Name and Location
Distell Biobulk wastewater-treatment facility project, Western Cape, South Africa.

Client
Distell.

Project Description
Distell has three operational sites in the Stellenbosch area – Adam Tas, Van Ryn and Bergkelder.

The group plans to install a common anaerobic water-treatment facility that will lower the chemical oxygen demand (COD) load in the outfall to the municipality, harvest the energy in the wastewater and lower the overall cost of effluent treatment.

Value
Not stated.

Duration
The project will be ready for commissioning in March 2016.

Latest Developments
Veolia Water Technologies South Africa has been awarded a contract to design, build and operate South Africa’s first Biobulk wastewater treatment facility.

The continuous stirred tank reactor technology treats industrial effluents with significant amounts of suspended solids. It is the anaerobic equivalent to the conventional activated sludge digestion system.

Following an anaerobic suspended bacteria treatment process, the majority of the soluble and solid organic content, measured in COD, is converted into biogas.

The biogas is a source of renewable energy and converted into steam for the Distell site.

Central to the plant is the Biothane Biobulk anaerobic digester, which will treat effluent from the plant.

Ancillary equipment includes storage buffer tanks, clarifiers, the centrifuge, and the boiler and biogas flare.

Veolia is mandated to deliver the specified quality of water, conduct ongoing maintenance, and ensure the plant’s operating performance is in accordance with set objectives. Veolia will treat 1 000 m3/d of effluent with an organic load of 8.6 t/d COD.

The treated water will be discharged to the municipal wastewater works.

During the process of anaerobic digestion, COD is converted into biogas, which will be transferred from the Biobulk, directly to the biogas boiler.

The final effluent discharged to the municipality will contain less than 500 kg/d in COD and the suspended solids concentration will be less than 150 mg/ℓ.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Veolia Water Technologies South Africa (design, build and operate contract).

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Distell, tel +27 21 809 7000 or email info@distell.co.za.
Veolia Water Technologies South Africa  project manager D&B projects
Werner Dreyer, tel +27 21 871 1877 or email info.southafrica@veoliawater.com.