge-dewatering and filtration options. The conclusion was a leaner aerobic-only scheme that meets the reuse-grade targets at lower capital cost and footprint than the anaerobic/DAF/UF alternatives.
The recommended 47 m³/day train sequences equalization, a batch TSS-and-FOG removal step, and an effluent-and-sewage mixing tank, followed by two aeration stages each with clarification, then filtration and disinfection before the treated water is stored for reuse. Sludge is routed to a holding tank and dewatering beds. Spans' scope covered CTE/CTO documentation support, process and detailed engineering, equipment supply and fabrication, site integration, piping, electrical and instrumentation, testing and commissioning — with civil works and major bought-out pumps and blowers in the client's scope.
Technologies Deployed:
Implementation Timeline:
Water Balance & Effluent Characterisation
Established the site water balance and design basis — industrial effluent (~12 m³/day, COD ~18,000 mg/L) and communal sewage (~35 m³/day) — as the foundation for scheme selection.
Technology Trade-Off Study
Compared DAF vs gravity FOG removal, anaerobic vs aerobic biology with biogas-recovery payback, and filtration options — recommending a leaner aerobic scheme for cost and footprint efficiency.
Process & Detailed Engineering
Developed the 47 m³/day process design, equipment sizing, PFD/GA drawings and equipment datasheets for the combined ETP + sewage train with reuse.
Supply, Integration & Commissioning Scope
EPC-style scope covering equipment supply and fabrication, site integration, piping, electrical and instrumentation, testing, commissioning and stabilization.
The Results
Engineering & Design Highlights
47 m³/day
Design Capacity
Combined industrial effluent (~12 m³/day) and communal sewage (~35 m³/day) in a single plant
18,000 → <200 mg/L
COD Design Target
Process designed to take high-strength biscuit effluent to reuse-grade quality
Reuse
Treated Water
Designed for on-site reuse in toilet flushing and gardening to cut fresh-water demand
Value-Engineered
Approach
Aerobic scheme selected after a full DAF / anaerobic / UF trade-off study for cost efficiency
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