Treatment FAQ

what happens to oils and greases in wastewater treatment

by Litzy Koch Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago

When fats, oils and grease enter the drainage system they mix with food and other sanitary waste, congeal and harden in the pipe. In addition to unpleasant odours, FOG-related blockages can result in sewer overflows due to reduced capacity or burst drain and sewer pipes.

How do you get rid of oil and grease in wastewater treatment?

The removal of the emulsified oil requires either a chemical addition to lower the pH or use of emulsion breakers. Dissolved/ Air Flotation: Once treated, the wastewater often enters an air flotation unit to remove the emulsified oil as it begins to break free from the wastewater, using dissolved oxygen or nitrogen.

What happens when fats oils and greases enter the sewer system?

When Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) are washed down sinks, floor drains or are otherwise improperly discarded, clogs are formed. In time, these clogs can cause sewer backups to occur. These backups are costly to repair, harmful to the environment and can potentially cause health hazards.

What happens to sludge after treatment?

In the United States, sewage sludge is also called wastewater solids. After any form of treatment, sludge is often referred to as “biosolids”. In line with this, we can say that sludge treatment turns sludge into biosolids. "Biosolids" are usually either applied on land, incinerated, or landfilled.

How is grease removed from wastewater?

Removal requires chemical addition to reduce the pH followed by the addition of dissolved oxygen or nitrogen to remove the emulsified oils as they break free from the wastewater. Dissolved oil is a true molecular solution within the water and can only be removed by biological treatment.

How does oil and grease affect water quality?

Fats, Oils, and Grease that are poured down the kitchen drain accumulates in sewer pipes. If the flow of water is restricted due to the accumulation, it can cause untreated wastewater to backup into homes. The untreated sewage from these overflows can contaminate our waters, causing serious water quality problems.

What can happen if fat or food waste goes into the drainpipes?

Once the wastewater enters the sewer lines it can drain out. When grease goes into the waste streams it could end up causing major clogs in the sewer lines.

How is sludge disposed?

Sludges can be disposed of by liquid injection to land or by disposal in a landfill.

What happens to the sludge in a septic tank?

Bacteria that lives in the tank helps to break down the sludge, turning it into a liquid. Near the top of the septic tank is a pipe that leads to a part of the yard called the drain field. When the waste water in the septic tank reaches this pipe, the water flows into the drain field and is filtered through the soil.

What is the digestion and disposal of treated sludge?

Sludge digestion is a biological process in which organic solids are decomposed into stable substances. Digestion reduces the total mass of solids, destroys pathogens, and makes it easier to dewater or dry the sludge. Digested sludge is inoffensive, having the appearance and characteristics of a rich potting soil.

How do you separate oil from waste water?

Vacuum evaporation. The evaporation process is the only way to separate oil from water without having to pre-treat the effluent or requiring subsequent processes, as the water produced is of higher quality and can be reused directly.

What is oil and grease in wastewater?

Oil and grease includes fats, oils, waxes, and other related constituents found in water, generally wastewater. If these compounds are not removed before discharge of treated wastewater, oil and grease can interfere with biological life in surface waters and create unsightly films.

How do you remove oil and grease?

To remove dried-in or old grease and oil stains from your garments, apply a small amount of liquid laundry detergent onto the stained area, gently rub the fabric against itself, let the clothing sit for a couple of hours, then wash as usual as per the fabric care label's recommendation.

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