Comprehensive wastewater solutions for breweries, distilleries, and beverage production. Australian AS 1210 & European PED/IED compliant systems with spent grain recovery, yeast separation, and biogas production.
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Brewery wastewater is 5-20x stronger than domestic sewage. Distillery stillage can be 100-200x stronger, making it ideal for anaerobic digestion and biogas recovery.
The Problem: Brewery wastewater contains 1,000-10,000 mg/L BOD from yeast, wort residues, and fermentation byproducts. Distillery stillage can reach 20,000-100,000 mg/L BOD, creating massive organic loads.
Impact: Sewer surcharge penalties (-12/kg BOD), treatment plant upsets, compliance violations, and potential production restrictions.
Sources: Spent yeast, wort spills, fermentation residues, tank bottoms, CIP waste, filter backwash.
View BOD SolutionsThe Problem: Spent yeast, grain residues, and hop particles create high TSS (500-3,000 mg/L) that can clog equipment and reduce treatment efficiency. Yeast cells are particularly difficult to separate.
Impact: Pump blockages, equipment damage, poor DAF performance, increased sludge volumes, and disposal requirements.
Sources: Spent grain, yeast slurry, trub, hop residues, filter media, tank bottoms.
View Solids SeparationThe Problem: Brewery operations are highly variable with peak flows during CIP (Clean-in-Place) operations reaching 5-10x average flows. Seasonal production (summer peak) adds further variability.
Impact: Treatment system instability, poor performance during peak loads, oversized equipment requirements, and compliance challenges.
Sources: CIP cycles, tank cleaning, filter backwash, production scheduling, seasonal demand.
View Flow SolutionsThe Problem: Brewery wastewater pH varies dramatically from acidic (pH 3-4 from fermentation) to alkaline (pH 11-12 from caustic CIP). This creates treatment challenges and can kill biological organisms.
Impact: Biological treatment failure, chemical requirements for neutralisation, equipment corrosion, and compliance violations.
Sources: Caustic CIP (NaOH), acid CIP (HNO3/phosphoric), fermentation acids, cleaning sanitizers.
View pH SolutionsThe Problem: Yeast and grain proteins contain significant nitrogen. Brewery wastewater can have 50-200 mg/L total nitrogen, requiring nutrient removal for sensitive receiving waters.
Impact: Nutrient enrichment of water bodies, algal blooms, strict discharge limits, and expensive nutrient removal requirements.
Sources: Yeast proteins, grain proteins, hop residues, cleaning chemicals (phosphates).
View Nutrient RemovalThe Problem: Hot water CIP (60-80°C), wort cooling water, and pasteurisation create thermal shock. Hot wastewater (>40°C) damages advanced biological treatment and wastes energy.
Impact: Biological treatment failure, excessive energy requirements for cooling, steam emissions, and worker safety issues.
Sources: Hot water CIP, wort cooling, pasteurisation, boiler blowdown, sterilisation.
View EqualizationThe Problem: Distillery stillage is one of the strongest industrial wastewaters with BOD 20,000-100,000 mg/L and high solids content. Direct discharge is prohibited in most jurisdictions.
Impact: Massive disposal requirements, treatment plant overload, compliance violations, and environmental damage if discharged untreated.
Sources: Whiskey, vodka, gin, rum distillation; pot ale, spent wash, vinasse.
View Distillery SolutionsThe Problem: Beer, wine, and beverage residues create coloured wastewater that may not meet discharge standards even after BOD removal. Caramel, dyes, and tannins add to colour issues.
Impact: Visual pollution, aesthetic concerns, additional treatment requirements, and potential discharge restrictions.
Sources: Beer residues, wine lees, caramel colouring, fruit juices, beverage concentrates.
View Colour RemovalSolution: Spent grain is a valuable byproduct for animal feed. Our screening and dewatering systems recover grain while reducing wastewater BOD by 30-40%.
Key Features:
project benefits: Spent grain @ -150/tonne = -100,000/year
View Grain RecoverySolution: Surplus yeast can be recovered for food ingredients, animal feed, or extract production. Centrifuges and membrane systems achieve high yeast recovery rates.
Key Features:
project benefits: Yeast extract @ -4,000/tonne
View Yeast RecoverySolution: Dissolved Air Flotation effectively removes yeast, proteins, and hop residues from brewery wastewater. Optimised for brewery-specific contaminants.
Key Features:
Performance: TSS removal 70-85%; BOD removal 40-60%
View DAF SystemsSolution: High-strength brewery and distillery wastewater is ideal for anaerobic treatment. UASB reactors produce biogas while achieving 80-90% COD removal.
Key Features:
project benefits: Energy benefits -250,000/year
View Anaerobic SystemsSolution: Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors provide robust aerobic treatment for brewery wastewater with high biomass inventory and shock load resistance.
Key Features:
Performance: BOD removal 90-95%; TSS < 30 mg/L
View MBBR SystemsSolution: Automated pH control with equalization tanks buffers CIP cycles and prevents advanced biological treatment shock. Essential for brewery wastewater.
Key Features:
Performance: pH 3-12 inlet → pH 6.5-8.5 outlet
View pH ControlRemove spent grain, hops, and coarse solids
Buffer flow variations; initial pH adjustment
Centrifuge or membrane yeast separation
Remove proteins, yeast, and suspended solids
UASB for high-COD streams; biogas
Biological oxidation
Meet limits or polish for reuse
| Stage | BOD (mg/L) | COD (mg/L) | TSS (mg/L) | Removal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raw Wastewater | 1,000 - 5,000 | 2,000 - 10,000 | 500 - 2,000 | - |
| After Screening | 800 - 4,000 | 1,600 - 8,000 | 300 - 1,200 | 40-50% TSS |
| After Yeast Recovery | 500 - 2,500 | 1,000 - 5,000 | 200 - 800 | 40-60% BOD |
| After DAF | 300 - 1,500 | 600 - 3,000 | 50 - 200 | 70-85% TSS |
| After Anaerobic | 60 - 300 | 120 - 600 | 80 - 300 | 80-85% COD |
| After Aerobic MBBR | < 20 - 50 | < 50 - 150 | < 20 - 50 | 90-95% BOD |
| Final Discharge | < 20 | < 125 | < 35 | 98-99% overall |
Remove spent grain, hops, and coarse solids. Fine screening: 0.5-3 mm. Stainless steel 316L with integrated wash/compaction systems.
Compliance: EU 1935/2004 AS 1210
View ScreensRemove yeast, proteins, and suspended solids. Brewery-optimised polymer chemistry. Capacity: 5-200 m³/hr. Compact design for limited space.
Compliance: PED 2014/68/EU AS 1210
View DAF SystemsAutomated polymer preparation for DAF optimisation. Brewery-specific polymer selection. Flow-paced or load-based control.
Options: ATEX Available
View Polymer SystemsAnaerobic treatment with biogas recovery. Ideal for high-strength brewery/distillery wastewater. COD loading: 5-15 kg/m³/day.
Compliance: PED 2014/68/EU ATEX
View Anaerobic SystemsAerobic advanced biological treatment with moving bed biofilm. Shock load resistance for brewery variability. No sludge recirculation.
Compliance: EU 1935/2004 Food-Grade
View MBBR SystemsDewatering of spent grain and DAF float. Multi-disc design achieving 18-22% dry solids. Food-grade for animal feed applications.
Compliance: EU 1935/2004 Food-Grade
View Screw PressesYeast recovery and clarification. High-speed separation for yeast cream production. Continuous operation with CIP capability.
Compliance: EHEDG Certified
Flow balancing and pH neutralisation. 12-24 hour retention. Stainless steel 316L with mixing and pH control systems.
Compliance: AS 1210 PED 2014/68/EU
View TanksCapacity: 50,000 hl/year
Wastewater: 200 m³/day
Challenge: High BOD (3,000 mg/L), spent grain disposal requirements
Solution:
Results:
Environment Agency Compliant
Capacity: 5 million LPA
Stillage: 500 m³/day
Challenge: High-strength stillage (BOD 60,000 mg/L), zero liquid discharge
Solution:
Results:
EPA Ireland Compliant
Our brewery and beverage wastewater treatment systems are designed and manufactured to meet the strictest Australian, European, and Scandinavian standards for pressure equipment, food contact materials, and environmental compliance.
Related Brewery Resources
Overview of brewery and beverage wastewater treatment solutions, from spent grain recovery to biogas production.
View OverviewComplete guide to Australian and European regulatory requirements for brewery wastewater equipment and discharge.
View StandardsDetailed Nordic regulations for Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland brewery operations.
View Nordic StandardsOur beverage industry specialists understand the unique challenges of brewery, distillery, and beverage production wastewater. From spent grain recovery to biogas production, we'll design a system that meets your regulatory requirements while maximising resource recovery.
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