Evaluation of Energy Consumption in Agro-Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant

Energy consumption during waste water treatment is a very important factor affecting food industry plants. Apart from highly efficient treatment of dairy and meat sewage, a low energy consumption is required in order to lower its costs. During the research period, parameters of raw and treated sewage were tested (BOD,COD, N-total, P-total). Also, the energy consumption from selected processes as well as total consumption were measured. Indicators of energy consumption per m3 and removed load were calculated. It was found that biological treatment and aeration played the main role in energy consumption in both objects. It was respectively 40 and 47% for Bielmlek and JBB plants. The second biggest energy consuming stage of treatment in both objects was sludge processing. Energy required to process excessive sludge equaled 30% of the total energy usage in both plants. Energy consumption factors related to hydraulic flow gave results in the range from 2.05 to 3.3 kWhm^-3and from 2.72 to 3.23 kWhm^-3 for Bielmlek and JBB plants respectively. The research will be continued in order to optimize energy consumption, while retaining high efficiency treatment in food industry WWTPs. Finally, a mathematical model will be prepared for optimizing energy consumption in food industry WWTPs.