Arla Foods Dairy Wastewater
External Side-stream MBR for High-Strength Industrial Wastewater
Arla Foods, one of the world's largest dairy companies, utilizes advanced MBR technology at its Danish facilities to treat high-strength wastewater from milk powder production and CIP (Clean-in-Place) processes.
1. Process Flow Diagram
graph LR
A[Dairy Wastewater] --> B[DAF - Fat/Oil Removal]
B --> C[Equalization Tank]
C --> D[Aerobic Bioreactor]
D <--> E[External MBR Loop
Cross-flow Filtration]
E --> F[Nanofiltration / RO]
F --> G[Water Recovery / Discharge]
subgraph MBR_Loop [Side-stream Loop]
D
E
end
2. Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Influent COD | Up to 5,000 mg/L (High Strength) |
| Membrane Brand | Alfa Laval / Pentair X-Flow |
| Membrane Type | Flat Sheet or Tubular (Side-stream) |
| Configuration | External (Side-stream) |
| Removal Efficiency | >99% COD Removal |
| Operating Principle | High-velocity Cross-flow |
| Water Recovery | NF/RO permeate used for cooling towers |
3. Key Operational Insights
The high-strength nature of dairy wastewater, containing fats, oils, and proteins, makes it prone to severe fouling. The external side-stream configuration is preferred here for its ability to handle high solids and viscosity.