IFFCO International
The Challenge
Diagnosing an Underperforming ETP at a Complex Food Manufacturing Facility
IFFCO International operates a large-scale food manufacturing facility in Dubai producing confectionery, chocolate, and processed food products for regional and international markets. Manufacturing operations generate a complex and variable wastewater stream — drawing from equipment cleaning-in-place, confectionery line washdowns, chocolate mould washing, packaging area cleaning, ammonia refrigeration condenser condensate, utility boiler blowdown, and facility-wide wash water. The combined wastewater is characterised by high organic loading from food residues, fats and oils from confectionery processing, and a significant dissolved solids contribution from cleaning chemicals and process condensates.
The existing multi-stage ETP — comprising coarse screening, inlet lifting, oil removal, two-stage aeration, dissolved air flotation (DAF), a Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) polishing stage, pressure sand filtration, and treated water storage — had been experiencing a cluster of operational challenges. Treated effluent TDS was approaching or exceeding Dubai Municipality disposal limits. The DAF floatation unit was receiving solids loads above its hydraulic design capacity during peak production periods. Chemical consumption — particularly polyaluminium chloride (PAC), caustic soda (NaOH), and polymer — was elevated relative to the wastewater volumes being treated. Biological treatment efficiency in the aeration and MBBR stages was affected by temperature variability. IFFCO engaged Spans Envirotech to conduct a structured ETP operations improvement assessment and prepare a value engineering report identifying the root causes and a prioritised path to compliance.
Key Issues:
- !Treated effluent TDS approaching or exceeding Dubai Municipality disposal limits — with caustic soda dosing for pH correction identified as a significant contributor to dissolved solids loading in the treated stream
- !DAF floatation unit receiving suspended solids and hydraulic load above design capacity during peak production shifts, reducing oil and suspended solids capture efficiency
- !PAC consumption in the coagulation-floatation stage appearing above the optimised minimum effective dose — requiring jar test verification to establish the correct dosing rate
- !Temperature effects on aerobic biological treatment efficiency — the aeration tanks and MBBR not consistently operating within the optimal temperature range required for target COD removal
- !Chlorine consumption for post-treatment disinfection elevated — contact time and dosing rate requiring calibration against Dubai Municipality effluent standards
- !Mechanical screening system approaching end of maintenance cycle — solid breakthrough to downstream stages contributing to floatation overload
The Solution
End-to-End Process Audit with Stage-by-Stage Performance Mapping and Prioritised Improvement Roadmap
Spans Envirotech's assessment began with a structured data collection phase — compiling flow records, chemical consumption logs, and wastewater quality measurements at multiple sampling points across the treatment train. April operating data was compiled and analysed to establish baseline performance at each unit process, mapping COD, TDS, TSS, and BOD through every stage from inlet to final effluent. This stage-by-stage mass balance revealed where treatment performance was degrading and quantified the contribution of each unit operation to the final effluent quality gap.
The most significant finding from the analysis was the caustic soda–TDS interaction. Caustic soda (NaOH) dosed into the treatment process for pH correction was contributing directly to elevated TDS in the treated effluent — the sodium ions added by NaOH remain dissolved and pass through biological and filtration treatment unchanged. Spans evaluated lime (Ca(OH)₂) as a technically superior alternative: lime raises pH through precipitation chemistry, generating a settleable calcium carbonate floc that is captured in the DAF and settling stages and removed as sludge — rather than adding dissolved sodium to the water stream. A detailed laboratory test procedure for caustic-versus-lime comparative testing was designed and provided to the IFFCO operations team, along with a PAC jar test protocol for dosage optimisation. Recommendations were also developed for increasing the Air-to-Solid (A/S) ratio in the DAF floatation unit to improve separation efficiency, adding a pre-treatment DAF upstream of the aeration tanks, installing online pH measurement and automated dosing, and a structured screening system overhaul schedule.
Technologies Deployed:
Implementation Timeline:
Phase 1: ETP Performance Audit & Data Compilation
Compiled flow records and wastewater quality measurements at all treatment stages. Mapped COD, TDS, TSS, and BOD profiles from inlet through each unit process to the final effluent. Quantified actual versus design performance gap for each unit operation and identified the stages contributing most significantly to compliance shortfall.
Phase 2: Chemical Consumption Analysis & Root Cause Identification
Analysed PAC, polymer, caustic soda, and chlorine consumption against daily flow and load data for the reference operating period. Identified PAC over-dosing above the minimum effective dose and caustic soda as the primary driver of treated effluent TDS elevation — a root cause with direct implications for both compliance and operating cost.
Phase 3: Solution Development & Prioritisation
Evaluated four solution categories: operational improvements (immediate, low-cost), manufacturing process modifications to reduce ETP influent load, capital improvements (pre-aeration DAF, screening upgrade, online monitoring), and regulatory options. Prepared a prioritised action plan with decision criteria and implementation sequence for each option.
Phase 4: Optimisation Protocols & Value Engineering Delivery
Delivered structured laboratory test procedures as detailed annexures: PAC and polymer jar test protocol, caustic-versus-lime comparative testing procedure with TDS and COD measurement methodology, and H₂O₂ dosing evaluation protocol. These actionable procedures enabled the IFFCO operations team to independently verify and implement the recommended chemical optimisation changes on-site.
The Results
Engineering Depth Across Seven Treatment Stages
7 Stages
Audit Coverage
End-to-end performance assessment spanning all seven treatment stages — from inlet screening and oil removal through aeration, DAF floatation, MBBR, and sand filtration — with stage-by-stage COD, TDS, and TSS profiling
Identified
Root Cause
Caustic soda pH dosing identified as a primary contributor to treated effluent TDS exceedances — a systemic finding with direct compliance implications and a clear, validated remediation pathway through lime substitution
Lab-Proven Path
Chemical Optimisation
Structured jar test protocols delivered for PAC and polymer dosage optimisation — enabling the operations team to establish the minimum effective coagulant dose through on-site testing rather than rule-of-thumb dosing
A/S Corrected
DAF Assessment
Air-to-Solid ratio in the floatation unit identified as below optimum — particularly during peak production hydraulic loading — with targeted operational corrections to restore oil and suspended solids capture performance
Phased Plan
Improvement Roadmap
Prioritised value engineering plan from immediate operational corrections through to capital improvements — pre-aeration DAF addition, screening overhaul, and online pH monitoring — structured to allow phased investment aligned to compliance risk
Dubai Mun.
Compliance Basis
All assessment findings and recommendations structured against Dubai Municipality effluent disposal standards — providing IFFCO's operations team with a clear, technically grounded basis for compliance-driven decision making
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