Industry Background and Problems
The sugar and distillery industries are key contributors to the agro-based economy but generate large volumes of complex wastewater streams rich in organic matter, suspended solids, color, and high chemical oxygen demand (COD). Sugar industry effluents typically originate from washing, boiling, and crystallization processes, while distillery wastewaters include spent wash, vinasse, and process rejects, characterized by high acidity, recalcitrant organics, and nutrients. These wastewaters pose significant environmental challenges if discharged untreated, causing oxygen depletion, soil degradation, and water pollution.
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Stringent environmental regulations demand effective treatment to reduce COD, BOD, suspended solids, and color before discharge or reuse. Water scarcity and increasing production volumes necessitate sustainable water management, pushing industries toward advanced treatment and water recycling solutions. Challenges include handling high-strength, variable composition effluents with seasonal fluctuations, mitigating odor, and managing large quantities of sludge generated during treatment.
Our Approach to Solving the Problems
Sarvo offers customized, integrated water and wastewater treatment solutions designed to meet the stringent demands of sugar and distillery industries. Our approach involves multi-stage treatment trains with physical, chemical, biological, and advanced membrane technologies. Initial stages include screening, equalization, and neutralization, followed by chemical coagulation/flocculation and sedimentation to remove suspended solids and reduce color.
Biological treatment typically employs anaerobic digesters, aerobic MBBR or MBR systems to degrade organics and generate biogas as renewable energy. Membrane filtration (UF, RO) supports effluent polishing and water recycling. For zero liquid discharge (ZLD), Sarvo deploys energy-efficient Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVR) evaporators and drying units to concentrate and safely dispose of solids.
Our solutions integrate real-time process automation and AI-enabled monitoring to optimize operations, reduce chemical use, and ensure regulatory compliance. Sarvo’s modular and scalable designs allow phased implementation and retrofit upgrades, promoting water reuse for process and irrigation while minimizing environmental impact and operational costs.
Key Points
About Our Tech in Pointers
- Multi-barrier waste management trains addressing high COD, BOD, suspended solids, and color.
- Robust biological treatment with anaerobic digesters and MBR/MBBR for organics degradation and biogas recovery.
- Advanced UF/RO membrane systems for polishing and high-quality water recycling.
- Energy-efficient thermal evaporation (MVR) for zero liquid discharge and minimal sludge production.
- Automated controls and AI analytics ensuring process optimization and compliance.
- Modular, scalable plants enabling phased deployment and easy expansion.
- Integrated sludge handling and economically safe disposal solutions.
- Proven capability in managing seasonal and variable effluent compositions.
Relevant Technologies
Screening, grit removal, and neutralization
Chemical coagulation & flocculation
Anaerobic and aerobic biological reactors (MBR, MBBR, UASB)
Ultrafiltration (UF) and Reverse Osmosis (RO)
Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVR) evaporators & dryers
Advanced oxidation processes (AOP) and disinfection
Sludge dewatering and drying units
PLC/SCADA automation and IoT-based monitoring
Customer Case Study: Patanjali Foods Ltd, Mangliya, Indore
Sarvo successfully designed and commissioned an advanced wastewater treatment facility for Patanjali Foods, a leading player in the sugar and distillery sector, located in Mangliya, Indore. The plant handles highly acidic acid oil wastewater rich in organic load and sulfate salts generated post edible oil recovery.
Sarvo’s solution includes chemical neutralization with lime and caustic, followed by concentration of the wastewater in an energy-efficient Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVR) evaporator. The concentrate is further dried in a thermal drying system to produce a manageable solid waste suitable for disposal. This approach achieves significant water recovery (around 90%), reducing the dependency on freshwater and minimizing environmental discharge.
The MVR system is coupled with real-time monitoring and automated controls, ensuring consistent performance, minimal manpower requirements, and full adherence to local and national discharge regulations. The treated condensate water is reused in processing, enhancing sustainability and operational cost-efficiency. This turnkey project strengthens Patanjali’s environmental stewardship and compliance profile while supporting its production growth goals.
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