When deciding what important factors go into running a brewery, selecting the proper equipment, inventory logistics, labor concerns and market research are all vital. But, sometimes,  waste management is overlooked. With a properly designed waste management system in place, breweries can avoid costly production delays, potential fines from local, state or federal environmental agencies and product contamination.

Because of these factors, a brewery collaborated with ClearBlu Environmental, a full-service design-build firm, that specializes in applying sustainable technologies to process wastewater treatment and reclamation. The brewery wanted to expand their base and therefore an efficient treatment system was required to process the wastewater generated by the brewery.

ClearBlu Environmental designed the pretreatment system, which included screening, settling and pH balancing, as well as the pond design, aeration system, bacterial treatment and final-stage flow monitoring. It was determined that three lift stations would need to be installed, with two pumps to operate in each lift station.

With any brewery, the wastewater contained solids that could erode or clog the pumps, reducing pump reliability and risking operational delays. On top of that, the technical challenges at this brewery included acidic wastewater with a pH of 4, and high-temperature wastewater over 140°F.

The engineers realized the proper submersible pumps would be critical to help ensure the waste management system could maintain sanitation requirements. They consulted with Industrial Flow Solutions, a supplier of pumps and fluid management systems. What they learned about pumps applies to any brewery wastewater system. Managers should consider the following:

• • • Solids handling
    • Corrosion resistance
    • Chemical compatibility
    • High temperatures

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