The MBR Book: Principles and Applications of Membrane

Figure 5.37 Airlift municipal WWTP, Vienna
5.4.2 Food wastewater recycling plant, Aquabio, UK
Case studies 253
5.4.2.1 Background and drivers
The drivers and issues surrounding industrial water recycling are well known and
have been debated extensively (Judd and Jefferson, 2003). However, in most cases,
the principal issue is cost. Users with an incoming mains water supply are charged
for both potable water into the factory and trade effluent out of it. Recycling becomes
an attractive option if the cost savings made by obviating water supply and discharge
are more than the capital cost of the plant over some critical payback time period (in
many cases, �2 years). However, there is usually one or more other motivating factor
which strengthens the case for recycling. This can include pressure on abstraction, business
growth and/or factory expansion, or an unexpected dramatic increase in water
supply or discharge costs. Abstraction is affected by more global concerns such as
decreasing water levels caused by a higher general demand for water and/or climate
changes. In such cases, companies who already have water treatment infrastructure
in place for potable water polishing may find the recycling option more attractive.
The plants at Kanes Food and Bourne Salads in the UK both represent examples of
food effluent recycling with an sMBR, based on a pumped UF MT membrane, employed
upstream of a reverse osmosis plant and, finally, a UV polishing unit. The Kanes Food
plant in Worcestershire was commissioned in February 2001 following pilot plant
trials conducted between January and June 1999 by the contractor Aquabio, who