Biofilters Minimize Effluent Load at Malting Plant

Biofilters installed at the Bairds Malt Pencaitland Maltings Plant near Edinburgh, Scotland, will reduce the plant’s trade effluent load, minimize environmental impact and reduce costs.

With an annual malt production capacity of 47,000 metric tons, the Pencaitland Maltings Plant uses a significant amount of water in the steeping and germination processes. The new biofiltration system, installed by ACWA Services, plays a key role in reducing the pollutant load in the wastewater discharged from production processes. ACWA designed the system to reduce the biological oxygen demand (BOD) load by more than 90 percent, directly reducing the plant’s trade effluent charges.

The system incorporates two identical biofilters complete with structured media and effluent distribution systems ensuring the effluent is evenly distributed through the biofilters to promote biological growth and effective treatment.

To ensure the plant remained fully operational during the installation, ACWA installed a temporary submerged aerated filter (SAF) unit to operate in parallel with the existing biofilters.

The biofilters are operating at full capacity, treating an effluent flow of 550 cubic meters per day.