CoffeeWastewater (coffee processing industrial wastewater) is a type of wastewater generated from coffee processing, production, cleaning, and other steps. In particular, wastewater from the coffee cleaning and grinding process has a very high concentration of contaminants such as COD, BOD, and SS and a low pH.

Learn about coffee wastewater

Sources of wastewater in the coffee processing industry include domestic wastewater from bathrooms, toilets, kitchens, etc. in coffee production and processing plants. This wastewater is collected in septic tanks into wastewater storage tanks along with other types of wastewater from the hygienic production of coffee processing materials or water from cleaning machinery and equipment.

In addition to the process of grinding coffee beans, wastewater from the coffee processing industry is also generated during the scrubbing of coffee beans and the soaking of coffee beans in enzymes. Wastewater from these stages contains many pollutants, with low concentrations of pollutants such as BOD, COD, and TSS.

The factory's coffee processing technology does not have a step to separate the beans before they enter the coffee processing system, resulting in more residues in the wastewater than other coffee processing plants. The concentration of coffee wastewater contamination is much higher than similar factories abroad.

The composition of coffee processing wastewater is characterized by a low pH in the range of pH 6-7, and concentrations of pollutants such as COD, BOD, TSS, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total coliforms that are several times higher than the permissible limits.

Coffee Wastewater Characterization Table

No.	Parameter	Unit	Value
1	pH	-.	5.1-5.6	5.5-9
2	COD	mg/l	3.100-4.210	150
3	THAT	mg/l	1.100-3.210	50
4	TSS Suspended Solids	mg/l	700-870	100
5	Total P	mg/l	5.5-6.5	6
6	Total Nitrogen	mg/l	180-298	40

Harmful Effects of Coffee Processing Industry Wastewater

When untreated coffee processing industry wastewater is discharged into the environment, it can cause significant damage. The contaminants present in coffee processing wastewater will change the pH of the water in the environment, causing imbalances and differences in the properties of the water. This will affect the life of the plants and animals living in that water environment.

Wastewater also contains harmful substances such as organic and inorganic compounds, heavy metals, antibiotics, pesticides, and more. All of these substances can cause significant damage to the to human, animal, and plant health in the environment.

Besides, coffee processing wastewater also causes environmental barrenness, which makes the environment uncomfortable and no longer has living conditions for organisms and affects the livelihood of local communities. Copper in there.

Environmental pollution from coffee processing wastewater

Coffee processing industry wastewater not only causes significant pollution to water sources, but also affects human and animal health in the living environment. Contaminants in wastewater, such as COD, BOD, SS, E. coli, nitrogen, and phosphorus, can significantly degrade environmental quality, contaminate water sources, and reduce their regenerative capacity, affecting health and human health. Human and animal health.

Handling solutions

Wastewater treatment in the coffee processing industry is very important and necessary to preserve and protect the living environment. There are many ways to treat wastewater, but the most popular and effective method today is to use a microbial wastewater treatment system.

Microbial wastewater treatment systems can help remove harmful substances and other contaminants from coffee processing industry wastewater and convert it into clean wastewater that can be reused or discharged. It is discharged into the environment without causing serious impacts.

Wastewater treatment operations for the coffee processing industry

To address wastewater pollution in the coffee processing industry, coffee production and processing plants must apply appropriate wastewater treatment technologies to minimize adverse environmental impacts. Commonly applied coffee processing industry wastewater treatment operations include the following steps.

1. physical handling

Use filters, clarifiers, presses, and dosing tanks to remove solids and suspended solids. This step helps remove most solids, suspended solids, and residues from your wastewater to minimize adverse environmental impacts.

2. chemical treatment

Chemicals such as flocculants, alum, oxidizers, and more are used to treat wastewater. This step purifies and removes contaminants from the wastewater, helping it reach safe levels before it is treated and discharged into the environment.

3. biological treatment

Treat wastewater using biological processes, such as using microorganisms and bacteria to break down organic matter. This step helps to create beneficial bacteria in the breakdown of organic matter and wastewater treatment. This process takes place in biological treatment tanks where bacteria break down organic matter and convert it into more harmless substances like CO2 and water.

Biological treatment tanks are designed to provide a favorable environment for the growth of these bacteria with the right conditions such as humidity, temperature, and redox concentration. These tanks can be divided into a series of tanks, each with a different function to optimize the wastewater treatment process. After the wastewater is treated in the biological tank, it is transferred to the chemical treatment tank to continue the treatment process and remove any residual toxic substances.

Describe a wastewater treatment plan for coffee processing

Wastewater from the coffee bean cleaning process, or ground coffee grounds, is collected in a collection tank through a treatment system with screens to remove waste. Large solid waste. This tank requires regular maintenance to clean the trash screen to prevent clogging that affects the reliable operation of the system.

Wastewater is passed through a settling basin, where the process of precipitating large chemicals from the wastewater occurs before it enters the conditioning tank to continue to the next stage of treatment.

Air tanks

The effect is to regulate the flow of wastewater throughout the entire system, keeping the system running at peak efficiency.

The next stage in the coffee processing industry wastewater treatment system is the UASB tank, an anaerobic biological tank that treats wastewater with high organic concentrations and difficult to break down. The wastewater continues to the next stage.

Anoxic tank (anoxic biotank)

Used to remove nitrogen and phosphorus chemicals from wastewater, the working principle of these tanks is based on microorganisms that break down contaminated nitrogen and phosphorus compounds.

Aero Tank

When used in combination and directly after the Anoxide tank, the Aerotank is effective at removing bacteria and pathogens present in coffee processing industry wastewater and treating odors. This treatment system also allows for control of the amount of DO in the wastewater since no organic matter needs to be added. However, installing the tanks in this location has the slight disadvantage of less nitrogen input, and the system requires a pump to transfer wastewater from the Aerotank back to the Anoxide tank for effective treatment.

Biological sedimentation basins

The next stage of the treatment system, the biological sedimentation tank, also utilizes gravity to settle the waste to the bottom of the tank, which has the effect of filtering the suspended waste present in the wastewater, thereby increasing the treatment efficiency of the wastewater. These tanks are widely used in industrial wastewater treatment systems. The wastewater is stored in the tank for a period of time before being transported to the next stage. The sludge is deposited in this tank, and the UASB tank is transferred to the sludge tank for external treatment (pressing the sludge and then landfilling).

Swim Intermediaries

Flocculation and flocculation tanks are the next step in the treatment system that prepares wastewater for treatment by physicochemical methods.

The flocculation and flocculation tank feeds chemicals directly into the treatment unit, and chemicals such as PAC, Polymer, NaOH, etc. are fed into the tank to remove and remove oversized solid waste particles. From here, the treated wastewater is sent to the next stage.

At this stage, the wastewater is treated in a physicochemical sedimentation tank, which has the same effect as a biological sedimentation tank, etc. It will be put into the tank for a period of time to precipitate the pollution waste and remove it from the wastewater, and then the wastewater will pass through the disinfection tank for the next step.

Disinfection tanks

Xaven chemicals provided by environmental companies disinfect, sterilize, and remove pathogens in wastewater.

Pressure Filter Tank

As the next industrial wastewater treatment tank in the treatment system, it has the effect of securing wastewater by removing residues left after sedimentation such as biological sedimentation tank and physicochemical sedimentation tank.

Sludge machine for coffee processing wastewater treatment

Due to the special characteristics of the wastewater, the COD concentration and color are very high, making sewage sludge separation difficult. However, with ARK's centrifugal slurry press, pressing sewage sludge in coffee processing plants is easier than ever. Here are some real photos of ARK's test run in a coffee processing plant.

When building a wastewater treatment system for a coffee processing plant. The choice of sludge treatment equipment is essential. When you need the best quality and suitable slurry press for coffee sludge treatment. Contact ARK.

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