Coagulation/flocculation process and sludge conditioning in beverage industrial wastewater treatment

Attempts were made in this study to examine the effectiveness of coagulation and flocculation process using ferric chloride and polyelectrolyte (non-ionic polyacrylamide) for the treatment of beverage industrial wastewater. Removal of organic matter (expressed as chemical oxygen demand, COD), total phosphorus (TP) and total suspended solid (TSS) using ferric chloride and organic polyelectrolyte during coagulation/flocculation process were investigated. Also, the optimum conditions for coagulation/flocculation process, such as coagulant dosage, polyelectrolyte dosage, and pH of solution were investigated using jar-test experiment. The effect of different dosages of polyelectrolyte in combination with coagulant was also studied. The results revealed that in the range of pH tested, the optimal operating pH was 9. Percentage removals of 73, 95 and 97 for COD, TP and TSS, respectively, were achieved by the addition of 300 mg/L FeCl3·6H2O, whereas 91, 99 and 97% removal of COD, TP and TSS, respectively, were achieved with the addition of 25 mg/L polyelectrolyte to 100 mg/L ferric chloride. The volume of sludge produced, when ferric chloride was used solely, was higher compared to the use of combination of polyelectrolyte and FeCl3·6H20. The combined use of coagulant and polyelectrolyte resulted in the production of sludge volume with reduction of 60% of the amount produced, when coagulant was solely used for the treatment. It can be concluded from this study that coagulation/flocculation may be a useful pre-treatment process for beverage industrial wastewater prior to biological treatment.