Controlling Wastewater Plant Odor

Controlling Wastewater Plant Odor

Background

A wastewater plant constructed in 2007 processes 600,000-800,000 gallons of water per day from three different food processing facilities. The plant is located near a business and residential area, and when it announced a plan to expand, the odors emanating from the facility presented a public relations issue. 

Solution

ChemTreat identified two areas of the plant that contributed to the odor issue: 

1. A circular, 450,000-gallon, outdoor, open-top, flow equalization tank. An HLDA300 blower unit was installed inside the wastewater treatment building, with 200 feet of two-inch distribution hoses placed around the top perimeter of the tank. 

2. Dissolved air flotation (DAF) unit inside the wastewater building. An HLDA100 unit was installed with two-inch distribution hoses located around the DAF perimeter and above the skimmer paddles. 

Air-driven/vapor phase odor control systems like HLDA100 and HLDA300 have several advantages: 

  • No water is needed 
  • Operate year-round 
  • No freeze protection needed 
  • No spray nozzles 

Results

On the first day after odor control installation, there was already noticeable improvement. By day 15, the location of the treatment and the air flow were adjusted, causing a further decrease in odor. The odor was not noticeable inside or outside the plant by day 30.  

One employee said:

“My clothes no longer have a septic smell requiring me to change before I enter the house. I no longer must shower immediately upon entering the house when I get off work… My car no longer smells like the septic activity in the plant. It smells normal.”

Results are examples only. They are not guaranteed. Actual results may vary.